Nearly all of my job functions have been changed. What can I do?
May 21, 2017 11:56 AM Subscribe
After a year and a half, I've recently moved to a new team with my employer and after just a few months the managers have overhauled the entire position, despite protests. They told me my only recourse was to move to a different shift/location and now seem to be backpedaling on even that. What can I do? (Snow storm below!)
To start with, apologies for the length of this! Since I'm posting anonymously (for fear of retaliation) I want to ensure I include enough details. I work for a tech start up/marketplace that caters to the service industry. Though only 5 years old or so, the company is doing very well for itself and it has experienced so much growth it's been tough to keep up with at times. The company culture is fast-paced, liberal and fairly inclusive. I've been with the company for nearly 2 years now and spent most of that time on the customer support side -- fielding incoming calls or emails, troubleshooting, account changes, ect. I've worked the overnight shift for the company pretty much since being hired -- I helped start and develop the culture of the overnight team and was the point person for ensuring overnight employees had fun and that there were company-sponsored events to participate in due to the inability to attend many work events that take place during the day (such as happy hour socials, art meetings, ect). My performance with the team has always been strong -- per my manager, I'm one of the top two performers and have frequently trained new hires. My employee reviews have always been positive, with emphasis on how much I bring to the team and my hard work. Reviews from my co-workers have been equally as positive -- often thanking me for all the support while they got used to their position. My manager believes I can move anywhere in the company if I wished and has expressed several times that if I wanted to move onto a management track, they (and the rest of the company) would love that -- just say the word. Please know that I provide the above background not to pat myself on the back, but to provide insight as to my performance and the value I bring to the team. That's not to say things have always been great -- but the team I was on was filled with amazing people and our positive impact on the business is both measurable and notable.
With that in mind, after a year and a half on the customer support side of the business, a colleague on another team made me aware of an opening on their overnight team. Their team handles emergencies and insurance and it was the team I originally tried to get on when I first applied at the company. I had a sit-down with my manager, who expressed extreme sadness that I wanted to switch teams, but who was very supportive and not only put in her own recommendation for the transfer, but had other managers (whom I have worked with) do so as well. Part of the appeal of the new team was the change in job functions (more research, more delicate situations, more handling of data), the change in hours (it involved a move from a 10 hour shift to an 8 hour shift) and advancement opportunities. Needless to say, after an interview (with 5 separate individuals on the new team -- none of whom I actually work with), I was extended a job offer. I started on the new team in Feb and was extremely happy with the new position and the better life/work balance it offered.
However....in just 3 months that's now changed. Unbeknownst to me, the manager of the new team was not performing up to par and many of my coworkers on the new team were disgruntled because of her management style or complete absence (as she would regularly call out). I never really worked with this manager as she was always absent during my shift, so I had no clue of the discontent that was brewing. I was made aware by a new hire, a friend of the manager, who was promised a day shift and a chance to move into a lead role. However, he was placed on an overnight schedule and immediately became upset about it. He was quite vocal about his discontent and this became the catalyst that resulted in the manager being let go. Everyone rejoiced and new hire was told he could move to a day shift when one became available. New hire was placated by that at first, but then the higher ups (director of the team; supervisor) began to drag their feet about it, telling him he'd have to wait 3 months until they found someone else to replace him. During this time, the company (and this team) were actively hiring and filling day positions (including giving them more desirable days off), which increasingly made new hire upset. The rest of the team tried to ignore his very vocal protests and I picked up my game on planning fun events for everyone. Ultimately, new hire got tired of being strung along and left the company a mere 3 months after being hired.
When the higher ups broke this news to the team, they asked me for a 1-on-1 to discuss what made me successful in the overnight role and how I made that schedule work for me. Their hope was to learn something so they could recruit accordingly. I provided my feedback (ie: hire people who WANT the overnight schedule for whatever reasons they have and stop giving it to people who just want their foot in the door) and also made known my desire to possibly move into the lead/manager role that was abruptly vacated as the overnight team needed a manager. I had cleared this with all of my colleagues on the new team beforehand and they all were very enthusiastic in their support. Higher ups were pleased to hear of my interest in the manager role and we discussed what they were looking for -- someone who could keep the team positive (which I had done on my previous team and had assumed the role of in the new team). We even discussed my taking on an official title regarding social committee plannings for the company.
