Colleague goes above and beyond…

[ReevaReeva]

I work part time (26 hrs per week) whilst my colleague is full time in the same clerical/admin role. She often stays after 5pm, hardly takes short breaks throughout the day apart from lunch. I’m different, I finish at 3pm, log off and that’s it for the day but all the team say how good she is! She is and gets things done …but so do I.

Am I right to feel a little sidelined?

It sounds like she is doing a lot of work in her own time!
They aren’t saying she is better at the job than you, or that you aren’t good at you job though. You’ve admitted you log off and walk away, she’s going (foolishly!) above and beyond. They recognise that. Does she get more done than expected because of her extra working?

You have to decided what sort of balance you want to strike. She sounds like she is working towards progression be that in the role or externally in a more senior position. Some people are willing to sacrifice quite a lot to make that happen and ensure it does. Others have struck a decent life balance. Happy to log off, send that e-mail tomorrow, reschedule that meeting till some other time etc etc. It depends on what is important to you. At various points in my life I've worked like a hyena on amphetamines and at others I've pretty much plodded along.

If your colleagues have hitherto been used to waiting for you to get back to them when you're next back in the office yet your colleague is firing off replies with such immediacy of course they'll have noticed the change in work style from your team, so to speak.

Maybe she's one of those people who go above and beyond in small ways that perhaps you don't? Trying to resolve issues quickly, good at relationship building, positive about helping...? I know one of my team gets v jealous of another, but the second member is just so much easier to work with and people like the way she does things. Sometimes it's more about personality than hours.

I hate this and we stopped a colleague because of the impact on the team. He’d work 8am-10pm most days and over the weekend. He lived for work. This meant when he was on leave we essentially had to cover 2 people’s worth of work. Now he batch sends emails at 8.01am that he clearly wrote the night before but held off sending so he wouldn’t get in trouble for working late.

I’m good at my job and dedicated but I can do that without being a martyr.

Why do you feel 'sidelined'? That you mean she's treated as better?

I find these people really annoying. We have one at my work too, she’s always “so busy she didn’t have time to eat” and goes above and beyond but makes sure everyone knows about it and tries to use it as leverage at every opportunity. It never works luckily!
I’m the other type of worker; good at my job and really productive with my time. I take my full lunch break too.

Are they saying to her face that she is good? Because you may not hear all the good things people say about you.

I sometimes stumble into being this person as every job I've ever had sort of consumes me. I can't switch off. It's not so much wanting others to notice but I sort of enjoy challenging myself. Definitely not healthy though. I've had managers tell me that I need to go home at a set time. Some were quite firm. It's not a good way to be!

@ReevaReeva
That's the thing, I can understand your perspectives but there's two options, work to rule and clock off when you complete your hours,
Or always do extra hours and try to earn the prestige and positivity from the rest of the management and or other workers.

Now imagine 90% of your coworkers are like this AND your annual appraisal has absolute zero connection with your actual work performance (it's all about how well your coworkers think of you which will determine the appraisal you get). Employees who work long hours are truly dedicated to the company, but those who achieve (and exceed) their operational goals while not doing any overtime at all are viewed as piss takers. Asian working culture at its best!

I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong OP, but given that she works more hours than you (FT vs PT) and ostensibly works harder (fewer breaks, doesn't necessarily leave at 5pm on the dot) it wouldn't be surprising if people perceived her as being more productive and/or accommodating than you. Which isn't necessarily fair. But she's more visible.

Do you want to compete with her? If so, maybe there are things you can do to raise your profile. Are you a good self promoter? Do you invest in your personal relationships at work? Are you enthusiastic and engaged?

Are you supposed to finish at 3pm? If so, why is she needing to work two hours extra regularly to get the work done. Either she’s not managing her time properly in her scheduled hours, or there’s too much work for the two of you which needs addressing. If she is paid overtime, is she doing this extra work to get more money (so could be deliberately working slower)?

Maybe you could somehow bring these concerns into the conversation next time it’s mentioned.

She may not have anything to go home for, lots of people who are lonely, or unhappy at home quite often stay late at work, or work through breaks because their work makes them feel valued.

