Advice please...

Anonymous

May 3,2022 at 12:09PM UTC

Welcome to Fairygodboss!

We’re the largest online career community helping women achieve their career goals. Gain access to articles, jobs, events, and a supportive network of women and allies. Membership is free, always.

Advice please...

Hi I am just after some advice..I will try keep it short.

So I started a new job 6 months ago..a very small family owned business and at the beginning of the year my bosses daughter started at the business. I get along well with her and have known her for a few years before working here. She does good work however sometimes she will just sit on her phone for ages and not do anything and just message friends etc. It annoys me a little but I am doing the same job as her but a little more experienced (she is just out of school) and I trained her up from the start. I just hope that I have trained her well enough and not just leaving her hanging and hoping she is not bored to death?

I just dont want to follow in the footsteps of a previous boss that just loaded everything on me because i was the young empliyee and i eventually was just overloaded and nobody ever belived me. Long story short I ended up leaving.

I just hope that by trying not to be like her I am not being the complete opposite and leaving her bored with her job.

I don't know if anyone can help..I am not her manager by any means but am training her and helping her with the day to day..I just don't have much experience with this.

Appreciate any thoughts! Thankyou:)

Why women love us:

Daily articles on career topics
Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
Advice and support from an authentic community
Events that help you level up in your career
Free membership, always

5 comments

Share your insight

Join an authentic community that helps women support each other at work. Share your professional experience or ask for advice — you can even post anonymously.

5 Comments

Join the conversation

SamanthaMay 3,2022 at 1:09PM UTC
I have trained in people that don't report to me - at our company we called it mentorship (when a new employee started they were assigned a mentor that would train them in and be their go to person for questions). I have also managed people. It sounds like a small company, but depending on the structure, I might just go talk to her manager and ask if they have anything for her to do? or Anything for you to do and you could delegate some stuff to her. If you are training her, you do need to set a standard of not sitting for a while looking at their phone all the time.
Be her Advocate, be the person you wish you had to make sure you weren't overworked. I would also talk to her and see how she is feeling with what she is doing, if she has mastered it, if she is feeling challenged. To a point you want her to be busy, so if she has time to sit and stare at her phone, she definitely needs more work to do.
Good Luck!
AnonymousMay 3,2022 at 1:14PM UTC
Ask your boss about workload and if you can train the boss's daughter on some things.
She may be bored. Have a coffee with her and see how she's doing. She may just be floating through on her way to someplace else.
AnonymousMay 3,2022 at 1:55PM UTC
She is the boss's daughter so she has a tremendous amount if latitude.
Since she doesn't report to you I would not pay a lot of attention to her phone habits. She fell into this job so it's probably not her dream job. Just a job until she leaves.
Many people who are handed jobs take them because it's easy to do so and in a family business she may not be expected to excel. But she's employed and might just inherit the company some day. Who knows?
She is not your responsibility nor should she be. You are equals except she is family and you are not. So do your job and tred lightly where your opinions about her are concerned.
AnonymousMay 3,2022 at 2:11PM UTC
So, the boss brought his daughter in and you are training her? I hope you have your resume updated. Your job will soon be hers. The only way to move up in a family business is to marry one of the members.
AnonymousMay 3,2022 at 10:37PM UTC
That is tough. Companies staffed with family are usually nightmares for those that aren't family. It's not right. Ask for references and referrals to their network. Go out with your head held high! I worked for the boss's daughter and it was one of the tougher experiences I have ever had. Now I make sure I don't work for family no matter where I work. Lesson learned.