However, the next time the higher ups came by for a meeting, they informed us that they would instead be changing the entire job functions of -- specifically -- anyone who worked an overnight schedule. They would not be filling the manager role -- there would no longer be a manager on the overnight schedule. They then presented us with the proposed changes: work from home, 10-hour schedules, at least one weekend day off, and new job functions that were largely unrelated to what the team had been doing before -- though we were still expected to take incoming emergency calls (like the rest of the team does). The new job functions were mindless -- side jobs my previous team was asked to do but refused (because they could be done with a simple script or temps instead). We were told at this time that the changes were pretty much all or nothing -- either we liked them all and they'd all be implemented or they wouldn't -- we were either all in agreement or they wouldn't happen. The changes largely favored two of my coworkers. When asked about what I thought of these changes, I sent an email (to ensure I had everything in writing) and was honest -- I was concerned about WFH (I had this option on my old team, it is NOT an incentive for me) and the lack of visibility it meant. I was worried about the shift back to a 10 hour schedule, as the 8 hour schedule was a huge boost to my work/life balance and my general mental health. I was worried that the job function changes left no room for advancement and that they felt completely unrelated to the job I signed up for (and left my previous team for). Essentially, I felt the new job functions were in no way challenging and were not utilizing my skills -- I was not on board with them. In response to this, the director of the team requested a 1-on-1 with me. We spoke for roughly an hour -- she acknowledged I was not OK with the changes, but said they were nonetheless moving forward with them. They needed more metrics to gauge performance on so they could get rid of low performers. I was told my only recourse was to move to a day schedule -- if only I was open to that. I informed the director that I enjoyed the overnight schedule, but if the opportunities and job functions I wanted meant moving to a day shift, I would happily do so. I also expressed my interest in moving to a new location the company was opening. Director was elated to hear this and mentioned how happy that would make the leads there -- they needed good, strong performers to help with all the new hires, as they were hiring at least 5 people/month for the new location for the foreseeable future. I told the director my lease was up in a couple of months (ie: by Aug) and we can discuss more when it gets closer. Director put the manager of the new location in touch with me and we chatted about the area and how they liked it. Everything seemed good.
A few days later, my colleagues and I had a meeting with the higher ups (supervisor-- not the director) as she wanted to come back to us with some minor changes to the new job functions to see if we liked those better. The changes weren't better -- one mindless job function was replaced with a different mindless job functions (just from another part of the company). When I expressed that I was STILL not on board with these changes and expressed why, I was told that if my intent was to move to a day schedule and another office anyway, that I shouldn't 'rob' my coworkers of the opportunities these changes offered them (such as WFH). This felt extremely underhanded at the time but I agreed -- since I would be moving to a different schedule/location, they should proceed with the changes then -- but I would still like to come into the office to work. When the higher up confirmed the changes at the end of the meeting, I confirmed that even though we had the option to WFH, we could still come into the office. The higher up agreed and I was happy. I would continue to come into the office and would get started preparing for the move. My coworkers transitioned to their new schedules/WFH as soon as possible -- I never even had a convo about when it'd happen -- which I thought was due to the fact that we had agreed I'd still be working in the office. Please know I was quite vocal about working in the office too. Every single lead whom I came into face-to-face contact with (often the early morning management team) was aware I was working in the office.
This brings us to the present, where I came into the office to find an email from higher up (supervisor -- not director) asking why I've been coming into the office. I responded that I was under the impression, based on our last meeting, that we could still work in the office when/if we wanted -- this was one of two reasons why I agreed to the changes. Higher up responded that the overnight position on the team is now considered a remote position and I am to no longer come into the office. If I had a problem with that, I should've said something (I did..and was under the impression working in the office was the expectation set). I was instructed to give WFH at least two weeks and if I decided I still wanted to come into the office, then I could -- however, I would then lose 'office benefits' -- such as paid parking, transportation assistance, educational meetings, free lunch (as part of educational meetings) and anything pertaining to social functions. The email ended with higher up requesting a confirmation of whether I intend to move locations/shifts, as they were only hiring two more agents for the new location and therefore a spot for me may not be available. They also requested that I direct any questions/concerns to them and not the director.
