I Need to Vent

melagras

melagras

Cathlete
I am a legal secretary for two attorneys at a small law firm that is part of a larger group of eight offices located in six states. There are three people in this office (myself included) who work their asses off. Then there are the others (most of them have been here ten years or more) who play on their cell phones, walk around visiting, etc. One is counting down the days until she retires at 62.

It is really bothering me lately and I can't let it go. I am sick of it. I guess my mother is partly to blame since she taught me good work ethics.

Is anyone dealing with this? And if so, do you ignore it?
 
Just to encourage you...this goes on everywhere. However, those who are hard-working and do their jobs diligently and efficiently will reap the rewards and people see what you do whether or not they acknowledge it. People also see the slackers and note them in their mind.

In the short term, it looks like the loafers are getting it easy. However, in the long term they will pay. In the short term, it might be harder for you, but in the long term you will reap the rewards.

What one reaps, one sows. This is a universal truth and cannot be outrun, out-rationalized, or out-discussed. It simply is.
 
tralaiven said:
Just to encourage you...this goes on everywhere. However, those who are hard-working and do their jobs diligently and efficiently will reap the rewards and people see what you do whether or not they acknowledge it. People also see the slackers and note them in their mind.

In the short term, it looks like the loafers are getting it easy. However, in the long term they will pay. In the short term, it might be harder for you, but in the long term you will reap the rewards.

What one reaps, one sows. This is a universal truth and cannot be outrun, out-rationalized, or out-discussed. It simply is.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure about reaping the rewards. All staff members get the same amount for Xmas bonuses and salary increases each year. There are no closed door meetings with the office manager or managing partner. So in essence, they are rewarded for their laziness.
 
Is there another office nearby you could transfer to? Maybe if you found a place to transfer to, there wouldn't be as many slackers?
 
melagras said:
I am a legal secretary for two attorneys at a small law firm that is part of a larger group of eight offices located in six states. There are three people in this office (myself included) who work their asses off. Then there are the others (most of them have been here ten years or more) who play on their cell phones, walk around visiting, etc. One is counting down the days until she retires at 62.

It is really bothering me lately and I can't let it go. I am sick of it. I guess my mother is partly to blame since she taught me good work ethics.

Is anyone dealing with this? And if so, do you ignore it?
Click to expand...

I will vent with you. I work in a large government office. There are a lot of people who do the same job as I do. It is not an easy job and we have large case loads. It is easy to fall behind, then it just snow balls. Well, this happens constantly with a percentage of my co-workers. In the past, more... motivated? skilled? hard-working? employees could receive over time for working the slackers' cases. Well, with all of the government budget cuts there is no more overtime being offered. So now they are calling it "team work" and STILL making the workers who can manage their case load work other people's cases. BTW--we all get paid the same salary.

Now, I could live with this if these people were really busting their butts and just couldn't keep up, because it is a difficult and often overwhelming job. But then I manage to keep on top of my case load by working hard every day and as I am working hard, I hear my co-workers around me on their personal phone calls, or in each other cubicles having gab sessions. And many of them I work their cases because they are falling behind!

So yes, it is very, very frustrating to have a work ethic and work with people who don't. And because it is a government job it is really hard to get rid of these people. So the hard workers are pretty much cursed to do our work + their work and GET PAID THE SAME. Or get another job. the problem with that is, I like my job, I am good it, and I get paid well with lots of benefits. So I just deal with it. But I definitely do not like it!
 
Much of the office world involve politics which really stinks. It doesn't matter what you actually do but more what the people in charge perceive you are doing. We have a man in our office who sleeps a couple of hours at his desk every day in the afternoon. Don't get me wrong...he is a nice man and seems to do good work when he isn't sleeping but still. Anyway, he just received an award for his good work ethic. Don't feel bad...it really does happen everywhere!
 
I am lucky, the industry I used to work in was a 'right to hire/right to fire' situation, people who didn't work their patooties off were fired on the spot and someone else with more gumption and energy was put in their spot immediately. I saw a production assistant go from unpaid to 2nd assistant director on one project in less than two days. That said I have also worked at very large companies, been the person putting out the effort, and as a result my picture was taken and used in the personal appearance guidelines handbook. Apparently, I was the example. :) I did Mickey Mouse proud. I suspect that you also do your company proud.

