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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:
YnysMonCrone · 04/04/2022 15:52

I've no advice on the mistakes, but as someone who has just spent an hour listening to the outgoing person in my new post tell me how to send an email, I feel your pain.

BruceAndNosh · 04/04/2022 15:52

Send him it in Word as requested with a PDF copy alongside.

fiftyandfat · 04/04/2022 15:53

People who behave like this are tedious. I spent ages on a business case only to have someone pass it off as their own work. Some people are unscrupulous.

Rosehugger · 04/04/2022 15:54

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

Yes, you have to pull him up on that, it's crazy.

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 04/04/2022 16:00

@Creams0da

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.
Raise it as a bug with IT and let them be the ones to confirm it was done manually?
Thisisit2022 · 04/04/2022 16:00

Am I the only one picturing Uncle Bryn and the route...planner?

BlingLoving · 04/04/2022 16:03

@Creams0da

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.
This is particularly amusing as your first post seemed to suggest he thought he was a technical whiz!

The only issue I've ever had with file transfer in word is when track changes get stripped out for one particular client. It turns out there's a setting somewhere in their security system that does this and each person at the client has to individually remove the setting.

Perhaps send it to him with a PDF alongside and helpfully say, "In case there are any file transfer issues, I'm also attaching with a PDF so you can see if things are missing".

Then cackle evilly in the background.

Eightiesfan · 04/04/2022 16:04

@2DogsOnMySofa

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

Do this, it will totally freak him out as well as letting other people know what he’s doing.h
Eddielizzard · 04/04/2022 16:06

So tedious. I would make it clear that these mistakes weren't in your version, however you choose to do that. He'll soon stop, and you can look forward to finding his next ploy.

FloralsForSpring · 04/04/2022 16:12

Track changes is your friend here

dipdye · 04/04/2022 16:14

Came on to say track changes

Betcha he won't know even what you mean

WirlyWillowtree · 04/04/2022 16:16

Save and send a pdf of the files as well for him to check

Herejustforthisone · 04/04/2022 16:18

Collect evidence. Go over his head. Show it to them.

WhyOfCourse · 04/04/2022 16:19

@2DogsOnMySofa

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

This is a good idea, if he's claiming its a system issue then you're being helpful in trying to sort it out for him.
TabithaHazel · 04/04/2022 16:22

@Creams0da

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.
You can still take screen shots of your original, or send him the word doc along with a PDF version so he knows you are on to him.
WeAreTheHeroes · 04/04/2022 16:23

@Herejustforthisone

Collect evidence. Go over his head. Show it to them.
I agree with this. This needs to be brought to your manager's attention. Put the file location, date and time in the docs and save to pdf as a copy before you forward. Once you have more than one example of him tampering with your work, take it to your manager. Whatever is going on with him, he's gaslighting you and it's wasting everyone's time and attempting to undermine you. He's probably up to other stuff too.
SamphiretheStickerist · 04/04/2022 16:23

Definitely send each Word document with a pdf of same, every time.

That's sabotage and yiu need to have your evidence of it, just in case he decides to escalate his batshittery.

And yes, open an IT query, be really helpful!

NinjaQueen · 04/04/2022 16:27

What a horrible man, definitely send it alongside a pdf going forward.

cataline · 04/04/2022 16:28

Are you not using office 365 and could send a link to an online copy that he can edit instead of an actual copy that gets emailed back and forth?

It's still in Word then and you could say something about it being better for collaboration as then there's only one copy that gets edited and all changes are tracked.

AlisonDonut · 04/04/2022 16:29

@Creams0da

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.
Definitely raise a ticket with IT, with the document as he has it and the one you saved.

Be really really concerned about the system.

AlisonDonut · 04/04/2022 16:38

Also if you are emailing a copy to him, your copy will still be attached to your sent email so you can always refer to that.

sonjadog · 04/04/2022 16:39

I wouldn't tackle it as he is tampering with your work. That has potential to backfire on you as you are the new person and he is the established employee. What I would do instead is start telling other people about the strange "bug" on the computer that is changing what you write. Contact IT about it. Tell your boss about it. Make it a mysterious puzzle to solve. He will soon pack it in when he looks foolish enough.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 04/04/2022 16:42

Can you see version history of the documents? I'd also be raising this mystery bug with IT.

JustLyra · 04/04/2022 16:43

@Creams0da

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.
I'd be going back and asking who you report that too as obviously it's an issue.

Don't let that go.

If you push it then I'd bet you the "glitch" will end.

Antarcticant · 04/04/2022 16:44

Can you send a PDF alongside the Word documents 'just in case the Word document is corrupted in transit as this seems to keep happening'. Ask him to check the PDF before making corrections.

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