New job and being left alone with no training

[Dreamerinme]

I’ve been in a new job for 3 months now, work alone in an office, and my manager works at a different site. I’ve been left completely alone to work it all out for myself and as it’s a new position there was no handover notes or training from a previous employee.

I’ve seen my manager in person about 6 times, and she’s only sat down with me twice to talk about the job role. As it’s a new role she couldn’t really tell me much so I’ve had no training whatsoever and working things out blindly. Someone at one of the other locations has helped me a few times but that’s only really due to her handing some work over to me, but aside from that no one where I work has anything to do with me or my role whatsoever.

I didn’t know I would be working alone in my own office but it turns out nearly everyone does. I can spend all day not talking to almost anyone (there’s no phone calls either) unless I pass someone at the printer or toilets. I’m starting to feel increasingly down, and although I realise some people love the solitude of working alone, it turns out I don’t.

When I started, as my role is independent of anyone else at this location and my manger works at a different site, no one took responsibility for any induction. I had to go wandering to find the toilets, kitchen, printer, find an office chair because there wasn’t one in my office, had to ask where to get stationary from and had to order it which took 3 weeks so I had to bring/buy my own in the meantime, plus the fire alarm has gone off several time and I had no idea where my assembly point was.

My manger is never around, is extremely busy and can take a while to respond to emails. While she must think I’m fine to get on with it, she emailed me last week to say not to share some info with a person which I had done in a group email and I’m thinking well why didn’t you tell me this before? It absolutely was not obvious at all and I keep extensive notes. It’s the first feedback I’ve ever had and now I’m worrying that it’s a black mark against me for my probation (1 year, yes that is correct and applies to all employees).

I’d leave but I’ve waited a long time to find a role that fits in with young DC and school. I always ask questions and make notes but I’m getting really fed up of the loneliness and lack of support from my manager. My role needs to start doing two other functions and I need feedback from others in my team (also based at other sites) but they are completely disinterested, although I know I have to work with the manager on this as these functions are in my objectives.

Is there really how workplaces are these days? New employee and just leave them to drown? I was a SAHM and my previous employer, a huge multinational, had a really good induction and training schedule for employees.

@CantHoldMeDown thank you. I’ve also found out that there is a staff canteen onsite, in addition to the small kitchen, and I still don’t know where this is!

There is a conference coming up soon and I’m dreading it, as I don’t know anyone and as I work independently of pretty much everyone else (aside from manager & 4 other people who are all at other sites), where I work no one is interested in speaking to me behind ‘hello’ at the printer. I’m not the sort of person who views this as a networking opportunity and will go around introducing myself to people.

HR have also told me that I have to attend a meeting with the SLT and I must do an 8-minute presentation to them on my job, what I’ve done to improve it, how it interacts with other employees, what I contribute to the organisation etc. Everyone from my particular team have to do this. I am happy to produce a PowerPoint presentation and send it to them but I simply cannot stand up and do this for 8 minutes. Tbh I’m almost prepared to walk out over this.

And no, I don’t view this has a career climbing opportunity either. My role is pretty much the bottom of the organisation and there is no scope for movement upwards.

Sounds like my job. Started a year ago. Manager works remotely & minimises contact with me as she has a pre existing grudge against DH (he works there). She's been in the office once & deliberately ignored me.

The bosses say they just throw you in the deep end to learn. The person who trained me was barely out of school, arrogant & treated me like a stupid old bag & told me I had to figure it out for myself as there's not always someone to help. She left and I'm now cleaning up her shoddy work. Also the stress of getting tasks with no idea how to do them, then getting negative feedback afterwards.

I've told the bosses it's not ok. I'm also a trainer & previously kept 30 staff trained properly so know what I'm talking about. Staff march out the door very quickly because they feel the same. Bosses don't listen. I'm also in a unicorn school hours role, but it's poorly paid & I'm given the rubbish tasks.

I'm struggling because I worked for a large organisation that had training, support and communication. This is so different. No one even speaks to me as my role is different to theirs.

I've got a staff review coming up. I'll be telling them it's not good enough. If it doesn't change I'm looking elsewhere, no matter how long it takes. They've been warned.

"What I've done to improve [the job]"

Well, on a purely pedantic note, since you say this is a new role, it didn't exist before, therefore everything that you've done must be an improvement on the void that previously existed... so, there's that, I guess.

Sounds like a shit show. I'd be looking for another job. Yes, there are lots of employers like this and they don't deserve staff.