I got a new boss about a year ago and I've never hated working for someone this much in my life. I'm currently the sole programmer on an under resourced tech project with a tight deadline that should have a team of 5 programmers. Boss is totally non technical. I'm really high performing and they are used to me carrying huge projects myself, but I've started working on a degree, so I've started to push back and set boundaries because I can no longer work long hours and weekends. I have been warning them for a year that I would be working on this degree so would have to cut back on hours, so it's not a surprise.
Every day boss argues with me about what's reasonable for me to finish, asks me to kill myself to meet her deadlines, though she has no idea the technical challenges and deadlines are arbitrary (leadership has confirmed deadlines are flexible). She argues with me about whether or not I should take days off or take vacation. She frames it all in touchy feely manager speak to make it seem like she's trying to be helpful. Worse, we have bi weekly one on ones where for months I've said the workload is not okay and that I am struggling, especially with covid stress on top of it, and she simply disagrees with me.
The prob is job is very stable with great benefits, though pay is significantly under market. It's a major public university, and I am getting a tuition discount on my degree because I work there too. I could easily find something else full time, but worried anything else would be even less accommodating of me being in class part of the day two days a week. Also just worried the bottom is going to fall out of the economy even more and where ever else I go won't be around in 6 months.
Hard to compare. I work in finance and the hiring market is really healthy in my industry. How about yours? This does not sound like a tenable situation. I must say GOOD FOR YOU for pushing back on work. Hold the line. if they are so unhappy with your performance, let Them fire you
Thank you! I work in tech so the hiring market is good right now. I guess I just worry because I need some schedule flexibility due to being in school right now, and not sure I will be able to get that in a market where it's easy to find a full timer who doesn't need it.
Do you ever have an opportunity to meet with her manager? If so, tell them. Or tell her: Mary, I really want to help, but your asking me to work nights and weekends and cancel vacations is really affecting my mental health. I'm not sure I can take more of it (NO, Janet -- NO. I am NOT asking you to do that). Great. I'm so relieved. Here is what can be done working 40 (50, whatever) hours per week . . .
I have met with her manager about both the mismanagement, occasional hostility, and some really weird stuff my boss did to a colleague which was arguably racist. And I have mentioned the workload is affecting my mental health! Her manager told me I needed to file a complaint with an oversight people (different department) about both the hostility and the racism, and then her manager started joining our project meetings. Things improved & her manager said that the deadlines are flexible and not worth risking anyone's mental health. but now her manager is overwhelmed, hasn't been in our meetings anymore, and is out of the picture again and my boss is up to her old tricks. I had opted not to file the complaint because I wasn't comfortable ruining someone's career.
@Anonymous So tell your manager's manager she's needed again and that you're at a breakpoint. Sounds like that's the solution if you want to stay in this job for the short term.
@Anonymous Good idea - I have been feeling so discouraged that i've been like "what's the point!" but I went ahead and scheduled a call with her for tomorrow.
What is your relationship like with her boss It’s hard to understand why they have not augmented the team if you are really doing the work of 5 and why you have put up with it for a full year without seemingly talking to anyone else. Can you clarify?
I have had some help from a vendor, and I spoke to her boss about the interpersonal and management problems a few months ago. We finally have hired a temp worker who starts next week, however that person will report to me and need onboarding and oversight, thus slowing us down for a bit to begin with. Deadlines have not been adjusted to account for this. Things improved briefly interpersonally with my boss after I talked to her boss, but improvements were incremental. My boss's boss basically admitted to me they'd put my boss in her role because there was no one else and no resources. For context this is a huge public university so mired in bureaucracy and currently strapped for resources. It's a wonder that they even got a temp.
I don't know what kind of programmer you are or what industry you work in but I can say that in fin tech, strong female dev leads are hard to come by. Especially if you are under market, you should be able to find another job. I would start your job search now but hold off on the quitting until you have another spot.
Seriously!
I second (third, fourth) this. And by the way I would be SHOCKED if you could not find someone to accommodate your school schedule. Flexibility is the mantra in 2020. Don't let that fear keep you in a bad situation. I would also make sure they fired you so you could get $504 a week plus $600 a week in unemployment once that is reinstated after the election. Good luck to you.
@anonymous thank you for this - I think that idea of "don't let fear keep you in a bad situation" is a good insight. I always forget it's not good to make decisions out of fear! They're currently doing a program where they are giving severance to people who quit voluntarily in some circumstances so I might do that.