To be a bit jealous of my mat cover?

[weecherubc]

I work 4 days a week in a small office. My colleagues and clients are all saying how lovely the person covering my mat leave is. I feel a bit jealous...AIBU?

I was worried my cover would manage to actually fit in all the work I'm supposed to do. I was so relieved when she agreed with me that it was impossible!

I took a maternity cover job once, it was supposed to be for 9 months, they liked me and kept me on permanently as they were restructuring. When the post holder returned, I thought she might feel weird that I was still there so I moved out of her desk, tidied it all up and left a whole load of new stationery out for her. And then she was a cow to me, made me cry on several occasions and truly made my work life miserable. I'd only tried to do a good job whilst she was away, I didn't want to let her down. She needn't have felt threatened, she could do the job better than me anyway, it's just that they had an extra position available. People do get quite territorial, it's quite normal.

@GiddyGardner you sound lovely! I would automatically be best work friends with anyone that left me stationary! Sorry you had a rubbish time if it.

Perfectly normal reaction.

I felt the same when I went on mat leave. I was terrified that my workmates would prefer my mat cover.

I had nothing to worry about. As lovely as she was they were still pleased when I came back.

I am now in a new job covering someone on mat leave and I'm making sure that I have been considerate to the lady I'm covering. I keep trying to drop it into the conversation that I'm.aware it's a 12 month contract and that I'm happy with that!

I've been on mat leave twice and both times my role hasn't been immediately covered.

Made me wonder why I worked so hard if no one needed to do it

@ToriRay haha, I bloody love stationery! I will admit though, in a fit of pique one day, I stole one of the best pens back from her!

It does not matter whether your colleagues prefer your colleague. The company has to keep the job open for you if you could back within a year. Companies hire mat covers as fallbacks in case you don't come back or come back fulltime. I think mat covers can bring a fresh perspective on things. You want your mat cover to do a good job otherwise you come back to a mess that you will spend your time after you get back sorting out. It is normal to feel threatened but the company cannot in law prefer the mat cover so you are protected.

I’m jealous of mine. But because I know she’ll be leaving when I return (we cross over for two weeks) but she is so lovely. We crossed over for a month before I went on leave. So I’m jealous my colleagues got to work with her. I could have learned a lot.

I’m holing they let her stay on actually.

After I came back from maternity leave my mat leave cover was still working with me as there was "more than enough work". 8 months later there was some jiggery pokery with role titles, a new role was created, and mine was suddenly redundant. Guess who got the new role and who was out of the door? Ffs.

Not mat leave, but I had an ex colleague raving about my replacement being soo good, soon after I left a company. After a few months, she said new starter refused to do half the work I did so colleague had to pick it up. That did make me smile.

My mat leave lady is still here, but only a few hours a week. I'm still jealous of her, but know I can do the job better (the people I deal with don't like her either, which makes me smile inside!) she's cocky, insensitive and I'm glad I don't have to see her anymore.

OMG I really worried about this but really shouldn't have. It'll be fine, OP!

Oh yes. My maternity cover was well liked. She was offered another post when I came back and then in a restructure a few years later she stayed and i didn't. I had a problem with her at first, but I really like her now. Obvs I no longer work with her perfect self which helps, but I see why they liked her. You are not being u, but I think it will work itself out.