The first consultancy I worked for post-grad I worked 60-70 hour weeks for 18 months for £24k pa.
That was required in order to carry out the workload with the tools at our disposal. Finally resigned and told them where to go with no job to go to. Moved around a fair bit since but that's what has been required to find the right amount of workload and increase my salary.
I’m the level below Partner and let me tell you… I don’t want to be promoted. I can’t imagine a more miserable existence.
The higher you go the lonely it gets and everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence ;)
It comes down to the rules and boundaries you set. When I became a director I made it very clear what the rules were and when I would and wouldn't be available.Totally agree. I don't work more than 40 hours now, learned the hard way very young in my career that hard work isn't rewarded.
Don't think I'll ever try and progress to Director or Partner level, the successful ones I see at that level it is genuinely their life. The main topic of conversation for them out of work is work, they're all divorced or unmarried. Fuck going away with the wife and answer calls on the beach.
I did it last year.
Was an area manager and was told my area was in the top 6 in the country for sales.
2 weeks later a phone call from HR and some regional bod I'd never heard of and I'm one of 50 area managers laid off but told I could stay on part time (same salary) but no health benefits / holidays / sick pay.
I knew on the spot I'd be leaving within a week or two and after a week I went (with 8 other part time staff) to fit out a brand new supermarket opening with our merchandising.
There, an other ex area manager innthe area next to mine was there and she asked me if the boss had had a chat with me. I said "no" and she sheepishly told me that they had taken her back on as area manager to cover my area. This had been for the last 5 days and my line manager never told me. I told my collleague that I wasn't mad at her but the boss and would be working today and that's it.
When i got home the line manager had sent an email put to all 70 staff in her region praising our hard work etc etc.
I drank a few beers, hit "reply all" and ripped into her and the HR woman (I didn't know her name so simply referred to her as the clown in HR) and hit send....
I had a few text messages the next day from folk in the head office in Pennsylvania saying the email was "doing the rounds" on the company email to much sniggering....
I must have a copy of it somewhere....
Here is my email!This is the kind of content I came here for…
Here is my email!
Thanks Stacie
Great to hear there are new merchandisers joining the team!
You failed to mention the appointement of a new area manager in the Sarasota district. This was of particular interest to me because as of up to 4 weeks ago this was the post that I held for the past 2 years and 5 months until receiving a phone call from Greg and some clown from HR informing me that the post of area manager was no longer viable.
I subsequently took the role of part time utility person (I figured 28 hours part time is better than no hours until I find employment with benefits elsewhere), so you can imagine my surprise when being informed today that the role of area manager had been resurected without any opportunity for myself to be in a position to be re-employed in the role I had held for the past 2 and a half years.
I was even more surprised that I was not informed about this post by yourself, but by the new person given the post - who was clearly very embarressed / uncomfortable to be put into that position.
You clearly either lack a pair of balls or just think I am so grateful to be offered a part time role with no benefits (against being let go completely) that I would not find the appointment of a new area manager (in the region I had been managing for 2 years and 5 months until 4 weels ago) a complete piss take (pardon my English). Oh yes, I am English, fortunately for you and the clown in HR this is America. In Britain, you cannot lay someone off and 4 weeks later appoint someone else in their role. An employment tribunal would come down heavily against the company and would rule in favour of the employee. But I am learning that in America, the Land of the Free..... that means employers are free to walk all over employees without any legal comeback.
In short, four weeks ago I was informed my role as area manager had ceased to exist.
A clown in HR informed me I had 5 days personal days to take. I took them and was then subsequently informed by said clown that I only had 2 days personal days to take - so I lost 3 days pay when I could have worked. In fairness, she apologised if she had got it wrong. I accepted the apology - but it didnt compensate for the 3 days pay I could have received.......
Now I have been informed by my new area manager, that my old role has been brought back!
If I was a man stood on a beach and a seagull shit landed on me I would think ''that was unlucky''.
If a second seagull then shat on me, i'd think ''wow what were the odds on that?
If a third seagull managed to shit on me..... I'd think ''Maybe it is time to move from this spot''.
And that is where I am now.
Having been shit on three times, please accept this email as my on the spot resignation.
I have had 3 great years working for Jacent. I've not had a days sick leave and covered many of my colleagues through the Covid times and their vacation times. Jacent certainly had their monies worth, I gave 100% and yes I was paid accordingly.