I am stunned by this. I feel pushed out -- forbidden to come into the office of the company I work for. I feel they used a verbal promise about moving locations/shifts to get me to agree to the overnight changes that I was otherwise against. I feel they used my coworkers as bargaining chips -- forcing me to either agree to the changes or screw over lovely, talented people with whom I adore working (one of these coworkers is also expecting soon and WFH was a huge incentive for her). I also feel taking away my 'office benefits' because I prefer working in the office is not only excessive but underhanded -- especially in making me unable to participate in social events, which I've been planning for their team (as well as my previous team) for over a year and a half. If it's relevant, I have NOT signed anything agreeing to the changes they've proposed. The only contract I signed is for the job functions/schedule I started with upon first joining the new team.
That said, I shared some of my frustration about this with my previous team and the manager immediately asked me to come back to her team. She has offered me any schedule or shift that I want -- I can WFH or come into the office -- and there's tons of advancement opportunities that she feels I'd be great in. She is happy to put this in writing and has reiterated her offer to me multiple times. She mentioned that the team felt my absence immediately and she would love to have me back -- even if it meant going to HR and awkwardly trying to facilitate this.
I'm at a loss of what to do here. Going back to my previous team is really tempting but I worry it'd be 'career suicide' -- not to mention extremely awkward (since old team and new team work in the same office). I'm desperate for neutral advice but please don't tell me to just get another job -- I have been actively applying elsewhere since the job changes were proposed (no luck yet) but the city I live in is a tech hub and decent paying jobs are scarce if you're not an engineer or programmer (something I'm actively working on). What can I do in this situation? Do I have recourse? Should I avoid responding to the last email I received and go directly to HR about this? Please help hive mind...your advice is appreciated!
(NOTE: If it's relevant, I am openly non-binary/trans masculine and new team has a poor track record when it comes to diversity; old team was various ages/races/genders/orientations and new team is almost exclusively 30-40s straight white cis women; the one non-binary/trans feminine person that was on the new team (we'll call her L) was let go due to performance (she was just out of training with no supervisor or guidance -- not set up for success IMHO); conversations with some members of the new team later revealed they were just largely uncomfortable with L due to her wanting to be treated as a woman despite her masculine appearance/odor(yes...really)/interests)
To start with, apologies for the length of this! Since I'm posting anonymously (for fear of retaliation) I want to ensure I include enough details. I work for a tech start up/marketplace that caters to the service industry. Though only 5 years old or so, the company is doing very well for itself and it has experienced so much growth it's been tough to keep up with at times. The company culture is fast-paced, liberal and fairly inclusive. I've been with the company for nearly 2 years now and spent most of that time on the customer support side -- fielding incoming calls or emails, troubleshooting, account changes, ect. I've worked the overnight shift for the company pretty much since being hired -- I helped start and develop the culture of the overnight team and was the point person for ensuring overnight employees had fun and that there were company-sponsored events to participate in due to the inability to attend many work events that take place during the day (such as happy hour socials, art meetings, ect). My performance with the team has always been strong -- per my manager, I'm one of the top two performers and have frequently trained new hires. My employee reviews have always been positive, with emphasis on how much I bring to the team and my hard work. Reviews from my co-workers have been equally as positive -- often thanking me for all the support while they got used to their position. My manager believes I can move anywhere in the company if I wished and has expressed several times that if I wanted to move onto a management track, they (and the rest of the company) would love that -- just say the word. Please know that I provide the above background not to pat myself on the back, but to provide insight as to my performance and the value I bring to the team. That's not to say things have always been great -- but the team I was on was filled with amazing people and our positive impact on the business is both measurable and notable.
With that in mind, after a year and a half on the customer support side of the business, a colleague on another team made me aware of an opening on their overnight team. Their team handles emergencies and insurance and it was the team I originally tried to get on when I first applied at the company. I had a sit-down with my manager, who expressed extreme sadness that I wanted to switch teams, but who was very supportive and not only put in her own recommendation for the transfer, but had other managers (whom I have worked with) do so as well. Part of the appeal of the new team was the change in job functions (more research, more delicate situations, more handling of data), the change in hours (it involved a move from a 10 hour shift to an 8 hour shift) and advancement opportunities. Needless to say, after an interview (with 5 separate individuals on the new team -- none of whom I actually work with), I was extended a job offer. I started on the new team in Feb and was extremely happy with the new position and the better life/work balance it offered.
