Anybody here ever been forced out of a job?

[Juddog]

Meaning forced out via tactics of intimidation, giving you way more work than anybody else in your position, etc.?

How did you deal with it? Did you ride it out until they focused on someone else, or did you leave the position and go work somewhere else?

 

[steppinthrax]

Meaning forced out via tactics of intimidation, giving you way more work than anybody else in your position, etc.?

How did you deal with it? Did you ride it out until they focused on someone else, or did you leave the position and go work somewhere else?

More information, what's the background, what did you do that made them start doing this?

 

[Stuxnet]

Usually people who are being forced out get less work, not more. Are you sure you're reading the situation correctly?

I've seen people get replaced in their offices by InkJet printers and given mini-cubes in which to work. At the same time, their responsibilities were distributed to other people. When I was preparing to let someone go, the last thing I would think to do is give them more work.

 

[Tweak155]

Just got forced out myself, but knew it was coming. I worked remote and the position really should have been out of the office, so they were kind when they promoted me to begin with. But the workload just got higher and higher. So I just saved up for it. Didn't affect me.

 

[Juddog]

Usually people who are being forced out get less work, not more. Are you sure you're reading the situation correctly?

I've seen people get replaced in their offices by InkJet printers and given mini-cubes in which to work. At the same time, their responsibilities were distributed to other people. When I was preparing to let someone go, the last thing I would think to do is give them more work.

Well to clarify I can literally see other people in my same position at my same level playing video games for 2 hours in a row, meanwhile the amount of tasks assigned to me continues to increase and pressure continues to build on me. Meanwhile the guy playing video games for literally hours in a row doesn't even get chastised or talked to about his performance.

I guess that's one of the many perks of being friends with the boss.

 

[Juddog]

More information, what's the background, what did you do that made them start doing this?

I don't know what I did, my feedback from the users has been nothing but positive. All I know is that not only am I being given more and more to do, but as that's happening I'm being heavily scrutinized and criticized on even the smallest detail that a year ago nobody would have cared about.

 

[SandEagle]

sounds like no one likes you. i can see why

 

[SKORPI0]

Workplace started with a staff of 4 plus 1 dept. head (me). Workload was okay. 1 person left to do other things career wise. That leaves 3 staff+me to carry on and do the same amount of work for that department (shipping and receiving). No replacement was found necessary. A few months later another employee was let go, since they wanted to save $$, same amount of work with 2 staff+me. I told them that what they expected to be accomplished was making it stressful to the people in that department.

Company suddenly changed the way they operate as per corporate, not a good sign. Gen.Manager did not like it and says to me" it's no longer the same company I started with". He quits within a week (gets a less stressful job a few weeks later I later found out). Assistant manager also quits without notice. Replacement G.Manager expects us (2 staff+me) to do the same amount of work (4 staff+me) used to do. 2 of my staff quit within a week of each other and they get 2 not well trained replacements from another department. Stayed as long as I could, give my 2 weeks notice after a month later but did not show up the next day. Got the call to come back to work but told them to shove it and I had enough of it.

Got a new less stressful job 10 days later for the similar pay and benefits. Received a check for a months worth of unused vacation pay, a month for sick hours and holiday day. Worked at this place for >8 years. Found out later that lady GM was fired a few months later and I didn't recognize 95% the people I saw at that place a few years later. Just 1 old timer who does odds jobs.

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Whatever you do, never agree to resign. Ever. Consult a lawyer if you feel that the company is attempting to phase you out so that you can get your due. My brother was forced out of a high ranking position and he angrily turned in a resignation letter as a "fuck you" to his boss, which backfired immediately as it completely shot down any case he might have had for wrongful termination or hostile workplace or any other such thing. But in your case, it doesn't sound like the company wants to get rid of you, just that they're taking advantage of you not being as lazy as the other employees.

 

[Harrod]

I was at my first job out of college. I was barely able to pay my rent and stuff, and asked for a raise, the director of the place got pissed that I did and they told me I had a month to find another job or they were going to fire me.

I started looking but didn't find anything for 6 weeks, when the end of the month rolled by, they asked me what was taking so long, and said that being fired would look bad on my resume. I told them to go ahead and fire me then, I knew they wouldn't do it because the director had a history of firing people and they would always end up paying unemployment.

Anyways, I was a the operations manager at the place as well as the IT administrator, I ended up getting something alittle better after that, which got my foot in the door at a much nicer company later.

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[Juddog]

Workplace started with a staff of 4 plus 1 dept. head (me). Workload was okay. 1 person left to do other things career wise. That leaves 3 staff+me to carry on and do the same amount of work for that department (shipping and receiving). No replacement was found necessary. A few months later another employee was let go, since they wanted to save $$, same amount of work with 2 staff+me. I told them that what they expected to be accomplished was making it stressful to the people in that department.

Company suddenly changed the way they operate as per corporate, not a good sign. Gen.Manager did not like it and says to me" it's no longer the same company I started with". He quits within a week (gets a less stressful job a few weeks later I later found out). Assistant manager also quits without notice. Replacement G.Manager expects us (2 staff+me) to do the same amount of work (4 staff+me) used to do. 2 of my staff quit within a week of each other and they get 2 not well trained replacements from another department. Stayed as long as I could, give my 2 weeks notice after a month later but did not show up the next day. Got the call to come back to work but told them to shove it and I had enough of it.

Got a new less stressful job 10 days later for the similar pay and benefits. Received a check for a months worth of unused vacation pay, a month for sick hours and holiday day. Worked at this place for >8 years. Found out later that lady GM was fired a few months later and I didn't recognize 95% the people I saw at that place a few years later. Just 1 old timer who does odds jobs.

