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Job security
DiscoZombie
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So our department has two analysts to do data type stuff. I'm one. The other guy is probably 20 years older than me and that much more experienced. Also he's a workaholic and pretty much works all day and night without overtime. I started slightly sooner and have a slightly better understanding of how the department works, but his programming and database skills are better than mine. We were both recently moved from temps to permanent employees, right before our busy season in the fall. Now the busy season is over and there's definitely less work to be done. Honestly, I feel like the department could squeak by with only one analyst except for the busy season, which just ended, and I feel like companies try to do just that, and get away with as few employees as possible.
My boss hasn't given any hint that they could be downsizing, though they did let 1 guy go a few months ago when the economic downturn looked the worst. I mean, they just upgraded me to a permanent employee, my boss seems to like me, I've helped the department get a lot more efficient in the year and a half I've been here. That said, my coworker is always angling to learn everything he can about my job. Now he's asking me to show him how to do what are pretty much my last two regular duties that he doesn't know about, so he can "cover" for me while I go on vacation at the end of the month. One thing, I can legitimately see a need for him to learn, since there really should be a backup for it; the other thing, two other people in the group already know how to do and I already asked 1 to cover for me. It's at the point where I'm scared to take my vacation time (he's not taking his, he's letting it expire unused).
I don't know what this guy's deal is, and if I'm just being paranoid or what. I don't know if my boss asked him to get me to teach him this stuff, or he is asking me on his own. I don't know if I should confront my coworker (and what would I say?), confront my boss (which would basically be letting him know that I think they could squeak by without me), or just go with the flow and teach him whatever he wants to know, and if I get laid off, just deal with that then. Or I could just start looking for a new job now, though I was hoping to stay here longer, since my work history is littered with <2 year jobs.
Sorry for the wall of text. tl;dr: don't feel safe in my job, don't know what to do about it. Any help / advice? =p
My boss hasn't given any hint that they could be downsizing, though they did let 1 guy go a few months ago when the economic downturn looked the worst. I mean, they just upgraded me to a permanent employee, my boss seems to like me, I've helped the department get a lot more efficient in the year and a half I've been here. That said, my coworker is always angling to learn everything he can about my job. Now he's asking me to show him how to do what are pretty much my last two regular duties that he doesn't know about, so he can "cover" for me while I go on vacation at the end of the month. One thing, I can legitimately see a need for him to learn, since there really should be a backup for it; the other thing, two other people in the group already know how to do and I already asked 1 to cover for me. It's at the point where I'm scared to take my vacation time (he's not taking his, he's letting it expire unused).
I don't know what this guy's deal is, and if I'm just being paranoid or what. I don't know if my boss asked him to get me to teach him this stuff, or he is asking me on his own. I don't know if I should confront my coworker (and what would I say?), confront my boss (which would basically be letting him know that I think they could squeak by without me), or just go with the flow and teach him whatever he wants to know, and if I get laid off, just deal with that then. Or I could just start looking for a new job now, though I was hoping to stay here longer, since my work history is littered with <2 year jobs.
Sorry for the wall of text. tl;dr: don't feel safe in my job, don't know what to do about it. Any help / advice? =p
DiscoZombie on
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If you want to cover your bases, try to learn everything that this other guy does too. But otherwise, just keep doing what your doing and don't "confront" anyone about anything. Because nothing good would come from that.
The sad fact however is that everyone is expendable, and if they are grooming this guy to be both jobs there isn't much you can do about it.
That doesn't mean you should freak out or quit or anything, just realize that you should just go on as you have been, do good work, and worst case you have them for good references.
As for workaholic vs normal worker. They can't hold it against you unless he is doing a lot more work than you are. In fact, if your work output is about equal, that makes you look even better. The company can also potentially get in trouble depending on how they are set up for billing and time charging. Hours billed should be hours worked if they do an audit, not hours billed are just what he felt like putting down.
