Those of you who work part time.....

[Iwantmychairback]

....do you find that you get ‘forgotten about’ in emails or updates?

Not the first time that something like this has happened, but today, for some reason it’s really upset me.

Today, I went into work dressed as usual in smart office wear to find that everyone else was in jeans. Apparently it was decided at Christmas, that Friday would be dress down day commencing today. So for four weeks, everyone has known this and not mentioned it to me verbally or by email.
Now, I’m not bothered about wearing different clothes than everyone else, just about the fact that once again, I haven’t been told about something that affects me!
Anyone else, or is it just my company?

Yes. But the perk is you miss half the week.

Yes. I miss the memo all the time. Like the time we had a whole office party for someone's significant birthday. I didn't get the dress code memo. Party was in a pub so I wore jeans, biker boots and a leather jacket. Everyone else was in sky high heels and short cocktail dresses!

Yeah. I found out from a pupil that the head is retiring.

Yep. No one told me about the OFSTED call once, as it wasn't a day I teach.

I work part time, but most things are communicated by email (usually sent to the team or company distribution list, both of which I'm on).

Why don’t you have a team email group?

Yes totally understand, actually I was thinking today that I feel like a second class citizen now I've dropped a day. It's strange how nothing interesting ever happens when I'm there but all the vital information seems to be verbally communicated on the one day I'm not!

I do hear about most things via colleagues in the office but do get left off various emails. Can you bring it up with your manager as they should be including you?

We are a team of about 20 office staff in a manufacturing business. My ‘manager’ is actually the company director. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was discussed at the Christmas meal , which I didn’t go to, then someone will have brought it up when we returned to work in January and it was decided that it would apply from the end of Jan.
As it’s a small team, only very important things are done by email, everything else is verbal, to try to keep the relaxed, informal feel of the business. This was obviously decided on a day when I don’t work and no one thought to tell me. Which, as someone said above, makes me feel like a second class citizen.

But surely it cuts both ways. I always make a point of going to the Christmas meal even though it's usually on my non working day ( have wised up now and swap so I still get a day off).

It happens to me occasionally, but as there is a whole staff email address list and an efficient office manager its fairly rare. I tend to miss out more on noteworthy personal news which is talked about over a coffee or whatever.

Yep. There was once a raffle on the last day, my number was put back in because I wasn't there that day :(

Are you the only pt member of staff?

Yes my name was left out of secret Santa at Christmas because it was my day off when it was made, however I still picked a name out so I bought and wasn't bought for! They also forgot my birthday because it was my day off (they usually do a collection and just get a small gift and card for someone on their birthday) I missed a big team 'get to know eachother' meeting, makes me feel very crap !! Currently looking for another job no surprise!

Thinking about it, it did used to happen a bit more when I first started as I was the only part timer, nearly half the staff are part time now so email is used to follow up on verbal discussions. I remember making a pointed comment when a regular meeting I need to attend was moved via verbal agreement without telling me and I missed it, that meeting is always organised electronically now.

Why didn’t you go to the Christmas meal?

I work part time. Thus has never happened to me. There are a lot of part time people in my team (including my manager) abd we're all treated the same.

mamabear what happens to other employees whose birthdays are on a weekend or BH, do they get a card and a present?

I think most of you just have crap managers/team leaders. You don't have to be an IT nerd to create an email group to ensure that no-one gets left out.

Like SallyWD there are several part timers in our department, and we are all treated the same, and don't get left out.

Yep. We are a pretty small team, and used to be quite close. I worked there full time for 6 years before to having DD 2.5 years ago. Returned from maternity leave PT doing one day a week and I have felt pretty left out ever since.

I’m missed on emails, social things, general updates etc. I can’t complain, as I am at home more than I’m at work, but it’s just a little sad!

@HeartZone since I've been there just over a year everyone else has yes! I'm the only part time so I think they must have forgotten about me!

Yep, was missed off an urgent email re a promotion opportunity.....

There is one other part timer. Their day off is Friday, so they are not affected by this anyway and they are not office based.

For those who asked, the Christmas meal wasn’t during working hours. It was on an evening. I live rurally so never go to the Christmas meal as chances are the weather will be icy and I don’t fancy driving in snow and ice for a meal out.

A taxi would cost me over £60.00, a hotel room a lot more. Not worth it for a free meal.
I suppose if there were more part timers, then email would be used more often rather than just going into an office and talking to people.

Unless you live in rural highland Scotland there is a much higher probability of no snow at Christmas. I live rurally on the edge of the Pennines and when it snows we get far more snow than where I work does. We have only once had masses of snow before Christmas. This resulted in the Christmas do being cancelled anyway.

Why hasn't your manager created an email group? It isn't difficult.