There are some great people working for Jacent - I want to name my merchandisers Yvonne, Ann, Nicole, Barbara, Marlene, Vivian, Terry, Davie and Bridgette as well as Rick, Lynn, Patty, Donna and Sheila
Also a fantastic mention to Adrienne / Jason / Tiffany / Latasha in the HQ in Pennsylvannia. They work very hard and have always been there for me.
I make no apologies for the rant. It saddens me to have to make it, but you have to understand you can only push people so much before they push back. There is a lot of unrest / confusion amongst merchandisers right now due to recent changes. Communication (or the lack of) is the main issue.
For Greg / Stacie / the clown in HR - please remember, without the merchandiser on the ground, there is no Territory Manager, Regional Manager / Clown in HR.......
Treat all employees with the respect and dignity that they deserve.
Here endeth the sermon.
Phill
The Pleasure, the privilage was mine
This was September last year. I then drove Uber for 4 months and then got a great job working with teens at a golf academy near Orlando. Brilliant job. Love it.Sounds a shit do mate, I hope things look up for you in the new year.
That signature block rings a bell.......Here is my email!
Thanks Stacie
Great to hear there are new merchandisers joining the team!
You failed to mention the appointement of a new area manager in the Sarasota district. This was of particular interest to me because as of up to 4 weeks ago this was the post that I held for the past 2 years and 5 months until receiving a phone call from Greg and some clown from HR informing me that the post of area manager was no longer viable.
I subsequently took the role of part time utility person (I figured 28 hours part time is better than no hours until I find employment with benefits elsewhere), so you can imagine my surprise when being informed today that the role of area manager had been resurected without any opportunity for myself to be in a position to be re-employed in the role I had held for the past 2 and a half years.
I was even more surprised that I was not informed about this post by yourself, but by the new person given the post - who was clearly very embarressed / uncomfortable to be put into that position.
You clearly either lack a pair of balls or just think I am so grateful to be offered a part time role with no benefits (against being let go completely) that I would not find the appointment of a new area manager (in the region I had been managing for 2 years and 5 months until 4 weels ago) a complete piss take (pardon my English). Oh yes, I am English, fortunately for you and the clown in HR this is America. In Britain, you cannot lay someone off and 4 weeks later appoint someone else in their role. An employment tribunal would come down heavily against the company and would rule in favour of the employee. But I am learning that in America, the Land of the Free..... that means employers are free to walk all over employees without any legal comeback.
In short, four weeks ago I was informed my role as area manager had ceased to exist.
A clown in HR informed me I had 5 days personal days to take. I took them and was then subsequently informed by said clown that I only had 2 days personal days to take - so I lost 3 days pay when I could have worked. In fairness, she apologised if she had got it wrong. I accepted the apology - but it didnt compensate for the 3 days pay I could have received.......
Now I have been informed by my new area manager, that my old role has been brought back!
If I was a man stood on a beach and a seagull shit landed on me I would think ''that was unlucky''.
If a second seagull then shat on me, i'd think ''wow what were the odds on that?
If a third seagull managed to shit on me..... I'd think ''Maybe it is time to move from this spot''.
And that is where I am now.
Having been shit on three times, please accept this email as my on the spot resignation.
I have had 3 great years working for Jacent. I've not had a days sick leave and covered many of my colleagues through the Covid times and their vacation times. Jacent certainly had their monies worth, I gave 100% and yes I was paid accordingly.
There are some great people working for Jacent - I want to name my merchandisers Yvonne, Ann, Nicole, Barbara, Marlene, Vivian, Terry, Davie and Bridgette as well as Rick, Lynn, Patty, Donna and Sheila
Also a fantastic mention to Adrienne / Jason / Tiffany / Latasha in the HQ in Pennsylvannia. They work very hard and have always been there for me.
I make no apologies for the rant. It saddens me to have to make it, but you have to understand you can only push people so much before they push back. There is a lot of unrest / confusion amongst merchandisers right now due to recent changes. Communication (or the lack of) is the main issue.
For Greg / Stacie / the clown in HR - please remember, without the merchandiser on the ground, there is no Territory Manager, Regional Manager / Clown in HR.......
Treat all employees with the respect and dignity that they deserve.
Here endeth the sermon.
Phill Gatenby.
The Pleasure, the privilage was mine