Advise please about a dispute

[Jiser]

Guys need some advise about the following email. Basically I am completely hating working at this school where anotherone I work at is completely fine. I never get any thanks or breaks etc. I am doing my dissertation at the moment final 3 weeks of university and I am just feeling sick with stress. This is not helping.

 

A company called School Care i rearranged to visit us to sort out an issue last month. However they came in this month when they wern't meant to. Yet he blamed me? Even though I checked with him.

 

I was also asked to make a piece of furtinture which isnt in my job description. I am trying to get different things working for different teachers and with 8 hours I didnt have enough time even though i stayed late. Also laptops are being used by teachers to teach! ARGGGG

 

Anyway basically need some help with how to proceed. I am seriously thinking about just handing in my notice, I hate it, I hate the people and it all.

 

 

Email: (REMOVED -

Edited April 27, 2008 by Jiser

[FN-GM]

Whos Dan?

[Jiser]

I.C.T Coordinator

[FN-GM]

Have you tried to explain the situation to him?

[Jiser]

Yes but he keeps blaming me!

 

Saying I should of completed his list etc which he told me to do 2 hours before I left. I was prioritising work load and trying to do five things at once, also doing requests from teachers.

[tech_guy]

Dan sounds like a gold-plated P-L-O-N-K-E-R.

 

Stencil it in reverse on his forehead so he sees it in the mirror every time he brushes his teeth.

[GrumbleDook]

Get a ticketing system. Give him access to it. If yo have too much work then you can turn round and ask him what you should drop to pick what he wants you to do.

 

Search for suitable systems on here but examples are My Little Helpdesk, Liberum, OneOrZero ...

[kmount]

"Realeased" ... giggle, maybe he should learn to spellcheck his mail.

 

At the same time, he looks like a bully and in my opinion you should get out of there.

[Jiser]

My plan of action is:

 

1) Explain the School Care problem

2) Ask to implement a helpdesk system (we have a book at the moment)

3) Explain that teachers need laptops to teach

4) Say I will only do jobs that you have requested in the help desk

 

Grr I am so angry. At the advise of my cousin, he suggested I wait till next tuesday when I am in and come in with a plan of action and tell them how I am going to fix the ""issues"" presented with myself and how things are run.

[torledo]

Dan sounds like a gold-plated P-L-O-N-K-E-R.

 

Stencil it in reverse on his forehead so he sees it in the mirror every time he brushes his teeth.

 

seconded.....

 

this twerp writes you a proper ars^& letter/email, and then has the gall to smalltalk at the end about you're exams. I'm sure you can do without a plonker like this Dan displaying faux-interest in you're exams.

 

I think it's important to have evidence of communication between youself and dan, so that you can prove you've done the correct procedures. As Tony has said a helpdesk system would do that, but formal email communicae will also do.

 

I take it this guy is you're boss in which case it's difficult as you have to maintain some sort of working relationship with him.

[Jiser]

Hes the chap who responsible for me yes, my boss is the head. Who at times speaks to me like a pupil and other times is perfectly fine.

 

Its the completely different management styles at the two schools I work at which gets me. Apart from my experiance at tesco and a car dealership, the private sector (I worked for a company which sells commercial boilers) for my placement year was amazing to work for. They had about 100 staff and I used to go out on partying with the directors and everything.

 

I will ring the head up to explain I have made a list of suggestions I think will help improve communication etc and I will explain in more detail when I am in next week. Nevertheless this has tipped it for me, I will be looking for another job in september when I return from a months travelling. Graduate schemes to as I graduate in a few weeks. Its unfortunate because I enjoy working at the other School.

 

I also think that because I am a young guy they can treat me like sh*t!! grr

Edited April 24, 2008 by Jiser

[plexer]

I would do exactly as you have decided also try to speak to the head an discuss how you are feeling and let them know how it is in no uncertain terms, if he doesn't seem to give a damn about it then leave.

 

As for not getting breaks well if you are there for 8 hours then you are entitled to them so take them.

 

If he moans tell him to go away.

 

Ben

[Diello]

If you're in a Union, I'd bring them into the mix as well as the above.

[Geoff]

Are you in a union? If you are, talking to your union rep and getting them involved would be another way to address the problem.

[fafster]

You're letting him walk over you matey. Keep a diary of all the things you do during the day. A schedule can be unrealistic for ICT support, but do note down what you spend your time doing. Then you have actual figures for where your time is spent.

