Am I a bad employee? Today, I heard through a co-worker, who was reprimanded that the two of us talk too much. Is that a bad thing? But seriously, is it a bad thing that I have time to talk to a co-worker while at work who also has time to talk?
Am I expected to be working every possible minute of the day? If I am, this is not the place for me to work. That’s not how I work best. I sprint to get stuff done ahead of time, not cram at the last-minute. As a result, I have free time. I rarely interrupt people who have work to do, I respect that they are busy. So is me talking to someone who is not busy, or even in this case still working while talking, such a bad thing?
The same co-worker was apparently asked if I needed more things to do. Why I wasn’t asked is beyond me. Though had I been consulted, there would have been a resounding HELL NO! I’ll be straight, I’m never looking for more work to do but regardless of that, I do not need more work to do because my work comes in bursts where I’ll be busy for a week straight and then there will be a few days where I’ll just be waiting. It’s the nature of my job, I’m dependent on developers getting projects on my desk for testing and rolling out. I’m also dependent on my co-workers for getting me information for new projects to spec for developers. So while sometimes it might look like I could use more work, I can’t.
Knowing my boss, more work either means tasks which sound good in theory but are only done once and never used again or they are tasks which happen over and over. Neither of those are appealing. I do not want to do anything that won’t be used, that’s busy work and I despise it. It’s a waste of my time. Repeating tasks are worse because I’ll be expected to do them over and over regardless of what else I need to do. So if it’s a weekly new task, it will make those super busy weeks even busier. I’m already graying, no need to add more stress to speed up the process.
So am I a bad employee? I work hard when I need to and I take a break when I can.
Plus, if you think I’ll do more work for the same pittance I get now, then the work I’ll be doing will be polishing my résumé. Just saying.
NO. You’re not a bad employee. I think if you get your work done, and it’s satisfactory and timely AND you’re also conversing with fellow employees, that’s fine and that’s normal. I know there are people who talk a lot at their jobs– maybe too much, and their socializing impedes their own work and the work of others. But I think you’re a pretty self aware person, and would be cognizant if socializing was preventing you and your co-worker from getting things done. And yeah, the fact that you heard this all through your colleague is kind if odd- especially how they were asked if you need more work. That would rub me the wrong way.
I think it’s a generational thing. Half our staff is on the verge of retirement. The younger generation tend to work hard and get things done withing work hours. The older generation take a lot longer to do things, probably because technology gets in their way, and they’ll work overtime because they need to and possibly think it makes them look like superior employees. To me, it’s inefficient.
Interesting. I had such a different experience with the near retirees at my last job. The near retirees in the office had one foot out the door and were huge distractions to the rest of us because they just didn’t care anymore. I can’t tell you the number of times my boss came out of his office and convinced the rest of us to go on two hour lunches. I of course, always obliged. It was different too though because you pretty much can’t get fired from the federal government…