Project from hell at work- AIBU to resign?

[FishyTree]

I have ended up being put on a horrendous project at work. It is actually being run by a related but different team (that I very deliberately did not apply to work in because of the working style and culture entailed in that area of work) so I have no idea why I’ve ended up on it.

It is awful- I’m being expected to complete tasks I’ve never done before with no instructions on ridiculous turn around times. I got an email at 8pm this evening asking why I hadn’t completed a task I hadn’t been asked to do and have just spent the evening working on it.

I am not sleeping or eating properly because of the stress of this project. I enjoy the rest of my role (the one I actually applied to do) but I can’t continue like this.

AIBU to resign?

This!!!!
Why do we put up with this nonsense? The more you give, the more they will ask. And the more you give, the more you set a precedent that other people also have to give that too. For example, every time someone works in the evening, or on their day off, they are helping to build a culture where this is necessary and even lauded.

Agree with speaking to your manager
But you need to proactively manage the team. Email the tasks you have agreed to do and the deadlines so that they have to agree/confirm at the least

Don't resign but request to be moved off this project. Sounds awful. xxx

Don't resign but request to be moved off this project. Sounds awful. xxx

How long is the project for, and why are you on it? If it’s short term you might be able to live with it. If your skills are valuable to the project you need to leverage that better. I’ve been on a similar awful project with a very similar incident, but luckily I was already working my notice.

@LaMadameCholet is spot on. I always found those who didn’t set boundaries didn’t necessarily progress any better in my workplace. In face some of them were made redundant when I wasn’t, even though they worked longer hours. Their availability was just taken for granted and not appreciated as it was standard for them.

I have a friend who's a bit of a job-hopper. She's changed jobs a few times and when it hasn't been to her liking just left. If it's not what was advertised when you took it why put yourself through the stress of trying to change it?

I admire her stance on it, not sure I'd be brave enough to do it, but maybe the fact she's done it a few times and has always found another job gives her the confidence she doesn't need to stick anything out.

Just maybe this is your chance to get ahead and gain that double salary, perhaps they're seeing how you do with a view to promotion. If you want a work/life balance and don't want to get ahead fine, tell them you are not paid enough and its not in your job description.
At a certain level professional folk are expected to put in the hours, to go the extra mile to get things done and earn that higher salary.
If you are serious about the job, I would say " sorry I had not been asked to do this,will get on it" do the work and when you're proving you're capable negotiate a pay rise. If not don't do it and explain you're not paid enough ,but you will then signal you're not up to promotion and will stagnate in current role.
It all depends on what you want from your career in this company and role,if you intend on staying with them or not.

Start job hunting. Now you know you can ask for what the higher paid team members are getting, make sure you get that in your next post. Then resign.

You need to have a proper discussion on this with your manager about the lack of support/ training and miscommunication and the effect it is having on you and your perception of your job.

Don't lose any more sleep on work you've not asked for or not been given or supported on without clearing this up.

Good luck with the discussion, I hope they see your point of view as this seems like an awful situation to be in.

Go back to your line manager and request to take off the project. (And ask why you were put om the project.)

I would do a list of open tasks and your time of how long you think you need and benchmark it against the time you have been given. And do the same for your finished tasks. Highlight where you are working out of hours.

Point out that you are currently being asked to do tasks for which you have not been trained.
And that the delivery time-line is too short.
And that the project manager is intructing you to be on stand-by / on-call overtime every night.

(This ^ is geounds for constructive dismissal)

Ask your manager what they are going to to about to resolve the problem.

As for the project manager on a multiple of your salary, tell her/him you will put on your out of office message directing all urgent project requests to contact the project manager directly.

You have already decided to leave so pushing back will cost you nothing (as you are no longer invested in a long term career with the employer). As worst the PM may request you be moved off the project.
If you get cheeky emails asking for things you have not been given notice of reply back stating a reasonable time line. And say that the requester needs to inform you of additional tasks in a timely fashion.

I don't know who your employer is or what sector you're in but that's not on. Extra hours is one thing. Being expected to pick up your email out of hours AND do work is ridiculous. What project is so important that it runs people's lives.

Check your T&C of employment before you make any decisions.

