Hi

11 Comments

1. Heather (she/her)October 24,2023 at 7:53AM UTC

   You should have a realistic conversation with your manager about how much work it's possible for you to complete in a given timeframe. It's important to set the boundary of how much you can (and are willing to) work, and then they should adjust accordingly.

2. Brook BolatitoOctober 24,2023 at 11:57AM UTC

   Subtly explain to them that you need assistance as the job you are doing need more hours to get done

3. KatOctober 24,2023 at 6:51PM UTC

   Ask them for help prioritizing your tasks. Let them know how much each task will take and how much you can get done in a standard 40 hour work week. It's not possible for you to get everything done quickly and to a high standard with so many competing demands on your time. It may help if they both see what you've been assigned and coordinate projects and due dates. If your workload is consistently too much for one person to manage, suggest hiring another person. If they're both resistant to help you manage projects and distribute your workload better, polish up the resume and look elsewhere. Sometimes the only way to fix a problem is to take yourself out of the situation.

4. AnonymousNovember 3,2023 at 3:07PM UTC

   They won't. Once bosses get used to an employee doing the work of two or more they think they're getting that employee to do two (or more) jobs and only have to pay for one. I resigned after going back to the same place after being lied to that "it would be different this time" and "we'll get you the help you need". It'll keep happening everywhere because they know it's a bad job market and they have us right where they want us.

5. Barb HansenOctober 24,2023 at 9:55PM UTC

   For your current workload:

   Set a meeting with your manager to discuss the priority of your current work load. What tasks need to be done now and what tasks can be off-loaded or delayed?

   If they tell you every task must be done, ask them if overtime is available or if you will be given time-in-lieu.

   If they push back and tell you that you must work over-time until the work is done or they will fire you, ask them to provide you your new working conditions in writing. They won't send you that "threat" in writing because they can't force you to work overtime without compensation (even if you are salaried, in most cases)

   For additional work that assigned to you, respond with a simple: "when is this task due?" and "what of my current tasks can be off-loaded so I can complete this task"

   You are not required to volunteer for the company you work for. It's the job of your manager to help prioritize your work if there is too much for you to do during normal work week, and it's your job to ask for that help. Let's hope that your manager is not aware that you have too much work to do and they will help you.

   Good luck!

6. Lorena DiazOctober 25,2023 at 2:16PM UTC

   I would get the you-know-what out of there! It's not going to get better and you need to protect your mental health. Put yourself first because nobody else will.

7. AnonymousOctober 26,2023 at 1:23PM UTC

   You are clearly overloaded and need to make a list and review with the manager and senior manager to set priorities for accomplishing the long "to-do" list. You should not be working 80 hours a week - - you will eventually affect your health and productivity. This is the only course of action I see in your situation. Unfortunately, once you start working those 80 hour weeks, they expect it to continue.

8. AnonymousOctober 26,2023 at 4:06PM UTC

   Review your job description that you were hired to. Then make a list of the things each time you get them of what they are and how long they take to do them. Sit down with your manager and set priorities. Not knowing what you do if you can do a few projects concurrently with differing time expectations you might find a bit of relief with the pressures of the deadlines. If you think there is too much to do set some limits to what you take on using the list you have created to show your manager what you have achieved and what has to slip because it is overflowing. If this does not fix things perhaps speak to HR for their help in doing this too.

9. AnonymousOctober 31,2023 at 12:32PM UTC

   Are they each separately giving you work without being aware of what the other is doing? I wonder if there's some lack of communication between the two of them.

   I think it's time for a sit down with them. Once, long ago, my work place did that to me. Things were changing at work and I had been in a call center and then that was gotten rid of and I was moved to a whole new position that was created for me (we did a lot more than just answer phones in this call center so those duties were transferred to a new job I was moved into).

   The problem with the new job was we didn't know what else I could do on top of what I had been doing before. So we took the phones out of the equation and then my manager started adding things to the job. And then one of the VPs started adding things to the job too. And it got to be too much. I didn't have enough time in the day and OT wasn't offered (nor did I particularly want much of it...).

   I finally had a sit down with my manager about what the VP was adding to my job and how much time it would take (basically 4 hours a day calling customers who were delinquent in returning equipment to us) and how it took away from the duties he needed me to do. He was the one who went and talked to the VP and told him to find another person to do that part of the job. And it got better after that.

10. Sylvia VerrecchiaOctober 31,2023 at 1:00PM UTC

    I supported 7 senior executives for 3 years and ran into the same thing. I started with 2 and it just morphed from there. I started having regular weekly 1:1s with each of them and having them identity their weekly priorities for me. I had a "Must DO" list and a "Can do Later" list. I explained to each that I was a "shared resource" and as such I can either devote a dedicated daily amount of time to each (7hour workday/7 exec's - each gets 1 hour per day). The weekly 1:1s worked well - the 2 people you work with need to understand you are essentially being torn between two lovers - and that never, ever goes well. Make a list of all work they assign to you every day for about 2 weeks - this may seem onerous, but it will also surprise you when you put pen to paper on this. Then have a meeting with both of them. They may need to hire another "you" but don't want to spend the money. That doesn't mean they run you into the ground in the process. So they need to come up with a plan to get done what is necessary. If all else fails, find another job. There's loads of great jobs out there - never stay in any job where you feel like you're being run over by a train - free yourself!

11. AnonymousOctober 31,2023 at 1:34PM UTC

    Have a f2f and let them

    know you need to

    priorotize your workload as it’s getting very sizeable. Set conservative deadline for each task once prioritized. Be sure to give yourself some wiggle room to have your life. If they can’t accept this then get your resume out there as it’s a behavior issue on their part you won’t be able to change.