There is the other 'brown nose' type, who will let everyone know what they're doing, a tedious bore who, seems to be admired by everyone, but is also highly gossiped about!

Unless there is some bonus system that rewards this level of commitment, I'd just do what you've always done and think no more if it, enjoy your 3pm finish (I'm jealous)

I work with one of these. She performance works ( makes a song and dance about it) late every day and often in the holidays. She has to work long hours because she actually gets little done during the day due to interfering in the work of others. She is inefficient and very badly managed. She is lovely though.
This has a detrimental effect on the team.
The two younger and more recently appointed members have also started to leave later. No one takes a meal break.
I don't mind arriving early, as it suits me, but I leave on time every day.
I think you need to talk to management about it ( but don't have an expectation that they will do anything!)

But if you went above and beyond, you would be working full time for part-time pay. That doesn't make any sense.

Is there actual proof you have been sidelined or is some idea you have created yourself?

I do this and it’s honestly not a big deal. Don’t do it for recognition, Martydom etc. just personally find it less stressful when my work life feels a bit more under control. I also don’t deal well with stress and prefer to go at my own pace for a couple of hours here and there once the phone lines and teams chats have stopped, I’m such an introvert that gets a migraine when overwhelmed. Just pop on a podcast and grab a glass of wine. It’s quite nice actually. Although I am a single mum who splits 50/50 so do have the luxury of not having to hang out with anyone for half my time

Have you been told that you’re not good at your job? If not I wouldn’t worry about it. The team that I used to work in I was always receiving these type of compliments because I was very good at the job (I didn’t work longer or not take my break though) I used to find it embarrassing being praised for doing the same job as my colleagues but if I’m honest I did do a better job because I would face the unpopular or more difficult tasks head on whereas others would leave them. My mindset is to do the worst thing first. Maybe they are better? Just concentrate on what you do and let them get on with what they’re doing.

I've just done annual appraisals and happily written "always prepared to go above and beyond" on several. This may mean volunteering to do extra, helping others out, mentoring new members of staff or even just straightening up the staffroom (education setting) Not seen as brown-nosing, just as being part of a team and wanting that team to work well.

They're the people who will be considered for promotion to the next grade during the year.

I haven't (obviously) written "doesn't go above and beyond", or "goes home the minute s/he can" on the others as we focus on the positives.

Agree with pp. Everyone makes their own decisions in the workplace. Yours is different to the person you're talking about. And that's fine. But it is possible that the people who do go the extra mile will be considered for other things. That doesn't mean those who don't are "sidelined" . It means that they aren't considered for anything extra. And that's fine too.

I have a colleague like this.

She will stay after work every day and completes work on the weekends by going in and making it known she’s been in.

So of course when it was time for a promotion she got it without a second thought.

Whilst I understand her commitment to want to move up the ranks I do find it frustrating because myself and other colleagues are just as competent as her and we do put in extra hours at home etc but because we have children and not an endless supply of childcare we need to pick our kids up which cannot he helped.

She got the promotion because of the willingness to go the extra mile but I do find it a bit unfair because it feels like we’re being penalised as parents for not working numerous unpaid hours.

You don’t say what you feel sidelined by. Do you mean you’re just annoyed because other people might notice she works more than you?

People giving her a compliment isn’t a reflection on you. It’s not about sidelining or criticising you, it’s just people saying the good things they think about her. It has nothing to do with you so don’t try and make it about you.

People are allowed to give compliments or make positive comments about people without being obliged to think about the sensitivities of everyone around them.

You’re allowed to feel sidelined but really you can’t compare yourself to her. Everyone has a different approach to work. Some clock off on the dot and some don’t. Some go above and beyond and some don’t. Some are workaholics and some aren’t. Some use work to feel more in control if their home life is in chaos. I think you’re just feeling a little bruised because positive comments have been made about her and not you. You can either let it consume you in a negative way or you can just see it for what it is and get over it.

You aren't being "sidelined". People recognise that she is putting in extra effort and that it is appreciated by them. You have your choice and priorities. She has hers. They are different. Don't be petty that her choices are different than yours.

Thanks. I do believe my colleague is also doing something similar as recently she has been asked not to work past 5.15pm and to log off. Not a problem they have with me I guess 😆😂