Defend your job. Not in an assholish way, just put your co-worker off, politely. "Oh, I sure will teach you what I know, just in a month or two. I'm just too swamped right now."
I've seen a ton of layoffs at my company in the last two years. It makes me sick. Though you may be thinking, "Well, I'm valuable" - you might be right, but I've seen way too many valuable people let go because some corporate asshole just wanted to make his numbers.
Play it tight until the economy is better. Be friendly, be helpful - but do NOT give away your valuable experience until you feel your job is secure.
The problem with this is.. unless this is a mom and pop shop, if it is at that point, the choice has already been made. Him teaching this other guy anything would be a moot point.
Getting on the defensive will buy him absolutely nothing at all... save possible disciplinary action and a reference out the window. No job is 100% secure, and if he feels there are valid reasons why he might be getting the axe, he should address those points.
Aside from that, he should do the best job he can and learn as much as he can from the other guy. Why? It makes him more valuable, regardless of this job lasting. Putting off this other person perpetually is going to garner resentment. They both have similar positions, so I'd imagine if the OP says he is swamped with work, this other guy will know he's probably full of shit before long.
He also mentioned other people there know this one piece of information as well, so the OP gains nothing by that action whatsoever. This guy wants to know something? Then say sure, and can you show me how to do ___ since I'd really like to be able to do that/do that better.
This guy isn't the enemy, choices like firing the OP or not are not made by him.
In the "fight" for his job, the only things that will matter are his work, his relationship to others, and the bottom line. The OP can influence all of those in positive and negative ways.
He can increase the quality of his work.
That is... if he has all this down time and there are two people doing this job, then find other work he can do. It doesn't have to be busy work, or even unrelated. What work that is... who knows? I know things I can (and do) for my job's downtime, but he'd have to look into that for his.
He can influence his work environment... and getting touchy, defensive, and secretive is going to go in the wrong direction for that. If everyone (or most everyone) already likes him, then he's golden there already.
And as for the bottom line? I don't recommend working unpaid OT or never taking a vacation, but just by improving the work done and time spent, you've now made your bottom line look better. Increasing your skill set also adds to this as well in numerous ways.
Again.. to just TLDR it all: OP should just stay cool. If he's worried he can do the same thing the other guy is doing and trade information. With both people learning how to do each others job, that puts them on equal footing. OP can go even further by taking a serious look at his work, or even asking a friendly manager if there are areas he can see to improve.
meh, what can you do, the business world is callous and cruel so I just have to hope for the best...
If you are in a cost center, then the day to day stuff is very important (keep the lights on).
If you are in a revenue generating position, then the project stuff tends to take priority as it bring in money, whereas "keeping the lights on" actually costs money.
I would teach your counterpart your specific duties (it doesn't pay to look like you are not a team player), but also learn his. Then, ask your boss for more things to do, volunteer on extra projects, anything. The more involved you are the better.
Finally, ask your boss for a performance review or one-on-one. Talk to him about a professional development plan - it will show him you are invested in being with the company long term.
Showing initiative is very easy, and you will be surprised how much good will it earns you.
http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198006524737
What this dude said. Ask for more work, say you'd like to learn more skills, find more ways to help improve the company, etc. Not necessarily to take any projects from the other guy, but the next time there's a small to medium sized project coming up and your coworkers is swamped maybe it'll go to you instead
redirect the topic, delay.. or rewite the process so that teaching it would take more time than it is worth.
I am the last person who can build servers in my department.. I engineered the build, its my pet software.. I dont like to let other people walk him.. he bites..
My boss today confirmed what I knew.. They would be screwed without me.
We have hired an onslaught of offshore people to run the helpdesk, basic tech support etc.. but every time they come to me and ask me how to do my job.. I setup a web meeting with them and I teach them.. I just leave out all the little undocumented tricks I know.. just sticking with the basics..
Upper management will come to me a month or so later and commend me for attempting to teach them the process, but they cant build them as fast as I can, or without any errors/issues.
This cycle repeats twice a year, and has for the last 4 years.