Support/admin jobs and when/how to say no

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I have absorbed a lot of overflow work lately (photocopying mainly) from academic and other staff who just have too much to do, and it's getting in the way of my usual work, but I can't seem to say no and I don't even know whether I'm 'allowed' to, as my job is pretty vague really.

So, do you have the kind of job where you do lots of different stuff for lots of different people, and if so how clear are you about what your job does and doesn't involve?

Do you feel able to say no to a task that isn't strictly part of your job? Or are you always doing favours? What happens if you say no to a superior? I'm guessing the sky doesn't actually fall in, but I wish I knew some protocol...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

For some reason, I looked at your thread title and automatically assumed it meant computer support/admin.

(I have to do all sorts of stuff; but there's only a few people in the office anyway and my responsibilities have never been clearly defined anyway.)

― caitlin (caitlin), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

The answer is to have a word with your boss and tell them that the quantity of support / admin is becoming difficult. Asking for advice re: prioritisation is a good way. My suspicion is that they will know that using your time for photocopying is not the best possible use.

There are a lot of assumptions in the above, obv.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

i cant even begin to get into this.
i work for a large financial comapany. the dept. i work for corrects financial errors. we have lost half our people due to layoffs and people burning out and leaving. it has now reached all new levels. first, we merged with two other companies, and now everything is being downsized, AGAIN. my manager is talking to the new division head as i -type-this- & she is basically telling him , oh "we can just hook this computer up with this, and blah blah blah, its real easy", the reality of this is, the research aspect of the dept. is doubling at the drop of a hat. which is hell enough. BUT COULD THEY AT LEAST BUY ANOTHER DAMN PC& IMAGING HARDWARE --HOW ABOUT ANOTHER STATION SO PEOPLE DONT HAVE TO WAIT ALL DAY TO PULL SIMPLE RECORDS, on top of that , about a million other things. (for example: 10,000 calculations that somehow was overlooked a few years ago is now our beast)
my boss can not say no. even if he did, it wouldn't matter. they would replace him.

― kephm, Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Avoid using the word no, but say it. If you can avoid falling back on 'its not my job' you should be okay.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

1.jam the printer.
2.ask to have a quick meeting w/your manager and explain the situation

― kephm, Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Tim and kephm do speak wisdom I'm sure. As soon as it quietens down enough for me to actually speak more than one sentence to the boss...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a question of balance really, I mean it looks completely churlish to refuse to do some copying for a tutor when things are quiet for me, but then they start to assume that you'll always be there to do it...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

create a visible inbin(or a larger folder to carry) , smile and say 'sure, add it to the pile, i reeeeally hope i can get to it'

― kephm, Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I know how things can get. We are pretty permanently short staffed here & things can get very hectic. Just speak to your manager (as already suggested) to establish exactly how to deal with this.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm in a similar position a lot of the time - if it's quiet, I'll do stuff for people. If not I'll say - well, I have to do this for X, this for Y and this for Z first so I won't be able to do it until whenever. Is that OK? Sometimes they say yes, it can wait which is fine, but if they need something in a rush they can do it themselves.

Or trying to cultivate a very stroppy air in the workplace also helps as people don't ask you stuff. This used to work for me but no longer alas.

― Emma, Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I have the opposite of a stroppy air, which is probably why I am currently sitting here with a black pen adding a missing 'y' to the word 'study' on 700 course printouts.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Just start "forgetting" to do things that were not asked of you by your immediate supervisor, or things that you don't think are necessarily your responsibility or a good use of your time. They eventually get the hint.

― Ally (mlescaut), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

get the boys with bats out to bundle your manager into the trunk of a beaten up Sierra, which should supply for him the requisite space and time to focus his mind on your immediate requirement for some 'role reassessment'.

― Alex K (Alex K), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

This used to happen me all the time in my summer job, admittedly I was their student so probably normal. Still was annoying though.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

In all serious, a more abrupt attitude could help put people off asking you to do things all the time which clearly they themselves are quite capable of doing. Maybe you could try to make it a little less easy for people to ask you for something or at least tell them you really are too busy this time.

I think it's important to draw a line for people or they will step on you, often without realising it.

― Alex K (Alex K), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

For some reason, I looked at your thread title and automatically assumed it meant computer support/admin.

Me too. damn.

― Dale the Titled (cprek), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

i used to work in a support/admin position a few months back, as a temp, and yeah you do sometimes get the crap that other employees can't really be bothered to do (i was in the same office, i could see them microwaving a curry while i was binding goddamn documents for them, it was very frustrating). but my bosses were pretty understanding, they knew i was being given too much work, and they told me i had a right to refuse if it was interfering with my other duties. but the thing is, as i was a temp, i didnt really want to rock the boat by saying no to people.

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

in other words its tricky. i just tried to look busy, that way i could claim i was busy when they asked me to do stuff

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm the resident "if we don't know what to do with it, give it to her" person.

It's a management problem. Management should have a good idea as to who is doing what. Thankfully, a new manager was hired, and I work well with him. When he realized how much I was doing, he came up with some new plans. Also, I put in such an effort that our money was spent months before the deadline, which meant that piles of things could not be done. That sent a message.

Try the passive-aggressive route - it works!

You have to make sure that your duties are clearly spelled out.

Also, it helps to go on a long vacation and watch things fall apart while you're gone.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 16:11 (twenty-two years ago)

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