Not getting fare share from coworkers -what should I do?

loss4words

Hey everyone.

So I started my job not that long ago, in January of this year. There are 3 main technicians, who handle more administrative tasks such as making sure that PC images are being refreshed, software is up to date, AD and group policy stuff etc, and we also have several technicians who just handle the desktop support part. I am in the first category "the 3 technicians", but I don't feel that I'm getting the fare share of work that's distributed among us. What should I do?

I guess the main thing to point out is that while the other 2 technicians work 9-5pm shifts, I come in only at 3pm so I only get to see them few hours a day. I know that we have quite a few projects going and the techs I feel are reluctant to give them over to me. When I mention a project to them and ask if I could take over it, they either say "No, I'll take care of it" or "Ok, but let's do this together", which usually means "I'll do mostly everything while you can watch". I like my job and I like the people that I work with, but there are a lot of days where I come in and I don't know what to do. When something new comes along they seem to start working on it without me and I just find out later. I guess I was only hired because they needed someone to be in in the evening hours. I was thinking about going to my supervisor with this, but I don't want to make any enemies and I know the supervisor is very close with the other 2 techs.

sxzaq1

Sounds like the your cheese is moving away from you, or you never had much cheese to start with. Change is about to happen to you, like it or not! This isn't about IT, it's about change. What would you do if you weren't afraid? You could try to change the people you work with, but frankly, you might have to start fresh somewhere else.

Read "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson (or Johnston) amazon will have it

sxzaq1

The hand writting is already on the wall, IMO, I couldn't stay there very long, I'd make good use of my time left there. If they will not involve you in projects, fine, update your resume, use company time to study for your next cert. You're in the middle of office politics. Sounds like they don't want you in their click. Get out. Find new cheese. Quote from the book: "What would you do if you weren't afraid?"

keenon

sounds like a new opportunity awaits. time to start getting prepared to grasp it when it shows up.

in other words start using all your free energy to study

RobertKaucher

loss4words wrote: »

... I was thinking about going to my supervisor with this, but I don't want to make any enemies and I know the supervisor is very close with the other 2 techs.

I would first talk this over with the other guys. Going to a sup first is not the best thing to do in a situtation like this.

Tell them how you see their behavior and ask them why they are doing it. Don't be confrontational nor combative about it. Just tell them you feel left out and not a part of the team and you want to help and yo are concerned they think you can't do the job you were hired to do.

If you mention anything to them about cheese, be prepared for them to hold you down and give you a swirly.

Devilsbane

sxzaq1 wrote: »

I'd make good use of my time left there. If they will not involve you in projects, fine, update your resume, use company time to study for your next cert.

If there is no work to be done, why not? It could be they just take their jobs very seriously and aren't willing to put their names on the line because of this new guy. I would expect that the new guy thinking would be gone after nearly 7 months but who knows.

Devilsbane

sxzaq1 wrote: »

Read "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson (or Johnston) amazon will have it

Is this actually worth reading?

rsutton

View this as a chance to exercise your communication muscles and talk to them about the problem. You may find that the reason they are "holding out" is not what you expected, or maybe it is, and talking to them can change their position.

Also, instead of talking about the problem directly with your supervisor, instead I would identify new projects that you can work on and obtain approval for them from your boss. This can really increase your worth in the company eye and make your job more enjoyable.

Either way you roll, best of luck to you.

undomiel

It could be that more likely they don't know how to let you help with a project. It's a problem I run into a lot. Sometimes the boss will send someone with me on some project or other and I don't really know what to assign to the guy since I know that for me it will be less hassle for me to do everything than to assign things to the guy, double check everything that he does, and help him with the stuff he doesn't know. I try to get over that and assign things anyways since I know that'll help him grow, but it is pretty hard. I wouldn't be surprised if your coworkers are having the same dilemma. They don't really know what they can trust you with yet and don't really know how to parcel out work either. I would keep asking to help them with work and see what you can learn from how they work. Keep the focus on learning more, and not on whether you're getting bored. That way you'll grow and be able to move somewhere that will give you more work than you can handle.

darkerosxx

I would just talk with the other guys and ask them for a project to lead on. Ask them for something small so they can trust you. It may not be a vindictive plan to keep you out... they may just not trust you to take a project and lead it through to the end. If that looks bad on them, then it's understandable why they're doing that.

