Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

New person at work sitting next to me?

110 replies

BornInSydneyy · 14/01/2018 19:33

Brought in from different department to help with work load. Had minimal training - not their fault.

Due to our workload being extremely high we’re being targeted now very heavily.

I think it’s unfair that new person will (understandably) be asking me lots of questions and therefore distracting me and meaning I have less time to do my own work.

Aibu?

OP posts:
LoniceraJaponica · 14/01/2018 20:57

How on earth can new members of staff learn their jobs if they can't ask questions?

That is just shit management.

BackforGood · 14/01/2018 21:13

Of course YABU (and rude to other posters).

You've said your department is overstretched and under stress. The Company has done what it can to alleviate that by lending you someone from another part of the company for 4 weeks. Instead of thinking "'Great', now what tasks, or which part of my job can I give them to give me more time to work on the aspects you need to be experienced to handle", you are whinging, before it has even happened, that they might have the cheek to ask you questions! Confused
Completely unreasonable.

LoniceraJaponica · 14/01/2018 21:16

So this new person is going to sit there like a lemon with nothing to do because no-one can show them the ropes. Mismanagement at its best.

daisychain01 · 14/01/2018 21:26

I think it’s unfair that new person will (understandably) be asking me lots of questions and therefore distracting me and meaning I have less time to do my own work

Say you work a 7 hour day, that's about 420 minutes.

Of those minutes, your new colleague asks you a couple of questions every hour, 14 questions - and it takes about 5 minutes for you to answer them, so in total that's a maximum of an hour of your time, but they are covering 6 hours of work you don't have to do - that's every day. If you give your time to them the questions will decrease and they cover even more work.

I'd say that's something to thank them for not grumble about them asking you for information to get the job done.

ArchchancellorsHat · 14/01/2018 21:38

Lonicera you can't learn anything! This happened on my first day as well. I feel totally stuck, if I get anything wrong it'll take time to fix it, if I don't do much I'll look like a lazy git. I've never heard anything like it, most places really want you to ask so they don't have to spend time fixing things.

CherryMaDeara · 14/01/2018 22:48

Not sure why OP is getting a hard time, but there are a lot of rude people on this thread complaining that OP is rude whilst pretending they are trying to help her.

OP, they have put them next to you because you are good at your job. If they aren't assigned a trainer and expect you to train the new person, have a word with your manager to warn them of impact on your work and follow up with an email.

Do you think they have put them next to you because you're female?

daisychain01 · 15/01/2018 04:36

Not sure why the OP is getting a "hard time"?

How about because people are questioning such a mean-spirited and unwelcoming attitude, when a fellow co-worker is coming in to help - and that's the gratitude they get.

OK so the OP could be a bit inconvenienced by, > gasp < having to lend that person a hand by possibly answering a few questions. And actually, that person hasn't started yet, so they are jumping the gun by even worrying about it. Maybe they should make them a cuppa, say hi and thanks for joining us, and making them feel welcome. It's only for 4 weeks.

But that's probably far too sensible.

Mummyoflittledragon · 15/01/2018 04:59

Has your manager directly told you that you’re expected to train this person and at the same time still meet your targets?

Are you going to answer this question this time?

Timetogetup0630 · 15/01/2018 06:06

I would be pleased to be deemed "good " enough to have a new starter sit next to me. And I would be kind and helpful to them.

InspMorse · 15/01/2018 06:32

We have people in our department that are trainers and they don’t have to do our normal workload when training.

So you direct the person sitting next to you to them.
It's not difficult but here's a script for you if you need one:

A: 'Excuse me, how do you do xyz?
B: 'Ah, it's quite complicated, are xyz available to help you? I'd probably talk to them first, I don't want to tell you the wrong thing..'

OR

A: 'Excuse me, how do you do xyz?
B: 'That's really straightforward, let me show you.'

chocatoo · 15/01/2018 06:52

Keep a note of how often and how much time spent helping the newbie and log it with your boss.

Undercoverbanana · 15/01/2018 07:12

Well, won't they feel welcome?

Are you really so important and indispensable that you are worried about this? I would look upon it as an opportunity to get to know someone new and break the monotony of the day a bit.

Rudi44 · 15/01/2018 07:15

Yes you are being unreasonable, someone has to show the new person the ropes why shouldn't it be you.

Kitsharrington · 15/01/2018 07:16

Did you read the part where I said it’s understandable that they would ask questions? Or just deliberately decide to ignore that?.

If this is how you answer questions I’m sure s/he won’t ask you many. I’m sure you’ll be lovely and welcoming to the newbie, by the way. It’s all about you.

Olddear · 15/01/2018 07:19

Don't worry OP. They will probably asked to moved.......

Slartybartfast · 15/01/2018 07:36

I am in the same situation and it is indeed very annoying and stress inducing. can you delegate the role of trainer to someone else occasionally?

Llangollen · 15/01/2018 07:38

I am on the fence, the attitude is awful but the OP sounds like a very struggling sales person, borderline at best in hitting their target. No other reason to be that unpleasant and stressed out.

As said many times, discuss with manager and refer newbie to trainer. If you are that rude with them, I do feel sorry for the poor guy/gal made to seat next to you. It's not their fault if you are worried about redundancy because of your performance, are you worried they will take your job?

SteamyBeignets · 15/01/2018 07:43

YABU. Talk to your manager about readjusting your target due to training. And you dont sound pleasant at all btw.

LadyLapsang · 15/01/2018 07:47

The new starter will need inducting and their line manager should arrange that; will you share a line management chain? I think you should be helpful, but share the work with colleagues. For example his / her manager should say, if you have a query about X come to me, about Y, ask the trainers. For other queries you could help or suggest colleagues, e.g. Bill is really good at IT, I suggest you ask him. Jeremy in accounts should be able to help you with that. Fran is fantastic with presentations. That way you play your part but it should allow you to balance it with your existing work. Also, record your objectives and achievements in this area.

RadioGaGoo · 15/01/2018 07:51

Life is unfair. My job is heavily government target driven, yet I am called on to show new people how to use particular software. It's not in my job description, yet it's for the benefit of the team. You will find a way to manage both, I'm sure you are not that inflexible.

SimonBridges · 15/01/2018 12:47

Also I wasn’t rude. If you find that rude then you need to get out into the real world.

I love this idea from some posters that no one but them lives in the ‘real world’.

llangennith · 15/01/2018 13:09

Nasty lot on here!
YANBU but you know you’ll have to put up with it. See how the first day or two goes and if it’s too disruptive for you speak to a manager.

Curtainshopping · 15/01/2018 14:10

Could you get the person to save up their questions and then dedicate a ten minute slot twice a day to answering/helping. So they're not interrupting you constantly, which is also not nice for them.

Original poster
BornInSydneyy · 15/01/2018 16:55

I am on the fence, the attitude is awful but the OP sounds like a very struggling sales person

I do not work in sales.

OP posts: