New Job and Hate It So Much and Need to Vent

Unacceptable on 17/03/2023 - 18:18
Last edited 17/03/2023 - 19:46 by 1 other user

I need to vent to all, because I almost walked out of the workplace and went home today.

So I got made redundant last December and hurriedly found this job, it's a small business (20 employees) but I saw potential to grow.

But over time I start to see the downside of working in the small business, ie, lacking employee well-being and care, lacking support for work, worst of all, the workload is enormously high and everyday is a struggle. With limited resources I have to cover someone else's job when he/she is on holiday. Imagine in large orgs, you only need to focus on your job in your team but in small businesses you have to be a generalist covering a variety of business aspect which is fine but at the moment it is too much for me to handle.

What should I do next. Should I quit now and live on the redundant package until I find a new job? Or stay strong until I get used to the job and their culture?

Unfortunately the job market now doesn't look as good as last year.

Poll Options

  • 52
    Leave immediately, don't look back
  • 25
    Stick to it and get over it
  • 603
    Hold it until you find a new job
Education & Work

Comments

  • Flowerbomb on 19/03/2023 - 15:08

    As what Matt Damon said, “Fortune favors the brave”.

    Be brave, put yourself out there in the market, apply for jobs on the weekends and after work. Fortune will come. Kek.

    • RolandWaites on 19/03/2023 - 15:37
      +1

      Yeah but the dude who that quote's originally attributed to said it before charging into Pompeii and dying.

      • McFly on 19/03/2023 - 22:26

        Matt Damon died on a trip to Italy?!

        • JimB on 20/03/2023 - 10:47

          I thought he died defending The Great Wall?

  • Mikinoz on 19/03/2023 - 15:13

    Life and careers are all about experiences, seems like you are only looking at the negatives and the company took as much of a risk as you did. If you want to work in a departmentalised organisation where you don't really understand the broader business, where your work doesn't really make a difference maybe working for a small/startup isn't for you.

    Sounds like part of the problem is your mentality, specifically that you only want to do your only little X tasks. Your working against yourself here, sure you may be scorned from being made redundant. Is it their fault, you might be doing them a favour by leaving

    • Unacceptable on 19/03/2023 - 15:23
      -1

      you are only looking at the negatives

      Wrong. I see good positives as well but at the end of the day when I got home I got so tired and I only want to lie down on bed and do nothing.
      Is it still my fault?

      • Mikinoz on 19/03/2023 - 18:23

        Your fault/choice is everything you control, how you feel and the actions you take. Your post was full of negatives no positives and a whinge post by your definition

  • RolandWaites on 19/03/2023 - 15:38
    +3

    Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't [quit], you just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way!

    • Herbse on 19/03/2023 - 16:39
      +1

      It's funny that this episode was meant to be a warning of how underachievment is a bad thing (the clean room exploding at the end of the song).. but instead it's become a ballad for the quiet quitters of today.

  • Herbse on 19/03/2023 - 16:25
    +2

    Small businesses have to work hard to compete with bigger competition by doing more, better work than them to try to keep up. And that comes down to the employees willing to do that work for the sake of their employment and future. Employees doing the bare minimum when a small company is fighting to stay afloat doesn't work.

    Some people are willing to do that for the job which is important to them, but you seem to feel like you don't want or need this job so maybe you're not suited to the company. Do them and yourself a favour and leave, I know from experience that an under achieving employee on the payroll is a massive drain for small businesses. So you'll be doing them a favour.

    You'll find something else that suits your personal needs. Plenty of jobs out there.

    All the best.

    • lostgoat on 19/03/2023 - 16:53

      I'd love to shove all the Quite Quiters into a picking role at Amazon . They have a CCP like monitoring process where you can't hide your productivity. My friend up the thread might have a point then because they do burn most of the only generation that will do it out .

      • cobknob on 20/03/2023 - 01:10
        -1

        Work at woolies distribution! Same deal. Performance monitoring. Turnover for picking exceeds 80% - dah I wonder why? management are just too dumb dumb to figure it out. I'm waiting for retaliating AI bots to fok em up 😂

      • Zondor on 21/03/2023 - 11:19

        You know quiet quitting is just meeting expectations and KPI's right? You can quiet quit anything.

  • tomsky on 19/03/2023 - 16:57
    +1

    Bus driver needed!! Big shortage worldwide! What are you waiting for? Haha

  • Willy Beamish on 19/03/2023 - 17:00

    Sounds like you applied for a job you weren't capable of doing, smells of embellishment on the resume.

    Bring it up with your employer or find another job, they can't fix it if they don't know it's an issue.

  • Cherry12 on 19/03/2023 - 17:00

    I agree, working with smaller companies is always harder. Moreover if the owner is there everyday, most like to micro manage . I'd hold on there until you find a new job though.

    However, if is affecting your mental health better leave and live off the redundancy money while you find a new one.

    Most of us have to work but I don't work long term in places I hate, it just makes your life miserable.

  • Slippery Otter on 19/03/2023 - 19:27
    +1

    I work for a small business and I must be extremely lucky 8-430pm, clock off everyday on time. Put everything on my credit cards, get reimbursed straight away and they dont care about points, 2x fuel fill ups every month and company phone. The only con is no payrise in the last 4 years.

    • RADICALIST on 20/03/2023 - 02:02
      +3

      That's a huge con. You are probably really underpaid

      • KiKH on 21/03/2023 - 13:42
        +1

        Agreed. You're blinded by petty benefits, and getting ripped off.

  • Mr Haj on 19/03/2023 - 19:35

    If you have enough cash savings for say 6 months I would go ahead and quit. I did this just recently and right now I am doing great. I didn't have work for 6 weeks which was starting to become a bit boring/depressing but it beats the stress I was going through every day. Now I am working in jobs I have never worked before and enjoying every day.

  • Makaveli99 on 19/03/2023 - 19:40

    All the best, you deserve better.

  • Camelface on 19/03/2023 - 20:25

    Thinking about is harder than doing it. Just take one at a time and get on with it. You have described a typical workplace.

  • Wazowski on 19/03/2023 - 21:03
    -2

    Leave immediately, don't worry about money it won't make you happy. Never work for small business,they will always screw you over

  • serpserpserp on 19/03/2023 - 21:26

    I loved working in small business when it was the music industry. It was something I loved, people were fun, Thursday to Monday just kind of happened with work, partying, gigs, recovery, work. I lot of fun, when I was young, no commitments etc.

    However small business in a job you are not passionate about is just the worst.

  • Dack Smith on 19/03/2023 - 21:36
    +2

    It’s not worth your health and stress - just quit.

    If this job ends up wrecking you mentally, your performance will be poor even if you get another job and it’s just a downward spiral

    • Empharand on 20/03/2023 - 11:05
      +1

      +1, Dack Smith hit the nail on the head.

      I can safely say from experience, the downward spiral happens, which results in burnout if you let it continue for too long… I'm still burned out, doesn't matter how much sleep you get or how many anti-depressants you take (For me anyways).

      That's what I get for being a 'Hard Worker' for 8+ years for a small company (Less than 15 employee's) to try and become something, to have the boss sell the company, walk-away with multi-millions and you become redundant with burnout.

      It's not worth your mental health.

  • IM-Cheap on 19/03/2023 - 22:55
    +1

    If you think it would give you more focus on job hunting to quit than do that especially if you don't feel like using this one on your resume and have the funds to go without work for abit. Also if you don't think the boss thinks you are a good fit you might be better off not waiting to end of probation.

    Small business is either great or shit depending on the employer. A bunch expect too much out of scope work when its not the employees business and don't compensate to that expectation.

    • cobknob on 20/03/2023 - 01:15

      Probation legally should be limited to 30x days not 3xmonths. Not many jobs teach u new shit past a few weeks.

  • Guerilla89 on 20/03/2023 - 01:22
    +2

    Just make up a BS reason you can only work 3 days a week and spend the other 2 looking for a different job.

    I have to say though, if you always find a reason to hate where you work, the common denominator is you. Learning to appreciate things in life can go a long way as can building resiliency.

  • cobknob on 20/03/2023 - 01:29

    If your redundancy package covers you for 3/6+ months f.u.c.k! em. Quit. And focus on finding another job. Some jobs are not worth sticking with. Making a bold decision now will save you for later. Nothing worse then an employer with their head up their arse not willing to temp hire for sick/holiday days - covering 2 roles sucks any way you look at it unless both were cushy to begin with and anyone questioning this work ethic is obviously on the throne looking down. Hard work doesn't mean doing someone else's job and yours - thats just your CO being an arse!

    • nobro25 on 20/03/2023 - 12:42
      +1

      Exactly, I had a friend with similar scenario. Was hoping that he'll work hard and get promoted. He did get promoted eventually after 2 years. Then after a year into the role he decided to step down just to staff position. Then the new Team leader didn't know his shit and had to ask him for help after hours. He's not even getting paid for it as he's back down to just team member but part time.
      I told him it wasn't worth it. Sure they he got a 10k pay rise from 75k to 85k but he was working 60+ hours a week. I told him it wasn't worth it.
      He's now part time looking for something else.

  • ThePojo on 20/03/2023 - 05:15
    +4

    I'm done with small business after my current role. Facing redundancy, but not getting paid a cent because it's a small business. Boss always finding any way he can to get out of paying me for work e.g. free overtime. I would say after being in the workforce for about 15 years and spending most of that time in small business. It ain't worth it. They don't follow the law and they don't pay well. I know this probably isn't all, but it's just been my experience.

    • Some Human on 23/03/2023 - 02:11

      My last job did that, too. “We’re moving to the other side of the city and because there’s only 9 employees, we don’t have to pay any of you redundancy”

      But they did have to pay me 3 weeks of stress leave.

  • Ozykins on 20/03/2023 - 07:39
    +1

    You're only a few weeks into the job. Give it time. Years back I went into a reasonably well established startup which had the philosophy "anyone near a job that needs doing and can do it, does it". Even the directors. There was one instance where the PhD engineering director was on his hands and knees after hours, cleaning up wheel marks from a workshop chair, simply because he took exception to the sight.
    I started on the electronics test bench, small instruments then progressively larger systems.
    We were growing well. The philosophy was that if a months order book beat any previous total, we'd be told to stop work just after lunch on the Friday and a few beers would be provided .
    We were growing about 50% per year.
    I started supporting onsite, including one or two tours offshore.
    I got roped in to building exhibition stands and staging them (UK based and covering all the UK plus one significant event in Norway)
    I was asked if I'd like a move into sales and start doing quotations and give the rest of the sales team a first line tech support instead of mithering the engineers at the drop of a hat.
    Got involved with new product and even did the basic design of a safety system board to do validation of triplicated sensors.
    Still growing and I grew with the company, doing Distributed Control Systems. Emergency Shutdown Systems and industrial Fire & Gas systems.
    It was a blast. Sure there were times I would have ripped my hair out when jobs threatened to go belly up but the simple response is to say loudly and clearly that you are having a problem, as soon as you realise. That way, (assuming the boss is even halfway competent), more brains and ecperience can be bought to bear.
    I've worked on systems for nuclear power, coal fired power, onshore and offshore oil and gas.
    Ten years after starting we recognised we needed bigger resources to grow more and were bought by a bigger company. We'd chosen our suitor well and growth continued.
    In the end, however, the market hardware went in directions we couldn't follow and the operation began to contract.
    I was made redundant after 18 years (with a package way above the legal minimum) and got word within abut 5-6 weeks that someone who I'd worked with was being asked about me and more or less walked into the next job.
    Stick with it and see if you can round off the square edges to fit the round hole. Hopefully you'll end up with as good an experience as I did.
    I stayed in the industry until retirement. My last involvement was a $3 million control system upgrade, that just happened to grow another million and a half by us realising we could add updating their Motor Control Centre and integrate it with the control system (I quoted it and just HAD to keep in touch for a few months after retiring to make sure it had been won and then delivered - it was).
    So there.
    If you do get tempted to move on, just remember this: the grass is always greenest close to the septic tank.

    • cobknob on 20/03/2023 - 17:07

      There was one instance where the PhD engineering director was on his hands and knees after hours, cleaning up wheel marks from a workshop chair, simply because he took exception to the sight.

      Impractical! For an engineer I'd expect smarter thinking not dumber. Place a mat down and forget about it. There are more important things to do in life and work… and there are smarter ways to clean and work too. Some people make life so much harder than it needs to be when it is already a challenge

  • KaTst3R on 20/03/2023 - 08:27

    the workload is enormously high

    Do you have an example of an enormously high work day?

  • bigbadboogieman on 20/03/2023 - 08:41

    left working for smaller companies because of the constant billability strife. Small clients wanted the work done but not in a position to afford the appropriate number of hours. Expected KPI at 85" meant constant continuous work or longer working hours for small pay packets.

  • echelon6 on 20/03/2023 - 09:15

    Unfortunately the job market now doesn't look as good as last year.

    Hey this is good, the unemployment rate needs to get back to nairu asap

    • lostgoat on 20/03/2023 - 10:49

      It's unfortunate for some as more students and tourist are coming here . Those $40 ph waiter jobs and the like are becoming history ( of course good for biz ) .Unemployment rate drop .2% I'm sure because a large factor of this extra labour supply .

  • Donaldhump on 20/03/2023 - 10:52

    On the other hand you get lots of variety and not siloed.

    You still only work 40 hours a week at most whether 10 people go on holiday or not.

    Up to the business to get cover

  • idonotknowwhy on 20/03/2023 - 11:44

    Tough it out while you look for work.
    At the moment; when you're applying for work, you're a useful asset worth $n / hour to a company.
    If you quit, you'll just be unemployed.

  • nobro25 on 20/03/2023 - 12:36

    HODL

  • digitalbath on 20/03/2023 - 14:45

    Quit or stay. Not much to it really.

  • Drakesy on 20/03/2023 - 15:33

    Your existing job is your only leverage in negotiations, if they smell you're not employed they'll take you to the cleaners.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/03/2023 - 16:02

    Anyone migrant reading this would be laughing, hopefully they fill the job and every other job you have, or will apply for.

    • cobknob on 20/03/2023 - 17:18
      -2

      Stinks of capitalist greed! Low pay == Low quality of work. No wonder so many small businesses go bust. It's not a get rich quick scheme or/and sit back and watch scenario. Working and running a business smarter gets you there not cutting corners, being an arse and playing dumb dumb. If only there was 1 global currency then you'd see all these rich folk and business people (execs, bosses, etc) fall flat on their ass and have to do some "real" work.

  • liongalahad on 20/03/2023 - 19:45

    At the end of the day it all depends if you love your job or not, and if you care of your career progression.

    If you love your job, working hard and with higher responsibility, with more challenges, will be a way for you to get better and better and really grow your skills and career.

    If you are only really interested in "work-life balance" then you'll be happy to do the same job over and over with little or no career progression at all, in exchange of more free time. It's all about choices.

    The people who progress in their career in big corporate companies are still the ones who put the extra effort and are willing to take more responsibility and stress. And that's valid if you are in a big or small company, regardless.

  • centrelink on 20/03/2023 - 21:38

    Just quit, I'd rather be on centrelink than working at a job i hate.

    Don't say username does not check out

    • CharityCase on 20/03/2023 - 23:24
      -1

      Same,. I'd rather be unemployed than working a job that I hate.