Here is what I suggest (if you want to shake it up, if not forget everything I have said): keep a note book of your daily productive output. Keep the date, how much work was produced (how many pages typed, phone calls answered, anything that can be quantitatively measured or counted.) And keep another column documenting the others who weren't performing their duties, again with date/time/frequency of using the cel ph. etc. This can be used if need be when you might want to get back pay. Since you produce more work per hour, you should be compensated. That said, you might not want to go that route and you might prefer a slew of great referrals. These kinds of labor disputes go into litigation all the time. I have taken many courses on management and this is often one of the topics discussed in seminars. While it is true that your co-workers are not doing their jobs, the real people at fault are your bosses. They aren't curtailing this behavior. They are responsible.

The only thing I can tell you is that when you are working for someone else you can fall into these kinds of traps. If you decide to go into business for yourself you won't have the security of a job but you do have the freedom of keeping the people and team that you want. Not that I'm encouraging anyone to give up a paycheck in this economy. I don't want you to get the idea that I'm trying to push you into doing something fiscally stupid at this point.

I'm really sorry this whole thing sucks. You can always vent here.
 
You are so right about management. Our office mgr got married earlier this year and she has been sitting on her ass ever since. I don't know if she is waiting for her husband to say she can quit work or if she just doesn't give a shit anymore.
 
This just came up in our office today and one of the ladies here was so mad and I told her to just let if go. I let it get to me at my last job and it was a waste of time. It happens everywhere so it's not worth it to stress about it.

The only person that matters is you. You work according to your work ethics and let them do what they want. It's not worth the negative emotions to worry about something that you can't do anything about.
 
I feel your pain!

Hello! I am an attorney and face a similar situation at my job. I don't want to say too much on a public forum like this, but I am sorry for what you are going through and I feel your pain! I am in a similar situation to yours at my office. :( Life is very unfair!!! However, I try to maintain a positive outlook and count my blessings. I know I can't control what happens to them, but I can try to focus on my own happiness. I also believe in karma--which helps me get through the day when others looks like they are leading a charmed life with very little work effort, low stress, etc.
 
Feel free to vent. I have this problem too, since I'm a really hard worker and I have a big workload. It used to drive me nuts...some days it still does.

I can't believe the story about the guy sleeping in his office every afternoon!! ...see? It could be worse!

I love my job and I really like what I do. I get paid reasonable well. I try to keep my focus on that.

But, I'm glad you posted, it helps to know that I'm not the only one!
Liz
 
Ugh, I'm In the same boat with one of my colleagues. He's a really likable guy, but there have been times I've actually hated him because of how his lack of productivity or ability has impacted my workload (and therefore my personal life). I once was working 7 days a week and had to pick up a matter that he was failing at (he kept calling in sick, but later told me it was because he was feeling overwhelmed). I actually had to stop sleeping so I could get it as well as my own stuff done. He still had the nerve to complain to me how busy he was. He never works more than 40 hours a week. I was so MAD!

My boss is wonderful and counts on me to step up and help him keep our office functioning, so I try to just focus on getting my work done. I've gotten a promotion, raises and bonuses, but what I can't get back is my life. I like having free time, too. I'm seriously considering leaving this job because of this.

Oh, by the way, everybody was encouraged to leave at 3 today....not me. I had to stay late because I had to help my colleague with a matter he was working on, meaning I had to stay late to be able to get my stuff in order. Of course, he left at 3 on the dot.

Well, this was therapeutic. I know it won't change and accept that my options are to suck it up or leave. It will e interesting to see what happens!
 
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So I just watched my coworker take an hour long nap at his desk. The old director is on the phone across from him talking to someone in corporate. The new director walked by a couple of times and even had a brief conversation with me (I sit right next to him). It's mind boggling that he doesn't get in trouble for this but I guess it is what it is!
 
I worked in a position for about 8 years where I saw this sort of thing constantly and it drove me crazy! I'm not there anymore - Thank God! I was miserable and I really let it get the best of me. It wasn't worth the negativity that it brought into my life. My poor DH had to hear it from me all time. From what I have seen, this does happen everwhere. One good thing is that I'm no longer there and eventually some of the biggest slackers were let go when the company downsized which proves that someone, somewhere noticed that they weren't contributing. ;)
 
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