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Original poster

New job 'buddy' putting mistakes into my work

89 replies

Creams0da · 04/04/2022 15:07

Recently started a new job in civil service and I'm tediously being 'trained' by a mansplainer, 20 years my senior, about how to use the internet Grin. Of course he's super experienced and knowledgeable about what he does and I respect that. But he just won't let me progress quicker or ask questions, and seems to think because he's been in his job for 10+ years that there's no way I could possibly understand these very simple processes which I could do standing on my head with my eyes closed, and are very common, standard practices for digital teams everywhere.

I'm now certain he's putting mistakes in my work that he's reviewing so he can correct me. I know he won't be training me forever but it's driving me nuts. Ultimately he totally doesn't want to be training me and has made that quite obvious.

Do I just cooperate and nod politely for the next few weeks or say something?

OP posts:
Original poster
Creams0da · 04/04/2022 15:08

Job is currently remote by the way, so I have given him slight benefit of the doubt until now.

OP posts:
NarcissistsEyebrows · 04/04/2022 15:09

Is there a way you can record some evidence of him putting mistakes in your worm? It sounds nuts tbh, but worth having in your back pocket in case of issues further down the line if nothing else.

Someone willing to do that deliberately mat be capable of all sorts of other unprofessional behaviour or sabotage

NarcissistsEyebrows · 04/04/2022 15:10

*in your work, not worm

Magnoliasblur · 04/04/2022 15:11

That is a serious issue if he is putting errors in your work ! And you are new so can’t defend yourself.

I’d be logging all of the issues and seeing if you can ‘shadow’ anyone else

iloveruby · 04/04/2022 15:11

If he is putting mistakes into your work you absolutely must address that. Is there a way you can screenshot / save what you've done before he reviews it so you can make a comparison?

Triffid1 · 04/04/2022 15:12

I'm trying to get my head around how he would be putting mistakes in your work so that he can correct you? If he's doing that I am not sure I could keep quiet and would be tempted to say, "thanks Mansplainer. You're totally right that x,y,z is wrong but in the version I sent you on Tuesday at 10:13 AM none of that was here. Is there a glitch somewhere that is generating these mistakes or perhaps someone else is accessing the work?"

And yes, I'm fully aware that's somewhat passive aggressive.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 04/04/2022 15:12

Do you alert him to the fact the work is complete and ready for him to review? If so, I'd save PDF copies elsewhere before you tell him.

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 04/04/2022 15:13

You need to save the copy you send to him and then do a compare on it against the one he comes back to you with and it will show who's changed the document.

ThePoetsWife · 04/04/2022 15:25

Save your work as PDFs so that he can't mess with these

Babadook76 · 04/04/2022 15:32

This is not something you can let someone get away with!

Patchbatch · 04/04/2022 15:34

Not that you should have to, but save the outward email when you send it which will have the original document in it. Unless it has autosave on in which case add tracked changes or send a pdf.

irishfarmer · 04/04/2022 15:36

Yes as PPs have said save the work as PDF so it can't be edited.

mathanxiety · 04/04/2022 15:39

Screen shot is your friend here.

2bazookas · 04/04/2022 15:40

Copy your original work to a third party, before you submit it for his approval.

If he then comes back with an added fake-mistake you just say

" When I submitted it, that mistake wasn't there. ( I have a copy of the original to prove it). It seems someone has been interfering to discredit me or waste your time. If it happens again I suggest we submit the evidence to HR for further investigation. "

AlisonDonut · 04/04/2022 15:43

@2bazookas

Copy your original work to a third party, before you submit it for his approval.

If he then comes back with an added fake-mistake you just say

" When I submitted it, that mistake wasn't there. ( I have a copy of the original to prove it). It seems someone has been interfering to discredit me or waste your time. If it happens again I suggest we submit the evidence to HR for further investigation. "

^ This. I'd have been saving copies of my work the instant I saw it had happened.
CavernousScream · 04/04/2022 15:43

He’s adding mistakes to your work?! That so far beyond just putting up with a mansplainer. Will you have to work closely with him after the training period?

DrSbaitso · 04/04/2022 15:45

What sort of mistakes? How do you know?

Bellex · 04/04/2022 15:45

Save it to share point and send the link.

It provides version control

Cherrysoup · 04/04/2022 15:46

Screenshot your work so when he presents the ‘mistakes’, you can show him both versions. I’d be pulling him up on this: is he scared you’re better than him? Jealous?

HollowTalk · 04/04/2022 15:47

Are they Word docs? You can choose to compare documents and that'll show up anything he's added/changed.

Original poster
Creams0da · 04/04/2022 15:48

It has to be in a Word doc format so he can edit it unfortunately. I've got the originals saved on my desktop and clear changes have been made. He's saying something must have happened in the file transfer to delete sections haha.. I mean come on.

OP posts:
SalsaLove · 04/04/2022 15:50

Track changes?

LegMeChicken · 04/04/2022 15:51

Enable change tracking

www.businessinsider.com/track-changes-in-word?r=US&IR=T

This is standard practice with us for all docs anyway

Also when you eail them over surely the original is in your sent folder

2DogsOnMySofa · 04/04/2022 15:51

Compare the document you sent him, to the one he sends back, you'll soon see if any mistakes have been added.

Once you've identified them, email him back and say something along the lines of 'our computers must be having a wobble as the document you've identified the mistakes on, isn't the same as the one I've sent you, I've logged a ticket with IT to check it out'. Then log a (pointless) ticket and hopefully he'll not do it again. If he does flag it with your manager

fiftyandfat · 04/04/2022 15:51

You could still save a copy as a pdf for your own records before you send him the word doc.