However....in just 3 months that's now changed. Unbeknownst to me, the manager of the new team was not performing up to par and many of my coworkers on the new team were disgruntled because of her management style or complete absence (as she would regularly call out). I never really worked with this manager as she was always absent during my shift, so I had no clue of the discontent that was brewing. I was made aware by a new hire, a friend of the manager, who was promised a day shift and a chance to move into a lead role. However, he was placed on an overnight schedule and immediately became upset about it. He was quite vocal about his discontent and this became the catalyst that resulted in the manager being let go. Everyone rejoiced and new hire was told he could move to a day shift when one became available. New hire was placated by that at first, but then the higher ups (director of the team; supervisor) began to drag their feet about it, telling him he'd have to wait 3 months until they found someone else to replace him. During this time, the company (and this team) were actively hiring and filling day positions (including giving them more desirable days off), which increasingly made new hire upset. The rest of the team tried to ignore his very vocal protests and I picked up my game on planning fun events for everyone. Ultimately, new hire got tired of being strung along and left the company a mere 3 months after being hired.
When the higher ups broke this news to the team, they asked me for a 1-on-1 to discuss what made me successful in the overnight role and how I made that schedule work for me. Their hope was to learn something so they could recruit accordingly. I provided my feedback (ie: hire people who WANT the overnight schedule for whatever reasons they have and stop giving it to people who just want their foot in the door) and also made known my desire to possibly move into the lead/manager role that was abruptly vacated as the overnight team needed a manager. I had cleared this with all of my colleagues on the new team beforehand and they all were very enthusiastic in their support. Higher ups were pleased to hear of my interest in the manager role and we discussed what they were looking for -- someone who could keep the team positive (which I had done on my previous team and had assumed the role of in the new team). We even discussed my taking on an official title regarding social committee plannings for the company.
However, the next time the higher ups came by for a meeting, they informed us that they would instead be changing the entire job functions of -- specifically -- anyone who worked an overnight schedule. They would not be filling the manager role -- there would no longer be a manager on the overnight schedule. They then presented us with the proposed changes: work from home, 10-hour schedules, at least one weekend day off, and new job functions that were largely unrelated to what the team had been doing before -- though we were still expected to take incoming emergency calls (like the rest of the team does). The new job functions were mindless -- side jobs my previous team was asked to do but refused (because they could be done with a simple script or temps instead). We were told at this time that the changes were pretty much all or nothing -- either we liked them all and they'd all be implemented or they wouldn't -- we were either all in agreement or they wouldn't happen. The changes largely favored two of my coworkers. When asked about what I thought of these changes, I sent an email (to ensure I had everything in writing) and was honest -- I was concerned about WFH (I had this option on my old team, it is NOT an incentive for me) and the lack of visibility it meant. I was worried about the shift back to a 10 hour schedule, as the 8 hour schedule was a huge boost to my work/life balance and my general mental health. I was worried that the job function changes left no room for advancement and that they felt completely unrelated to the job I signed up for (and left my previous team for). Essentially, I felt the new job functions were in no way challenging and were not utilizing my skills -- I was not on board with them. In response to this, the director of the team requested a 1-on-1 with me. We spoke for roughly an hour -- she acknowledged I was not OK with the changes, but said they were nonetheless moving forward with them. They needed more metrics to gauge performance on so they could get rid of low performers. I was told my only recourse was to move to a day schedule -- if only I was open to that. I informed the director that I enjoyed the overnight schedule, but if the opportunities and job functions I wanted meant moving to a day shift, I would happily do so. I also expressed my interest in moving to a new location the company was opening. Director was elated to hear this and mentioned how happy that would make the leads there -- they needed good, strong performers to help with all the new hires, as they were hiring at least 5 people/month for the new location for the foreseeable future. I told the director my lease was up in a couple of months (ie: by Aug) and we can discuss more when it gets closer. Director put the manager of the new location in touch with me and we chatted about the area and how they liked it. Everything seemed good.
