To have been annoyed by this comment at work?

[Wishiwasholsk]

Someone is doing a secondment in my department. She said to me today that we don't know how easy we have it here.

I worked very hard to get my job and I worked my way up.

I just felt a bit when she said it

Just a thought, perhaps you took it in a way she didn’t intend? Possibly your team are pleasant, hardworking and competent, compared to whichever dept she has come from, and she was trying to give you all a compliment?

But presumably her "normal" employment is more stressful than in your job. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Unless you think you do have the hardest job in the world

I'd be careful what you say to her. She sounds a bit loose tongued. Wouldn't take any notice of this and keep your distance. Whether it's true or not it wasn't a professional thing to say. IMHO.

She might be right, for her.

We all have different circumstances and perspectives on things. She is obviously comparing what SHE sees in your workplaces to what SHE has seen before.

It was an inconsiderate, thoughtless thing to say though, and it would annoy me.

We are paid on different tiers at our workplace and she is 2 tiers below our department.

I'm not saying her job isn't stressful. However we do have a lot more responsibilities and work load in our department. Which is why we are paid more.

Can't say I could really bring myself to get worked up about something like this. Maybe she just meant that you have a nicer working environment?

But it may well be true. 'Having it easy' isn't just about how hard you work, it's about the environment in which you work too. I used to work for a company that tried to get you to work to unrealistic deadlines, where it was very cut-throat, and there was no appreciation for the fact that you might have a personal life outside of work. I'm glad to have left it all behind me. I now work someplace far nicer, but truth is, I have it easy now, and there are people I work with who have no idea how easy their work lives are compared to some of the alternatives out there. The grass is not always greener.

Maybe you do have it cushy compared to others

I don't think you should take it personally what does it matter what she thinks, it doesnt mean you haven't worked hard or do a good job.

Without asking her you can't be sure what she meant.

More responsibility and work isn't the only factor in how stressful your job is.

In one of my old jobs we went to training at a different branch with their workers and it was like walking into a funeral, their manager was a bullying tyrant (a couple of people went to lunch and never came back, many more left with no notice) and everyone walked on eggshells.

It was a silly thing for her to say, but perhaps it seems to her that in your department you’re paid more and seem to her yo have a much easier job.

I often think that about senior managers’ roles! But those people applied for the roles which is an option open to some of us.

I'm tempted to think you do have it easy if that comment is worthy of your thoughts and annoyance.

IME there are always people who like to make out they are the busiest person in the place. Whether it is true or not matters not a bit and I don’t know why it bothers you what she thinks.

As long as you are happy in your job, surely that’s all that matters.

This is a bit rude as it implies you don't work very hard. Of course she might have meant you have a nice team or something but there are better ways of putting it. But don't let it bother you, she probably doesn't know all you do and she may be thinking things are easier because you have organised it better. Don't they say Work smarter, not harder?

You can work very hard and still have it easy compared to others. Maybe she sees people seeming unstressed and leaving somewhere near 6pm. That would seem much easier than around half of the offices I've visited.

Perhaps your management team are more supportive (or competent). Perhaps your customers are more pleasant.
Perhaps your working atmosphere is more focused, more supportive, more fun.
Perhaps her usual department suffers from bullying, bitching, unclear or unreasonable target setting.
Surely how hard you work is only one factor in what makes a workplace easier or more enjoyable.

I would have just asked her exactly what she meant - if you didnt it is no wonder that you are confused and don't know whether YABU or whether to be offended!!

I'm with Chewbacca on this one. It's all relative- you might have more responsibility but if you also avoid doing something she doesn't enjoy (eg being customer facing, having a longer walk to the kitchen, dealing with a particular manager/member of staff) then it probably is "easier" from her point of view. My professional role is much more strenuous and stressful than the retail jobs I had straight out of uni, but which would I rather be doing now? Spoiler alert- it's not working in River Island for minimum wage. To me that actually was harder work because I hated it so much.

I don't know...

Some departments are less stressful than others, no matter what pay grade you are on.

I've said this about other departments at work (I work in A&E), especially during my secondment to a medical ward.