Hmmm reminds me somewhat of my place; over the past few years they have closed 4 spots in my area and just never hired anybody to fill them, instead just spreading the work to whoever was left over. Then they wonder why people act stressed (well except for the video game player; I still don't understand how he gets away with it).

My situation isn't as bad as yours was though, at least not yet.

 

[Juddog]

Let your boss know you're out of bandwidth and to assign the new work to said video game players.

I know it's easier for me to tell you this than to actually do it, but it's what needs to be done.

Let HR know your concerns if nothing changes.

I tried this a few months ago and it backfired on me. I think my manager was pissed that I dared to question his assignments of duties. It's one of those things where people are friends outside of work and so they watch each other's backs inside of work.

 

[Juddog]

I was at my first job out of college. I was barely able to pay my rent and stuff, and asked for a raise, the director of the place got pissed that I did and they told me I had a month to find another job or they were going to fire me.

I started looking but didn't find anything for 6 weeks, when the end of the month rolled by, they asked me what was taking so long, and said that being fired would look bad on my resume. I told them to go ahead and fire me then, I knew they wouldn't do it because the director had a history of firing people and they would always end up paying unemployment.

Anyways, I was a the operations manager at the place as well as the IT administrator, I ended up getting something alittle better after that, which got my foot in the door at a much nicer company later.

When you were job hunting, what type of phrases did you use when they asked you why you wanted to quit your old job?

It's good to hear stories of success in this thread; it gives me hope. I work with a lot of really great people, so it's disappointing to have this happen, but maybe it's the incentive I need to get moving in a better direction as where I am now is a stagnant position with zero opportunity for growth.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Refused to train me for a requested position stating, "America likes white people. That position is for blacks and mexicans." I did nothing but fuck up on purpose, he just kept giving me warnings & cutting my hours. I just ended up quitting. I was going to go to college to obtain a better job anyway.
It wasn't until my last day did I get to work the position I was requesting, then everyone praised me for doing a better job than the other person who normally does it.

Everyone told me I should have filed a complaint against that manager for using race as an excuse. Could have probably collected decent buck out of it too. I should have. But I didn't want to lower myself down to his level.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I tried this a few months ago and it backfired on me. I think my manager was pissed that I dared to question his assignments of duties. It's one of those things where people are friends outside of work and so they watch each other's backs inside of work.

Put in your 8 hours a day and do what you can, but don't sweat it. It is the manager's problem to assign tasks to get done and he probably knows that you're the one that does the work and that's why you get dumped on.

At my last job, I was the one that always had the work dumped on me. It was because I was the best in the department and they knew I'd get it done and do it well. After a few years of this, I got really fed up and started pushing back on them. It wasn't really effective, so I just started putting in my 8 hours, doing what I could, and decided that if I couldn't meet deadlines, that was my manager's problem, not mine. Guess what? That seemed to be the approach that worked.

 

[manimal]

I fired myself once.

 

[Juddog]

Put in your 8 hours a day and do what you can, but don't sweat it. It is the manager's problem to assign tasks to get done and he probably knows that you're the one that does the work and that's why you get dumped on.

At my last job, I was the one that always had the work dumped on me. It was because I was the best in the department and they knew I'd get it done and do it well. After a few years of this, I got really fed up and started pushing back on them. It wasn't really effective, so I just started putting in my 8 hours, doing what I could, and decided that if I couldn't meet deadlines, that was my manager's problem, not mine. Guess what? That seemed to be the approach that worked.

Hmmm maybe I could give that a try. That's the weird part about all of this, I have received excellent feedback from almost every user I work with. I have a ton of praise, have won several service awards, etc.. In general if they need something done right, they send me to do it, especially if it's a higher ranked user or executive.

 

[arcenite]

I fired myself once.

How'd that go?

 

[SunnyD]

Yup. Well, I wouldn't say I was forced out, but it was made rather inhospitable for me initially to the point where I was essentially forced to defend myself. It got to a point where I presented the facts as I knew them, knew that the situation was out of control by the individual who was trying to railroad me, and figured I'd leave it at that. I knew the process was involved, so I basically gave the person who really was responsible for the overall situation a shovel to either dig himself out or bury himself with while I devoted my energy to performing my job function and seeking a new job elsewhere.

Turned out for the better since the situation lead me to my current position, and the actual culprit did indeed manage to get himself fired. My leaving also put the inhospitable asshole that started this bullshit in a position of having to deal with the void that was created when I left.

Long and short of it: Regardless of the situation, YOU are in control with your employment. If a situation is dire and you don't have the backing of the higher-ups in your organization, just remember: There's no such thing as company loyalty. Your employer will just as soon kick your ass to the curb, so why shouldn't you do the same.

Look for a new job.

 

[Ganeedi]

That's the weird part about all of this, I have received excellent feedback from almost every user I work with. I have a ton of praise, have won several service awards, etc.. In general if they need something done right, they send me to do it, especially if it's a higher ranked user or executive.

This is exactly why you are getting extra work dumped on you. Essentially sounds like poor management by your boss. The slacker gets less and less work, the achiever gets more and more.

Try not to stress about it, and do the work you can to the best of your ability - but stick to your 8 hours. Try to leave the stress at the office.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Hmmm maybe I could give that a try. That's the weird part about all of this, I have received excellent feedback from almost every user I work with. I have a ton of praise, have won several service awards, etc.. In general if they need something done right, they send me to do it, especially if it's a higher ranked user or executive.

Also, don't be afraid to say to your manager "I need you to prioritize this work for me" when he gives you work with deadlines which are very hard to meet. That was another tactic I used once I got fed up whereas before, I didn't know how to say "No" and would take on any assignment given and would work late or weekends getting the work done.