A few days later, my colleagues and I had a meeting with the higher ups (supervisor-- not the director) as she wanted to come back to us with some minor changes to the new job functions to see if we liked those better. The changes weren't better -- one mindless job function was replaced with a different mindless job functions (just from another part of the company). When I expressed that I was STILL not on board with these changes and expressed why, I was told that if my intent was to move to a day schedule and another office anyway, that I shouldn't 'rob' my coworkers of the opportunities these changes offered them (such as WFH). This felt extremely underhanded at the time but I agreed -- since I would be moving to a different schedule/location, they should proceed with the changes then -- but I would still like to come into the office to work. When the higher up confirmed the changes at the end of the meeting, I confirmed that even though we had the option to WFH, we could still come into the office. The higher up agreed and I was happy. I would continue to come into the office and would get started preparing for the move. My coworkers transitioned to their new schedules/WFH as soon as possible -- I never even had a convo about when it'd happen -- which I thought was due to the fact that we had agreed I'd still be working in the office. Please know I was quite vocal about working in the office too. Every single lead whom I came into face-to-face contact with (often the early morning management team) was aware I was working in the office.
This brings us to the present, where I came into the office to find an email from higher up (supervisor -- not director) asking why I've been coming into the office. I responded that I was under the impression, based on our last meeting, that we could still work in the office when/if we wanted -- this was one of two reasons why I agreed to the changes. Higher up responded that the overnight position on the team is now considered a remote position and I am to no longer come into the office. If I had a problem with that, I should've said something (I did..and was under the impression working in the office was the expectation set). I was instructed to give WFH at least two weeks and if I decided I still wanted to come into the office, then I could -- however, I would then lose 'office benefits' -- such as paid parking, transportation assistance, educational meetings, free lunch (as part of educational meetings) and anything pertaining to social functions. The email ended with higher up requesting a confirmation of whether I intend to move locations/shifts, as they were only hiring two more agents for the new location and therefore a spot for me may not be available. They also requested that I direct any questions/concerns to them and not the director.
I am stunned by this. I feel pushed out -- forbidden to come into the office of the company I work for. I feel they used a verbal promise about moving locations/shifts to get me to agree to the overnight changes that I was otherwise against. I feel they used my coworkers as bargaining chips -- forcing me to either agree to the changes or screw over lovely, talented people with whom I adore working (one of these coworkers is also expecting soon and WFH was a huge incentive for her). I also feel taking away my 'office benefits' because I prefer working in the office is not only excessive but underhanded -- especially in making me unable to participate in social events, which I've been planning for their team (as well as my previous team) for over a year and a half. If it's relevant, I have NOT signed anything agreeing to the changes they've proposed. The only contract I signed is for the job functions/schedule I started with upon first joining the new team.
That said, I shared some of my frustration about this with my previous team and the manager immediately asked me to come back to her team. She has offered me any schedule or shift that I want -- I can WFH or come into the office -- and there's tons of advancement opportunities that she feels I'd be great in. She is happy to put this in writing and has reiterated her offer to me multiple times. She mentioned that the team felt my absence immediately and she would love to have me back -- even if it meant going to HR and awkwardly trying to facilitate this.
I'm at a loss of what to do here. Going back to my previous team is really tempting but I worry it'd be 'career suicide' -- not to mention extremely awkward (since old team and new team work in the same office). I'm desperate for neutral advice but please don't tell me to just get another job -- I have been actively applying elsewhere since the job changes were proposed (no luck yet) but the city I live in is a tech hub and decent paying jobs are scarce if you're not an engineer or programmer (something I'm actively working on). What can I do in this situation? Do I have recourse? Should I avoid responding to the last email I received and go directly to HR about this? Please help hive mind...your advice is appreciated!
(NOTE: If it's relevant, I am openly non-binary/trans masculine and new team has a poor track record when it comes to diversity; old team was various ages/races/genders/orientations and new team is almost exclusively 30-40s straight white cis women; the one non-binary/trans feminine person that was on the new team (we'll call her L) was let go due to performance (she was just out of training with no supervisor or guidance -- not set up for success IMHO); conversations with some members of the new team later revealed they were just largely uncomfortable with L due to her wanting to be treated as a woman despite her masculine appearance/odor(yes...really)/interests)
As you think through your options, I would suggest thinking about two things. First, the happiness (or not) of today's job. Second, the opportunities for growth regarding today's job. What I gleaned from this is that in order to REALLY advance your career, you need to develop as an engineer or programmer. By working from home, you lose access to educational meetings among other things. It sounds to me like going back to your old team may be the best option for both of those criteria (current happiness, opportunity to grow).