 

And as has been suggested, get a priority system going. You're only meant to do a certain number of hours work each day. If there's not enough time to do the work then they need more support staff - it's really that simple. And make sure you take your breaks, as not only do they give you breathing space, but it's also that little bit of power over him ("I'll get to it after my allotted break time" etc.)

 

Good luck.

[button_ripple]

If you are looking for a very simple helpdesk have a look at "somehelp" it is a very simple, free database that runs in access.

 

It only records call information, but it is very useful if you are looking for the next stage of a ticket system, instead of a book.

 

btw Dan sounds like a pri*k. If i were you i would tell him that you cannot possibly do your job if he doesn't realise what it entails!

[contink]

Whatever you decide to do, I'd strongly recommend trying very hard to step back from the problem and look at it as dispassionately as possible. Chances are your attitude of trying to do the right thing by prioritising the things that really matter are making things harder for you.

 

Your best bet is going to be dropping this attitude and adopting a "by the book" approach. First come, first server, everything in writing (ticket system)... and if Dan wants X, you tell him to join the queue too.

 

As to the schoolcare thing you write a reply to the email you received, making sure the original is included, CC'ing the head explaining that the last visit was not as scheduled and you would appreciate Dan contacting them to request an explanation and a refund/credit for the unscheduled visit. That puts Dan back in the hotseat and indicates you want oversight from his boss. If he has a problem with it you explain calmly that if his email puts him in trouble then he should have considered better how to write it in the first place. It was a professional communication after all, right?

 

 

Can feel my hackles rising though... so take with a pinch of salt but basically don't allow yourself to be bullied by this idiot.. he sounds like a classic buck passer... I suggest you pass some of it back. Good luck.

[pallen]

Is up to you to prioritise your workload? If so, how are you doing it? Is there any paper evidence of how this is done. If you have nothing to work from, but are being told you that you need to ensure all work is completed, you need to ask for a priority list. It probably comes down to people not knowing what you do all day. But you need to put a stop to this now.

 

Ensure any work that you take on is only done on an official request form. If full details are not given, then pass them back requesting what is missing. Even if you cant get this done on a network level, get it done on paper.

 

You cannot be be expected to do everything you are given straight away, you just dont have enough time. And you certainly cant be blamed for problems that are caused by other people.

 

I would suggest to document everything you do(remember email can be used) so you can use it to protect yourself should anyone blame you for doing/not doing tasks.

[Pete10141748]

Definately get everything you do documented.

 

As Button_Ripple said, here we use SomeHelp which is a nice little Access database (free too! )

 

I also keep a Word document of "Work done" over a period of time

(6 months or so) as I feel that in this job, looking on a day-by-day basis of work done can be misleading;

quite often we get very S-L-O-W days where very little actual "work" needs doing and we spend time doing "research" into other aspects of ICT,

whereas other days can be a constant rush and you feel like you've done 2 days work at the end of one!

 

Better to showcase your work "this week / fortnight" than "today" or "yesterday" I feel.

 

 

and yes, Dan sounds like a real ar$e - sad thing is, there'll always be someone like that wherever you work (at least in my experience!)

[localzuk]

My response to the piling up problems would be to write a letter outlining all the issues, their causes and the solutions to them. It seems to me that the main problem here is that they are expecting more work from you than hours that you are employed for.

[Jiser]

Cheers for your help guys, at the end of the day I need to look at it like this. Every place you go there will be idiots, I need to get used to it. I will be graduating in the next month, so its not my future career as such at an Infant School.

 

I will have two years of I.T. Experiance

 

1) In the commercial environment

2) One in two schools

 

and a degree so I will be fine

 

Wont let it get to me as its not important at the end of the day. !!

[farmerste]

if the peaceful approach doesn't work try :-

 

1- take a few weeks off sick from this school

2- tell them when you return you want a list in priority, of work to do

3- tell them you were off because of bowel problems.

4 - if this doesnt work, take to wering a kilt, and have a dump in the ICT co-ordinators work area, blame above condition.

 

[K.C.Leblanc]

if the peaceful approach doesn't work try :-

 

1- take a few weeks off sick from this school

2- tell them when you return you want a list in priority, of work to do

3- tell them you were off because of bowel problems.

4 - if this doesnt work, take to wering a kilt, and have a dump in the ICT co-ordinators work area, blame above condition.

 

 

My local India Takeaway do a Sprout Madras, it might be usefull.