  • T1OOO on 20/03/2023 - 23:32

    I thought ur the new guy we hired for a second! He Dosnt have a kid yet though.

    Stick it out I guess. Depends on the field.

  • tikei on 21/03/2023 - 00:07
    +1

    If you're not in desperate need of money, quit and focus on looking for another job.
    I stayed too long at a crappy workplace and was severely burnt out. Ended up needing time off to get my mindset healthy again before I could start another job.

    • T1OOO on 21/03/2023 - 11:27

      This. Looking for a new job is a full time thing. And immediate availability is a big bonous.

    • umoddbro on 22/03/2023 - 01:00

      Second this, I was in a similar position burnt out to the point I was dreading going into work each day. It was so bad that I couldn't even muster up the motivation to go in and just do the bare minimum…. I was in a very fortunate position to have some savings that I could just hand in my resignation and not look back. It took a while to get my physical health and mentality back in check but during my time off I got back into my hobbies that I had pushed aside/didnt have the time to do as well as evaluate my career prospects.

  • Aneurism on 21/03/2023 - 01:52

    It's rare to land a great cozy job and there are expectations and incompetence at all levels at every workplace. If you don't enjoy or job your manager probably would love it if you left as early as possible as they will want someone who values and wants to put in effort at the job.

  • Hansi on 21/03/2023 - 08:15

    Look for jobs after hours, many companies interview after hours or on weekends to not raise suspicion if that’s what you need.

    I don’t agree with what you said that you only work on your own job in big companies.

    Having worked in small businesses it really depends on the nature of it.

    Is it a food ban where two out of four dell sick last minute? Yes, the shirt will be busy for two people or the gig is cut.

    Is it a small web design business where one employee is taking three weeks leave? That is fine, the boss will juggle around projects and deadlines and manage expectations

    Personally I’m currently working for a big organisation, but out of two people below me only one role is filled and the other person is on restricted hours / was away for a while due to medical stuff. I’m still expected to complete my tasks and pick up theirs. On top more work is added anyway because the business is thriving.

    Could be worse though, one of my offsiders has to fill four roles, as the roles of his two colleagues and manager are vacant. Poor man is just staying afloat.

  • nightmarez3k on 21/03/2023 - 12:05

    I always suck it up until I find another job.

    You can also underperform til they fire you and give you 4/2 weeks notice.

    When you don't care of the company anymore then go into CBF mode.

  • hawkshead on 21/03/2023 - 15:44
    +2

    Did you consider telling your boss you're feeling overwhelmed and asking for help?

  • fozzie on 22/03/2023 - 06:59

    Op, it depends how much is affecting you and if it’s affecting mental health. If it’s too much, yes quit and spend time looking for a new job. Good luck.

  • xdigger on 22/03/2023 - 13:06

    There's unemployment benefits in Australia for a reason, get on it while you figure it out (probably not so much once the US asks us for their 368b payment.)

  • pr0o on 23/03/2023 - 10:12
    +1

    Being a professional, I have seen the difference in smaller companies and larger enterprises.

    1) Larger enterprises:
    - Defined duties, don't have to do anything else
    - Less stress on job, less learning as well
    - Amazing benefits (gym memberships, novated lease etc)
    - Average pay and growth at a limited %

    2) Smaller companies:
    - Jack of all trade, so you learn a lot. If you are young, learning is good
    - A lot of stress, you have to do basically everything
    - No benefits
    - Pay can be good and can increase exponentially if your boss understands your value (I got from 65k to 90k in 2 years time)

  • Unacceptable on 16/06/2023 - 14:19

    Update: I’m still with the same company, love the way I drive to work (5mins) but still hate the small business mantra. Now I got used to my work and have plenty of time in the office, including browsing ozb freely. I’m still thinking of moving, it’s just not fun working in such an unsupportive business.

  • noideaa on 11/07/2023 - 11:21

    If that makes you feel better, 95% of the world’s population hate their jobs.

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