Hopefully your old manager is politically savvy and if so, can help you navigate this change. I would talk to him/her about the concerns you have and ask them for their advice about how to make this transition as simple as possible. To make this drama free, don't give people long explanations when they ask you why you made the change -- keep it short and cheerful. In many workplaces, people will want to hear the drama -- don't give it to them. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
posted by elmay at 12:47 PM on May 21, 2017
Hopefully your old manager is politically savvy and if so, can help you navigate this change. I would talk to him/her about the concerns you have and ask them for their advice about how to make this transition as simple as possible. To make this drama free, don't give people long explanations when they ask you why you made the change -- keep it short and cheerful. In many workplaces, people will want to hear the drama -- don't give it to them. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
posted by elmay at 12:47 PM on May 21, 2017
I think you should move back to the team which works during the day. My experience with working night shift is that even if you're a superstar, you're not going to be recognised for it. Especially since it sounds like your company doesn't value night shift at all - giving you unchallenging work, not hiring a new manager.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:42 PM on May 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:42 PM on May 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
I would move back to the old team and see how it goes, but start polishing up your c.v. and looking for other opportunities. It sounds like you are going to have zero recognition or opportunities on the new team, so even if things are a bit awkward when you move back it will still better than where you are now. Besides, new team's managers sound like jerks.
But, as pointed out above, it is also possible that your company is in financial trouble and that is why they are scamming employees this way. If so, this will eventually affect all areas.
posted by rpfields at 3:01 PM on May 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
But, as pointed out above, it is also possible that your company is in financial trouble and that is why they are scamming employees this way. If so, this will eventually affect all areas.
posted by rpfields at 3:01 PM on May 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
If you have a local labor law help clinic, I would go ask them what your rights are in respect to not having signed anything. I suspect they are few and possibly more likely to make you a lightning rod than help you very much. In general, your employer will have included language which allows the conditions of your job to change as long as nothing material is impacted (they will have some language about how all benefits are at discretion of the company). You may have some leg to stand on with the expanded hours, but I'm not sure how much of one in the US.
She is happy to put this in writing and has reiterated her offer to me multiple times. She mentioned that the team felt my absence immediately and she would love to have me back -- even if it meant going to HR and awkwardly trying to facilitate this.
This seems like your best bet, and I would take it now if you want to stay in the company. Be aware she may not have the latitude she thinks to do this, but I would try. If you want to stay, your best chance now is to have an understanding and supportive manager who will protect you until they move on to the next big change and you are forgotten. I'm sorry to say it as cynically as this, but as you describe it the turnover is very high and you would have a chance later to switch where you wanted to go.
My guess is that they're getting close to outsourcing the night shift and told you that you could come to the office sometimes, without really expecting you to do it very often. The response you describe tells me that either you are overusing what they expected you to do or that they have serious cost issues. There's something happening, and the fact you are a good performer won't help you in the face of that something-- so I would get to somewhere safe if you can, where your function is seen as part of the office.
The email ended with higher up requesting a confirmation of whether I intend to move locations/shifts, as they were only hiring two more agents for the new location and therefore a spot for me may not be available. They also requested that I direct any questions/concerns to them and not the director.
I would answer this, but be careful and neutral. "Thank you very much for your clarification. Regarding the new location, As discussed before I would be interested in exploring an opportunity like this within WidgetCorp as I would like to stay with the company and it seems this may open up new opportunity. I have no insight into available positions, so trust you to let me know if it makes sense for me to apply." You can discuss with HR if you like, but then I would keep the discussion factual and neutral and make sure (confirm in writing!) that expressing interest in the new job is not the same as resigning your old job.
