Being blamed

[Summer257]

At work I am being questioned about why some data has not been input on the system. A colleague has tried to make me the scapegoat as their manager has not trained them properly. It was a task they were supposed to do.

I am really annoyed that 2 people have assumed this person is to automatically be trusted. Why would I benefit from not doing a task if this is what happens. I have even done some of the other missing tasks they were supposed to do even though it was not for me to do but would benefit the organisation. So I have gone above my job role and now being scapegoated.

Am I best to tell my manager? This is all being done behind my manager’s back. This is not the first time someone has gone behind my manager’s back to make me the scapegoat.

The organisation in recent years has had a bad habit of not updating procedures and just sending emails out with new processes so when new people join they see old procedures that are out of date and would not know as they never got the email.

I would bring it to your manager’s attention, keep it factual and clear.

As an aside though, I would honestly stop doing any of these “missing” tasks if you are not supposed to because it gives these people an argument and evidence to go “well X did it last time, as you can see here & here, so we assumed they would continue to do it”.

Filling in other people’s blanks doesn’t end up helping anyone, if there are gaps in training/guidance then they NEED to be exposed so that they can be dealt with.

but if it was not your duty to begin with then how can you be blamed ?

Yes you speak to your manager.

Your manager is the one whos job it is to manage you (to set your work and to assess your performance and to take you to task (manage you) if you fail to do your job). If someone thinks you are not doing your job they will /shoild contact your manager to discuss it as it is up to your manage to solve the problem.

If you have free time you should be letting your manager know and only take over another persons work once your manager has given sign off.

If things are not being done by other emoloyees you give them the opening to self-report and look for help themselves. But as above if you are doing their work you also need to let their manager know that you are only helping out not taking over the task.