Worried I'm too productive

[AnyaMarx]

Basically I recently moved location at work as my managers were constantly on my back and I was disciplined for not being productive enough.

I had targets set and I moved with an action plan that old manager set up

My other couple of colleagues at new location have been off and I've had to give a daily account of what I do.

I've kept a daily sheet and submitted it since I moved

My senior managers at new location kept emailing me praising me for the work I do and seemed really happy

Today my senior manager said my colleagues will hate me
It seems I am doing 3times the work they have been submitting.

I've been breaking my neck because of the action plan ~ I'd said it was unfair because I'd never been given any directives prior to being action planned ~ Once I knew what they wanted I did it but the working relationship had broken down so I submitted a transfer request and got it .

Now it seems I'm showing up the other people where I've moved to . I feel I can't win .

I didn't know what their productivity was , I was just trying to do my best and get this stupid action plan ditched.

I really don't want to make enemies I've only just moved and I get along with everyone really well , my new managers are fabulous and heap the praise on and I was really happy - I don't want to make anyone else look bad .

What do I do ?

I don't really understand.

You we're underperforming so put on an action plan and now you're doing more than the others?

Sounds like you're overdoing it. Work hard but don't break yourself.

I think they put you on a plan on spurious grounds to try and get you to leave. It worked, and now you have confirmation those grounds were false. Validation for you.

Yeah I realise this is probably the case but now I've inadvertently made my current colleague's look bad

You may stand out from the crowd for being good and productive at your job, and other may have an issue with your performance as it reflects badly on them. That’s entirely their problem unless you want to be a people pleaser.

The choice to be success at a job is entirely down to the individual. Most people don’t care, don’t work hard, and fall into the category of also-rans. Generic off-the-shelf ten-a-penny employees. Companies can pick them up and dispose of them as required.

High performers are identified by managers and watched to see how they grow. If they are contentious. If they have integrity. If they are diligent and pay attention to detail. Do they fit the company’s management culture?

It seems like you figured out the difference between achievement and running with the crowd, and you have to choose which you’d rather do. One can pay substantially more than the other and come with a lot more job security. The other you already know about.

Good luck.

@ElliF harsh but true. I like your advice.

I was TOLD I was underperforming by old management so I really upped my game, once they explained what they wanted, but because my relationship had broken down with them I transferred, and still being scrutinised I endeavoured to be the best I could be to get off the stupid action plan

Unbeknownst to me was that I was already outperforming colleagues before I was action planned - so now I'm out performing my new colleagues - I'm submitting 3 times the work they are and it's quality work too....

I'm effectively proving they are doing very little compared to me but I didn't know and I've only just moved.

It shows the action plan was a load of rubbish and likely personal. But I've gone to my new location working like a Trojan because of it . And now I'm showing my new colleagues up when I was led to believe I was underperforming- which I clearly wasn't.

Good on you. 🍷

Good for you. Keep up the good work, don’t let yourself down by trying to match colleagues not performing as well. Someone has to be top performer - why not you?

I applaud you for being a top performer. I would just caution you to consider whether your current work rate is comfortably sustainable in the long term.

We had a spate of colleagues burning out after refusing to take breaks and holidays over a number of years. Our culture now encourages people to take their lunch breaks and holiday allocation, set and publish the hours they will be available and mark out time in their diaries which is protected for the kind of in-depth work that was being supplanted during the working day so we ended up doing it evenings and weekend.

We found that a lot of people were running in adrenaline rather than long term sustainable source of energy such as good food and moderate exercise.

We still have energy and a feeling of accomplishment. Life at work is much more pleasant these days

Rather than worrying about your colleagues (not your problem), I'd be more concerned that you are now unable to take your foot off the pedal, as your bosses will know there is a lot more in the tank! You've created a rod for your own back!

I can only suggest that you dial your productivity down imperceptibly slowly (so your bosses don't really clock it) over the next months (years?!), maintaining the high standards.

Or, explain to your bosses that you were only doing this for the duration of the action plan, that it came at significant personal cost to you and you were working many extra hours at home that are not sustainable.

Yes, these were my concerns too.

Well done for stepping up and pushing yourself, but maybe an informal chat about your concerns continuing like this might be helpful? But stress all the positives - what you've learnt about/proved to yourself in the process etc and how pleased you are you have overcome whatever concerns there were previously.
Having now proved yourself, it's in both your interests you don't burn out.

Ideally they will either single you out for extra /specific tasks and rewarded for that, or they will want to manage your load and the expectations on you to ensure team cohesion. Just be honest and open, I guess is my advice.

What exactly was your action plan based on?

you say you were out performing colleagues prior to the action plan. Is this your opinion or measurable? If the latter, then why were you put on an action plan.

action plans aren’t always about productivity

Odd you were able to transfer whilst on an action plan

This

Why all the advice to wind it back in and slow down in case you burn out?

You have discovered you know how to succeed. You don’t know if you’re right, but the signs are positive. You don’t know how much more is in you, or if you can keep it up, so why not find out? Fuck what everyone else thinks.push yourself and see just how far you can go. How good you can be.

If you fail, like complete meltdown, and you leave, you have seen something most people never see. You have seen the difference between a high performance individual and a worker. And what’s more, you have taken a measure of yourself and you will know whether you can do it again.

Most people don’t know. They think it’s just putting in the hours. They don’t understand that you start to think and see things differently. That you think faster and with more clarity.

Don't let people hold you back or tell you to pace yourself.

I do understand that @ElliF - we all need to push ourselves to be the best we can be. Only the OP can decide whether it's something she feels she can maintain or not. I guess we're just pointing out that pacing yourself can be better long term than crashing and burning. Seen it (and been there!) too many times. Just urging caution and to strive for a decent work/life balance, that's all. If she can maintain it then fabulous, all power to her, but caution also urged to ensure proper renumeration for her efforts!