I’ve really messed up at work

[ohbuggera]

I’ve name changed for this and I’m deliberately leaving it vague to avoid being outing.

I have worked in my public sector job for just over a year. I’ve bedded in and worked between multiple different departments in that time.

I’ve recently been given what is essentially control of the smallest department. I’ve been doing this for a few weeks and it’s not really a full time job. I can work at it for one day a week and it would be done. I feel I could work in at least one more department and still be fine.

I’ve raised this to my manager who completely agrees with me and raised it to our big manager.

The big manager is fuming. My concern is that if jobs were to be cut mine would be the first to go because of how small my role is. I’ve heard her talking all morning, in earshot of me, pretty unhappy that I’ve raised this. She’s agreed to meet with me but now im terrified.

AIBU to think raising this wasn’t actually an issue?!

Your manager should be looking to develop you. If this isn't an option, it maybe in your interest to look for some appropriate courses or to shadow others and learn more

I think tactically you’re much better to frame this sort of stuff about your own personal development rather than imply that everyone else is taking the piss (which must be what was happening if your processor did nothing and your own manager didn’t notice).

I don't think it's a public sector thing, bit a large organisation thing. I've mostly worked in the private sector, and I've been astounded by how little some people seem to work, when others are working their arses off.

Also i now work for an outsourcing organisation working on a support contract for another organisation. The contract has paid for 3 sys admins and 2 network engineers, so 3 sys admins and 2 network engineers there are, regardless of whether that many are still required, but the contract isn't up for renewal/renegotiation yet. Plus we might have ideas about improvements, but if the contract doesn't have funding to cover it, then you can't do it, even if iwould save money/time or otherwise improve efficiency.

OFGS just a little sweeping generalisation.

Ridiculous.

your opening post literally says you are worried about being the fist to let go because of that.

also:

• you can’t just go around helping other departments- they may not like it and feel you are trying to take their job away from them. Many people are territorial and worry about losing their scope. Even in very efficient private sector it’s good etiquette not just barge into someone else’s scope
• Yes the manager may well be insecure but it’s silly to lament that because that’s the manager you have and you have to work with what you’ve got

Is it? I think you’d be shocked if you knew how many posters agree with me.

First of all it’s not for her to redistribute work like that. She can absolutely offer her capacity but it needs to go through manager or managers. If the manager doesn’t support it she shouldn’t go over her

second re improvement, efficiency and fulfilment- if you want efficiency and fulfilment from efficiency don’t go work in a public sector. Nevertheless I work in very fast paced and efficient private sector and I would not recommend taking over work of other people if you manager and their manager doesn’t support it

You said you have been there a year but that this responsibility of managing the team was new. So you’ve been the team manager for a year?

And everyone wonders why the public sector is struggling! I can not believe some of the responses on this thread 🤔

I wonder if the issue isn't what you said to your manager. It sounds like you were perfectly reasonable and your manager agreed with what you said. Maybe your manager was a bit overzealous and worded it poorly when raising it to their manager. Unfortunately you have no control over that. All you can do it try to tone it down when you speak to her yourself.

When I was at the LA I found it disgusting how bloated the back end was whilst people like you and your colleagues were so under resourced. They could’ve easily cut 3 people from my team and still had manageable workloads - that saving would’ve been around £120k per year easily.

Wilfully obtuse 🙄 get a grip 🙄

It’s true I once sourced some free laptops for our families to use, my manager was really irritated with me

Find them ways to save money.

Not RTFT but has anyone mentioned 'empire building'? I took a council job and the staffing didnt make sense. My team of 4 fulltime direct reports were doing the work of 1 person. When I pointed this out, I was sacked (managed out). Then I was told that the more people under a manager, the more they get paid in the bands. Better to replace a boat rocker like me than 3 fulltimers and end up with 5 staff under you.

Our money funds this, it makes me sick.

public sector

• don't stare out the window in the morning.
• why not?
• because then you'll have nothing to do in the afternoon.

And yes I know that's less and less true, and some bits are frantic.

A friend worked in the public sector and got bollocked by colleagues for working and 'making them look bad' Not great really on their behalf but it meant more people had work, I suppose. He said it was inefficiencies.
But so much more could get done if people actually worked properly and I'm a fan of the public sector.

Big boss is clearly in a happy state of doing feck all (probably worked their way up to that) & now here’s you making work for them (by even having to think about your role). You’ve upset the apple cart… (gravy train)

sad and costing us a fortune. Lots of outsourcing by government especially is such a write off in terms of what we get in return.

Good grief, dont attack their overtime pay aswell 🤣

“Appalled”, give over.

I think at this point - when the think tanks are predicting mass unemployment due to AI imminently - as many humans as we can keep in jobs the better. If we streamlined the civil service radically those people wouldn’t easily find other work - and then they’d probably end up on benefits and cost more than now. Government’s aren’t stupid.

That's what I was thinking

💯

There's no such thing as overtime pay in my. LA.