Having to manage

[bctf123]

My job title is order processor but I am having to manage several junior colleagues as our managers are absent and/or wfh and there will be chaos otherwise
They won't take instruction about what's a priority and will go off into their own world halfway through my instruction. I'm trying to help
Idk what to do as I'm not a manager by title or pay and I don't have the authority officially and in person I am a pushover

I'd stop doing it. Concentrate on your own work and let them flounder. Let the ones paid to manage them step up and take charge.

I wouldn't be doing it, it's not your role, if they need direction, they speak to a manager when they can.

If it ends up a mess, it's the managers problem, not yours.

Have you been asked to help out? If not don't. Or use it as an example for promotion elsewhere.

If the managers are actually working, but doing it from home, then take a great big step back.

Are you completing your duties and tasks? Anything else is really not your issue. Are you unable to do your work because the work isn’t being provided to you by juniors? Email the managers stating that you are unable to process due to a lack of work. Don’t go looking for it or trying to make it get done, just report your direct issues to the managers.

Yes I am expected to manage the new staff on either side because my manager wfh and the main goods in (who is now a two man team) guy is often off sick. His manager has bigger fish to fry
We are a start up within a larger company and I have always had to set up processes and prevent things messing up. I know everyone's job but nobody understands mine
If things mess up I will be blamed and I need things to go out so I need to step in or I will be affected
On the other hand I have a huge amount of freedom in my role and otherwise so it is a trade off. Either way though I have no authority and it is frustrating when new staff don't want to take instruction from someone on the same level as them

I'd still massively step back or leave.

Is there an HR department? Email them and Advise them of your job title and description let them know your concerns citing several examples. Be specific about what percentage of your regular workload is affected by this, and that you expect that this will be reflected in your next performance review. Also let them know that if this situation is not sorted by the end of the month, then you expect management training, a new title and a job description commensurate with the work you are actually doing.

Does your manager work wholly from home? If so, how are they allowed to do this and leave all the managing to you, why have they not been pulled up on it? You need to have a meeting with them or their boss and say you are not prepared to basically do their job for them any longer with no promotion or extra pay, and lay out to them the problems you have being the same grade as staff they are leaving you to manage.

Any time you have a direct request/report to the juniors, email it to the manager who’s working from home. Make it his responsibility.

Also, is there an opportunity for you to work from home?

Yes she has wfh ever since Covid.
when there was only one warehouse guy and he was off sick she was eventually forced to come in a couple of times but in practice I was packing my stuff and hers

I’d the manager is wfh and not managing the team why are they not telling her to come in? Her being at home is obviously not effective and doesn’t suit business need.

She cited childcare following covid (the child was 8 by then) and also insisted they do a better job wfh and the rest of the team do not so I and later the additional lady only wfh for special requests