When will it stop?
Hi Dr Mac, I am experienced and very competent at what I do as an analytical chemist. I have demonstrated in a relatively new job that I can introduce new techniques, solve problems, support different projects and provide effective training. My manager does give me support and is very pleased with my progress. However the company expects a lot.
The concern I have is that there are increasing demands put on me and more so as the company has a temporary recruitment freeze. It is difficult to leave on time and I often go home feeling tired making it difficult to enjoy time with my friends. Obviously concerned I do not want to become stressed where it could affect my health.
I do enjoy many aspects of the job but a lot is expected. I have performed excellent in the role since I have been at the company. There are certain jobs which I am expected to do which are outside my field of expertise. This has been stressful. Appreciate please if you could advise how I could still demonstrate my ability and commitment but leave enough time and energy for myself away from work. It is not just time management, there is simply too much work for certain people. Brent
Hi Brent. I’m glad to see that you are enjoying your job (overall) and that your skills and abilities are being appreciated. That in itself is a big plus.
You mentioned that your company is in a “temporary” recruitment freeze. Should I assume that once that freeze is over that you will eventually be able to get back to a more balanced work demand?
It seems to me that it would be beneficial to have a discussion with your manager on this whole issue. In particular, addressing short-term versus long-term demands and expectations. If in fact your manager sees the increase in work responsibilities as merely a short-term situation that will resolve itself once the hiring freeze is over, then you have your answer and you’ll need to buck up for a short period of time. Not an unreasonable request, given our current economy.
If, however, the expectation is for you to assume responsibility for everything that is on your plate right now, then that’s a different discussion. My quick suggestion here would be to ask your manager to help you prioritize all the expectations and duties that you are responsible for, so that you can focus your time accordingly. With that said, I’d also encourage you to inquire about his/her thoughts on work-life balance in order to get an idea if you have support for further discussions on this issue or not.
Lastly, if the worse-case scenario happens and nothing changes, I wouldn’t give up. Instead, see if there are ways to redistribute workloads amongst colleagues in order to increase productivity while saving time. If you can come up with a better way to work within your department while saving time, propose that idea to your manager. I have found that managers are usually receptive to ideas that benefit the department and company as a whole. Hope that help a little. -Dr. Mac