@FishyTree I feel your pain as I am about to quit my job I think for similar reasons, I'm only just over a year in. I have been heading out to interviews though during work time and now think screw them. Try not to leave without something to go to. Push back on the work and think I'm leaving anyway so it doesn't matter. Try and have a word with your boss if you can as it might be they are completely unaware and willing to help. In my case my boss is drowning in work and thinks this is normal, but he is paid at least twice as much as me to deal with this stress! Plus he has others he can push his workload onto (me!). It sucks to be in a non supportive environment. I feel out of my depth, constantly fire fighting clients, pissed off and it bleeds into my daily life which annoys me. And yes in my field people are in demand, recruitment consultants are constantly harassing with new roles because it requires a hard to obtain professional qualification. However trying to get a promotion when you are female and have childcare commitments is pretty difficult, often it's who's face fits not who is best for the job. It's far easier to move jobs to get that new level and that's why people frequently do, both male and female! In the last year at least 25 people at my level have left my company, says it all! There is no shame in leaving a bad ship if it's right for you, don't leave yourself in a worst position financially though, make a plan!

Sorry for the grammar. Meant whose. I'm sleep deprived 😂

@FishyTree don't resign. Go to your boss and tell them to remove you from the project. You cannot dedicate the time required (out of hours) and you aren't being supported in the training role. You gave it your best but you would rather return to your actual role. Don't take no for an answer. Let them sack you if it comes to it. You know you want out, make them do it or put you back where you were.

ACAS can give advice but they can be a bit shit. Put your CV out there for new jobs while you are waiting and good luck!

Working late is something most professionals do. I stay late often to meet deadlines. But a brand new request at 8pm? Not a chance!
At that time I’m either reading to my kids or in a yoga class or out in a bar/cinema - not looking at or answering emails. It is not in any world reasonable to expect employees to monitor email 24/7.

Before resigning you definitely need to push back. Previous posts have lots of good advice how to do this.

Tell him to go fuck himself. Work your hours, don't do extra work. If they ask you to do a task you can't do, say so. Stand up for yourself!

Is there someone at work you can speak to? I wouldn’t resign yet I’d try to get back to your old role first. Managers may not realise how you are feeling.

Or get signed off for stress for a bit to recover? Would the project be over when you go back?

Surely you just say, sorry that won’t be possible, if this is an issue perhaps you could speak to my manager and you guys can discuss a specific overtime budget for this project (which as you know is not my core role) or perhaps I’m not the correct fit for this project?

It’s mad to take on too much and not even question these demands on a project you don’t even want to do, then resign even though you like the rest of the job. Plus won’t it look odd on your CV? At least speak to your manager about it first. And yes, maybe think about polite ways to push back- people will respect you more for it long term.

i can't believe you would think to quit before trying to stand up for yourself and be more assertive! instead of quitting - step back a bit refuse to work out of contracted hours unless you are paid more money - otherwise you sign off after hours.

reply every time to things like that message saying you never previously asked me to do this piece of work -

Ask to be removed from the project!

All of these steps are what you do before you just quit

Please don't quit until you have been able to have a calm discussion with your immediate manager about this.

How did this happen?

Is this your first project within the organisation?

I am just trying to understand how you ended up on the project you are on when you tried to avoid this sort of work. If you applied to work with one part of the company and then when they took you on they immediately assigned you to work elsewhere didn't you have a chance to comment? Maybe if you had the relevant experience they thought you would be a good fit?

I am just wondering whether trying to change or objecting to the established culture of this team is the wrong way to go. Instead speak to a line manager yo say this is not what you expected of signed up for and send if you can be moved

Don't resign immediately but it sounds like you're being used a bit and it could be a very slippery slope in what sounds like a v predatory team. I'd try to get out of the project as soon as possible, reflecting on how this happened in the first place and learning from it for next time.

If you have a meeting with your manager, this needs to be brought up. It is above your pay grade. If they need more help on their project they should either hire someone to help on it with expected pay or ask for volunteers to assist with the appropriate pay bump.

If they don't want people to resign then don't put them on shitty projects with rubbish work, ridiculous expectations and at half the wage others are on.

Do what you want, but you sure as hell don't owe any loyalty to this shitty employer or project manager.