It sounds to me that you've managed to annoy people by refusing to accept the changes which have been decided. That probably isn't fair, but I don't think you can do much about it. I'd be looking hard for a new job and if you really want to stay, then I would find a place to lie low. Sorry-- this sucks.
posted by frumiousb at 4:04 PM on May 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
She is happy to put this in writing and has reiterated her offer to me multiple times. She mentioned that the team felt my absence immediately and she would love to have me back -- even if it meant going to HR and awkwardly trying to facilitate this.
This seems like your best bet, and I would take it now if you want to stay in the company. Be aware she may not have the latitude she thinks to do this, but I would try. If you want to stay, your best chance now is to have an understanding and supportive manager who will protect you until they move on to the next big change and you are forgotten. I'm sorry to say it as cynically as this, but as you describe it the turnover is very high and you would have a chance later to switch where you wanted to go.
My guess is that they're getting close to outsourcing the night shift and told you that you could come to the office sometimes, without really expecting you to do it very often. The response you describe tells me that either you are overusing what they expected you to do or that they have serious cost issues. There's something happening, and the fact you are a good performer won't help you in the face of that something-- so I would get to somewhere safe if you can, where your function is seen as part of the office.
The email ended with higher up requesting a confirmation of whether I intend to move locations/shifts, as they were only hiring two more agents for the new location and therefore a spot for me may not be available. They also requested that I direct any questions/concerns to them and not the director.
I would answer this, but be careful and neutral. "Thank you very much for your clarification. Regarding the new location, As discussed before I would be interested in exploring an opportunity like this within WidgetCorp as I would like to stay with the company and it seems this may open up new opportunity. I have no insight into available positions, so trust you to let me know if it makes sense for me to apply." You can discuss with HR if you like, but then I would keep the discussion factual and neutral and make sure (confirm in writing!) that expressing interest in the new job is not the same as resigning your old job.
It sounds to me that you've managed to annoy people by refusing to accept the changes which have been decided. That probably isn't fair, but I don't think you can do much about it. I'd be looking hard for a new job and if you really want to stay, then I would find a place to lie low. Sorry-- this sucks.
posted by frumiousb at 4:04 PM on May 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Commit career suicide if you need to stick it out at a decent salary while you get your educational pursuits in order, especially if you are determined to become an engineer or programmer to advance yourself in your area. If people ask, just say the shift didn't wind up working out - which is the truth. What you've just detailed out is the kind of switcheroo that happened at my last company and I fled for the hills without hesitation. I didn't even have a new job to go to, but I was not staying in something that felt unhealthy and diminished my growth.
I'm not saying to follow my brazen path of glory but... who cares if its career suicide to reverse course and go 'home' to the old team, provided there's still a spot open? This will not be your forever company, it is a blip on the CV.
posted by missh at 8:13 PM on May 21, 2017
I'm not saying to follow my brazen path of glory but... who cares if its career suicide to reverse course and go 'home' to the old team, provided there's still a spot open? This will not be your forever company, it is a blip on the CV.
posted by missh at 8:13 PM on May 21, 2017
It sounds like they're trying to cut (or outsource, as mentioned above) your new team. It definitely doesn't sound like a valued role: note how they're now giving you all the jobs you used to assign to temps? Run. Back to old team sounds good if the old team still has a supported night shift.
The description of the company and roles - I've been peripheral to a few start ups that have decided, a few or five years in, that they need to cut costs and no longer get the same value from the difficult-to-scale manual customer support functions. So that's a weak place to be in. Lots of companies value providing good support while they're small and every customer has key feedback, but less so later on (whether they're struggling and cutting costs or succeeding and trying to become a "real company"). The specific pressures on the management may be different for your company, but you probably want to think about what those pressures are and what sort of transition they might be trying to make.
posted by Lady Li at 12:07 AM on May 24, 2017
The description of the company and roles - I've been peripheral to a few start ups that have decided, a few or five years in, that they need to cut costs and no longer get the same value from the difficult-to-scale manual customer support functions. So that's a weak place to be in. Lots of companies value providing good support while they're small and every customer has key feedback, but less so later on (whether they're struggling and cutting costs or succeeding and trying to become a "real company"). The specific pressures on the management may be different for your company, but you probably want to think about what those pressures are and what sort of transition they might be trying to make.
posted by Lady Li at 12:07 AM on May 24, 2017
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posted by parmanparman at 12:41 PM on May 21, 2017 [1 favorite]