I started a new job two months ago and I feel like I’ve not had a good first impression and wonder if it’s been a mistake.
I am based at one site but I support people in one specific job role across a total of 4 sites, and I work alone in my own office. I hadn’t expected to have my own office in a part of the building where there are only 9 other people but no one is friendly in the slightest, they just look at me blankly when I say good morning etc or give a vague smile. I can go all day and pretty much have no conversation with anyone whatsoever. If I’m in the kitchen to make a cup of tea and try to make conversation I literally get a 1-2 word answer and they go back to their desks. Due to our job roles my job doesn’t have anything to do with them directly. Due to the format of the office, and the very confidential nature of the data that I deal with, I cannot be in the main area in this particular building. I’m starting to feel so unwelcome and a bit demoralised.
I asked my manager, who works at a different site, if there was anywhere else I can move to. She has found out that there is another building I can possibly move to and be with other staff who also do confidential work - however, a few weeks ago a woman in this building who I had no idea who she was, suddenly emailed me a pile of her work for me to do, and said it’s my job to do from
now on and to let’s arrange a time for you to come and be trained up at her desk.
I had previously applied for a job elsewhere where the role was exactly what she had sent me and I would estimate that in this organisation what she sent me constitutes about 30-40% of her role. I said to her that I will check with my manager as I was not aware that this was part of my role - and I can absolutely state that I was not being awkward, but taking this on would mean that I simply would be unable to do my job. My manager clarified immediately that it was definitely not my responsibility and seemed cross that this woman has been so presumptuous. Manager mentioned it again yesterday as she said she couldn’t be believe that this woman had done this.
So, I’ve seen this woman around a few times since then and she clearly has the hump with me - she now blanks me, turns her face away or glares at me, and this week I got a surly ‘happy new year.’ I still can’t believe the brass neck of her to try and give me a significant chunk of her job - and no prior discussion with her manager or mine. What she also didn’t know is that I work across 4 sites, and do not work exclusively for the site that I am based at.
So, should I stay put in my office where the people are indifferent or potentially move to an office with about 8 other women and this one who may or may not make life difficult for me?
I’ve already decided that I will only stay here for a year or so but I don’t want life to be made miserable - I was bullied years ago and it affected me for years afterwards. I just want to get on with colleagues but I will be dammed if I will be take advantage of by anyone by being dumped with a huge workload that is nothing to do with my job specification.