If you talk to them and they still don't give you anything, I'd talk to my supervisor and ask if he/she can send a good project your way the next time one comes up he/she thinks you're a fit for. Don't mention what coworkers are doing, just say you want to take more initiative.

networker050184

Maybe they don't even know you are looking for more responsibility. I'd go to your boss and let him know you are handling your current work load easily and that you are ready to take on larger projects and more responsibility. Don't bring up anything about your coworkers or how you feel like they are leaving you out.

Just keep in mind you've only been there six months. It does take some time to build a solid foundation of trust. Especially when your coworkers are only with you a couple hours a day.

Claymoore

Devilsbane wrote: »

Is this actually worth reading?

Reading, maybe - buying, absolutely not. Who Moved My Cheese is children's fable packaged up as a life-changing manuscript and sold for $20. Read it while drinking a small latte at Borders and use the money you saved to buy both The Prince and The Art of War.

What's sad is many of the people who read this book and talk about how important it is are still some of the most resistant to change personalities I have ever met.

Zartanasaurus

loss4words wrote: »

Hey everyone.
"Ok, but let's do this together", which usually means "I'll do mostly everything while you can watch".

Are you turning down these opportunities? If so, why? What are you capable of? Do they know what you are capable of? Show them.

Devilsbane

Claymoore wrote: »

Reading, maybe - buying, absolutely not. Who Moved My Cheese is children's fable packaged up as a life-changing manuscript and sold for $20. Read it while drinking a small latte at Borders and use the money you saved to buy both The Prince and The Art of War.

What's sad is many of the people who read this book and talk about how important it is are still some of the most resistant to change personalities I have ever met.

Pulled it up on Amazon and it was $5 plus $4 shipping. Oddly enough, Amazon.com: Nobody Moved Your Cheese! (9781553956587): Ross Shafer: Books was given much better reviews.

Zartanasaurus

Wait, is this the same job where your boss promoted you to a part-time systems admin over these same two techs?

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/53324-feeling-bad-about-semi-promotion-within-company.html

Devilsbane

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Wait, is this the same job where your boss promoted you to a part-time systems admin over these same two techs?

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/53324-feeling-bad-about-semi-promotion-within-company.html

If yes they are probably upset about it and don't feel like you deserved the pomotion so they decided to stop helping you in hopes that you would fail, and then they get the job. Sound about right?

nicklauscombs

networker050184 wrote: »

I'd go to your boss and let him know you are handling your current work load easily and that you are ready to take on larger projects and more responsibility. Don't bring up anything about your coworkers or how you feel like they are leaving you out.

I vote on this idea as being the best route.

jgiambr

I have been in the same situation. I think patience is the way to go here. Don't go to the supervisor about the other two techs. Just let him know you can take on more work. Since you work off hours that could be an opportunity to get more work. They may just need time to get to know you before feeling comfortable enough hand off some work off. It took me a year to gain the trust of my co-workers even then I think they felt they were losing job security if they gave me work. I would bid your time find your own projects that meet your interests and suggest that you can do them to your supervisor. With his permission, setup a SYSLOG server, setup desktop monitoring test it show him how it could be useful, look into security updates and you could test them. Setup a lab environment with old equipment. Look into desktop Virtualization and how it could help the company. Let your interests find you new projects you can suggest to your supervisor. Good luck!

loss4words

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Wait, is this the same job where your boss promoted you to a part-time systems admin over these same two techs?

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/53324-feeling-bad-about-semi-promotion-within-company.html

It is, and I am still working as part time systems admin (it was originally only for a month of May, but the IT Director is letting me stay there for now) but they've always been ok with it.

Yea, whenever they say they'd rather do it while I watch, I do just that. I also try to make an effort and ask questions, and put in my suggestions from time to time and follow their instructions.

I'll try to write more a little bit later when I have some time. Thank you everyone for advice.

networker050184

So you are the systems admin and they are the techs? Why are you going to them for work, shouldn't it be the other way around?

brad-

2 things.

1 - you are the new guy. It takes a while to build up trust.
2 - you work different hours. That compounds#1.

Keep chipping away. There's really no issue going on that wouldnt happen to anyone else in your position. I sure wouldnt talk about it to a supervisor, that could make you appear to be a complainer, or make the other 2 shun you.

Aside from that, when they are working projects during business hours, I can imagine they want to see them through on their own - for fear that passing it along could produce more problems than benefits.

I really think this is a non-issue. Keep asking for responsibility, but I dont think you are being treated any differently than most other new guys. It took me about a year, fwiw. I hated every day of it, but I stuck it out and it has been totally worth it.