to be fed up with colleague working on her days off

YodaiamsaidI · 08/10/2021 09:23

I'd think shes trying to push you out of your job as she now wants full time.

tinselandlights · 08/10/2021 09:23

What line of work are you in? What does your/her line manager think?

blushmint · 08/10/2021 09:24

@Ceci03

So my colleague works 3 days a week, but she's started checking her emails, and ending up working on the other 2 days as well. It's just starting to really piss me off. I'm full time, and here, wanting work to do, but she wont put an 'out of office' on her email, or email forwarding, and won't let me pick up any of "her" work when she's off-time, she deals with it herself. I'm not sure if she doesnt trust me, or she is just a bit of a control freak. It's annoying cos I am full-time, and was brought in originally as there was too much work for 1 part-timer. I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs and she's just put a message on teams that she is online this morning as she has a lot of urgent things to deal with (she doesnt work on Fridays). I replied to her to just forward stuff over to me, but she said it's no problem. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

I think yabu, if she left all her work to you, you would have probably complained about that too

KingdomScrolls · 08/10/2021 09:24

More fool her, being paid part time but working every day. Just ask your boss for other tasks as she seems to want to work on her days off and always declines your offers

Original poster

Ceci03 · 08/10/2021 09:24

I feel like just having an extra long coffee break and saying 'feck it' whats the point in even trying. Feel surplus to requirements and a bit rubbish tbh

OP posts:

PingoPingoPingoPingoPingoPong · 08/10/2021 09:26

sounds like she's taken your appointment as a f/t worker as a critisism of her ability to do her work
Be kind and talk to her about how you feel about
They may not have thought about it from your point of view
Frustrating though

CyclingIsNotOuting · 08/10/2021 09:26

Yeah it’s cover your arse time.
Plenty of screenshots of messages to her telling her you can do it. Asking her to send it to you. Etc. Nothing aggressive or confrontational just like the message you sent this morning. I’m here and available, please send it to me.
Sounds like she’s trying to make a point for some reason/undermine you to boost herself?

Original poster

Ceci03 · 08/10/2021 09:27

no blushmint I wouldnt I actually enjoy working hard, I hate sitting round doing nothing! Her predecessor always used to do a 'handover' and I'd hand back, it worked really well.

Could be true she is looking to stay by making herself indispensable, her contract ends in December. She is better at the job than me, but that's because she has worked in the place for many years - in different departments - and she has a lot of knowledge. I'm only here a year.

OP posts:

UniBallEye · 08/10/2021 09:28

You need to speak to your line manager. If you don't want to raise it directly you could ask your manager for additional work which may cause them to notice that your colleague is working when they should be off.

Your colleague sounds threatened and like she's guarding territory. How long has this arrangement been in place - seem odd to employ a full time person to support part time?

thedevilinablackdress · 08/10/2021 09:28

Speak to your manager about not having enough to do. Don't start in with complaints about your colleague, focus on the issue for yourself.
People who work on days off etc. are becoming a big problem with increased WFH

vivainsomnia · 08/10/2021 09:28

Time to escalate to your manager. They have a duty to ensure you are kept busy and productive regardless of what she is doing.

MaeD · 08/10/2021 09:29

Yea i’d go to your line manager with this. If you both job share essentially how come you can’t just get on with this work that needs doing? Or are your roles totally separate with different workloads?

middleager · 08/10/2021 09:29

It sounds like she might feel threatened and unable to let go/delegate. She needs to feel in control.

As pp said, more fool her working FT for PT pay.

BingBongToTheMoon · 08/10/2021 09:32

I would definitely speak to your manager too.

Dizzy1234 · 08/10/2021 09:33

She probably wants to feel important, get a pat on the back from the boss, make herself look indispensable and in the meantime making you look like you're not doing any work.
It's one up manship, she's probably trying to undermine you.
I'd have a word with your line manager, don't complain about her but say you're happy to pick up her work when she's off, you feel your potential is not being used and you'd like some more responsilities.
Personally, I sometimes check my emails, log on to react to a work issue if I'm off and have a project that needs an urgent action.

Cornettoninja · 08/10/2021 09:37

@UniBallEye

You need to speak to your line manager. If you don't want to raise it directly you could ask your manager for additional work which may cause them to notice that your colleague is working when they should be off.

Your colleague sounds threatened and like she's guarding territory. How long has this arrangement been in place - seem odd to employ a full time person to support part time?

I think this is really good advice. Asking your manager for more work raises the issue indirectly.

I also think she’s trying to ring fence work but I don’t think it’ll have the result she wants. If they look at both of your roles and see slack they’re more likely to keep a FT role than the PT one if she was previously saying there was too much work. For her role to be justified yours needs to be too.

Cat2014 · 08/10/2021 09:38

I do this (officially work 3 days but often use the other 2 days when I have a chance to do an extra hour here and there)
It’s because I have a lot to do and don’t want to appear incapable as i need to be part time due to other commitments so I need to make it work and ensure the work is done.

blushmint · 08/10/2021 09:43

@Ceci03

no blushmint I wouldnt I actually enjoy working hard, I hate sitting round doing nothing! Her predecessor always used to do a 'handover' and I'd hand back, it worked really well.

Could be true she is looking to stay by making herself indispensable, her contract ends in December. She is better at the job than me, but that's because she has worked in the place for many years - in different departments - and she has a lot of knowledge. I'm only here a year.

Ahhh I see! Yes after I read it again , it did start to come across that she is trying to undermine you.

I agree with previous posters that you should gather evidence and note everything down in record.

MaeD · 08/10/2021 09:44

Ah well if her contract ends very soon then I expect she is angling for a new one! In that context I can understand her behaviour, but from a management perspective, she’d do better to share work and work as a team, not martyr herself and hold up work so she can be seen to be doing more. So in my view she’s actually working against herself there. I’d still talk to your manager and explain you don’t have enough work to do.

PingoPingoPingoPingoPingoPong · 08/10/2021 09:48

Being nosey here, but why does her contract end if she has been there for years?

NoBetterthanSheShouldBe · 08/10/2021 09:50

Speak to your manager. This is a giant red flag for fraud, if that’s possible in your work.

thedevilinablackdress · 08/10/2021 10:06

It’s because I have a lot to do and don’t want to appear incapable as i need to be part time due to other commitments so I need to make it work and ensure the work is done.

And this is a problem, it gives employers and mentee a false sense of what is genuinely achievable part-time. So the other people who work part-time and do the hours they are paid look less competent or efficient.
I never no problem doing a bit extra when there's a genuine emergency or something, but not all the time.

thedevilinablackdress · 08/10/2021 10:06

*mentee?? should read 'manager'

MapleMay11 · 08/10/2021 10:07

You say she's better at the job than you are - she may be unhappy with the quality of your work and doesn't want to risk wasting time having to sort out issues.

MargosKaftan · 08/10/2021 10:12

Speak to your line manager. If they arent available today, send an email stating you don't have much to do and would like to discuss the work load and if there's anything else you can take on.

If you do get chance to sit down with your manager, keep it about that you don't have much to do, lots of capacity and think the workloads need balancing more as you are aware that other colleagues are so snowed under they are having to work on their days off. You have sent messages saying you have capacity to help, but think they must not believe you do, would it be better coming from them?

Sympathies though, I am currently looking for a new job even though the one I've got is perfect for me / our family (part time, term time only, walking distance from my house), because I dont have enough to do and am bored! Its easy for someone who's busy to say they'd love to have a couple of hours with nothing to do at work, but after a couple of weeks the novelty wears off and its horrible.