Honestly, is this normal?

[Gypsy]

Okay so... last June (last week of June) I started my current job
Since then:

My hiring manager (who I had never met because he was out of medical leave when he hired me) was laid off the week I started by his boss.

Our group of three people (not including laid off manager) was merged under another manager (who also also had three direct reports). So it was 6 of us plus our manager (who reports to same boss as laid off hiring manager).

Then in late August one of my peers threw a fit, resigned. Then rescinded. Then resigned again. Left. (we're down to 5 plus manager)

In late September one of my other peers throws a fit, resigns. Then rescinds. And stays. Let's call them X. (we're down to 4 then up to 5 plus manager)

My boss allows X a different work schedule than the rest of us (10 hour days, 4 days a week) but X can't seem to stay away so ends up working 10 hour days 5 days a week and breaking down about every 2 weeks in fits.

In October we hired a replacement for the August resignee. Just before hiring freeze. (we're up to six plus boss)

In February another peer resigns for a new job. But makes it known that they are not running to something, they are running away from our management. (five plus manager).

Two weeks ago (first week of April) another peer of mine resigns. Pretty much saying the same thing (although in many ways they are going to their dream job). (four plus manager).

Today my boss called me to tell me that her boss (same one that laid off my original hiring manager to merge our group with the other one) has decided to UNMERGE us, but not along the same lines... so her boss is re-organizing us.

So now I am reporting to a new manager along with one of my other peers, who was also promoted at the same time. This peer of mine was promoted to my level and therefore over X, who had seniority by like... a lot.

AND our CEO announced layoffs for May. SO when my (now former) manager told X that X was passed up for promotion, X asked said manager to sign X up for the layoffs. And was refused by (now former) boss. We figure they are trying to force X to resign again. This time permanently.

So... I feel like I got hired into a crazy game of musical chairs. Or seven card monty. Or something.

And I really dread going to work because the minute I get even vaguely comfortable a land mine seems to explode.

So one the on hand I'm thinking... the economy is making things crazy. On the other hand I'm thinking... "get me the HELL out of here." I'm now up to three different managers (one of whom I had never met) in the (less than a year of) time I've been here. And a friend in another (sane, stable) group who has been at my company for a while has told me that my group(s) has always been insane with high turnover and senseless reorganizations.

Is this NORMAL? It can't be normal. It just can't be. How do people function like this?

 

[Gypsy]

Already asked for this to be moved to the right forum. Sorry. It's late and it's been one of those days. *KABOOM*

 

[strmrdr]

sounds about right for right now in the business world.
The same thing is happening all over.

 

[VRBeauty]

Gypsy:

I work in civil service where organizational changes are a bit harder to negotiate, but... what you''ve describes seems to go well beyond "dynamic!" It also doesn''t sound like it would be good for your career, long run, to have your workplace in a state of constant upheaval. Still... do you like your job other than that aspect of it? Are you learning what you want to be learning, and building your skills? I guess what I''m saying is even the constant reorganization isn''t in itself a reason to look for the exit door if the job is otherwise helping you meet your goals. In fact, it might give you a chance to learn and do more than you would in a more reasonable workplace.

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 4/24/2009 3:15:06 AM
Author: strmrdr
sounds about right for right now in the business world.

The same thing is happening all over.

Guess I should count my blessing then!

BTW Storm -- congrats on the PS milestones!

 

[LaraOnline]

the worst thing about work is... other people!

 

[bee*]

wow-that''s a bit crazy! In our clinic, we hardly ever lose staff so it definitely sounds like musical chairs in your place!

 

[elrohwen]

It''s pretty normal for my group at work. I was hired by one guy, but he was let go before I started. So I started working for a girl who wasn''t the group manager, she was just managing me. Then they promoted her to manager, and she promptly left for a higher position in another department. So then they hired my current manager. Basically, I''ve been there for 3 years, and that''s longer than anyone else in my group, including my manager (and my boss'' boss only started one month before me). *Then* they decided to re-org us in January, which I was excited about, but I''m still doing projects that have nothing to do with my current position, so I''m not sure why they even bothered to re-org me. It''s ridiculous.

 

[perry]

Gypsy:

Yes, in some companies this is normal.

It is a sign of bad leadership - as it relates to being able to structure work and people in a way that there is relative good employee happyness and productivity.

Something that you can do nothing about.

I''ve had jobs like that - and my current job is its own zoo and has not had a long term stable supervisor/management structure. The saying at work is what is the "rock of the moment" as management expectations constantly change.

Welcome to the world of jobs...


Perry

 

[Loves Vintage]

Wow, that sounds like it would be very frustrating and very disconcerting! I'm not sure I would deal very well with that sort of change, but if you enjoy your work, then there is something to be said for that, right? What about the work (or people) is causing so many of your co-workers to throw fits and resign? Just management, but not the work itself?

I think we have similar jobs. I'm also in-house and reviewing contracts. My company is probably less normal in that many, many people work here for 20+ years!!!! My boss has been here for 20+ and the other attorneys have been here for 17 and 12 years!! Not many changes! There are many others in other departments (and almost all of the managers and VPs) who are celebrating 20, 25, etc. We just had a retirement party for a woman who worked here for 37 years!!

Some days the work is less interesting than others, but because the people I work with are so wonderful, it completely makes up for it. I feel bad for you and your co-workers that your place is so dysfunctional because of the managers. It sounds like you work for a much larger company than me. The constant re-org'g sounds like a lot of folly. I could see that happening at a larger company, which I've experienced before at a huge company pre-law degree.

So, normal? Perhaps for a huge company, yes, but a bit dysfunctional.

Hope things get sorted yet and remain a bit more constant.

 

[purrfectpear]

In aerospace that would be perfectly normal. In 11 years I was physically moved 17 times in 4 different buildings. The division changed names (and business cards) some 6 different times. I lost track of how many managers I''ve reported to. During layoffs I absorbed the work of 4 additional people (doing the work of 5), and when I left they replaced me with 2, then realized they couldn''t keep up and added a third person.

All typical.

After 7 years I went back to the same company and I''m sooooo grateful I did. Better the devil you know than the devil you don''t

 

[meresal]

Gypsy, what industry are you in?

I am on my third direct manager contact in less than a year, our senior manager decided she was moving to denver and left right after the hurricane, our regional manger was laid off back in october, and was replaced by district manager out of dallas who was promoted to regional manager.

Totally normal for right now, from my standpoint anyway.

 

[Bia]

Date: 4/24/2009 3:35:07 AM
Author: LaraOnline

the worst thing about work is... other people!

Amen sista!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Unfortunately, I think a lot of companies are doing this right now. From what you said, I don''t know if its economy-specific at your company right now, but I agree with Perry - its definitely a sign of bad management. My DH''s company has been going through something extremely similar - he''s had, I think 5 different (or possibly 6?) direct managers in the last year

Sure enough, morale is in very bad shape and everyone is really stressed out...

I''m sorry Gypsy - sounds like a miserable situation, and I hope they can calm things down a bit in the not-to-distant future...

 

[Gypsy]

Okay so... not so unusual. That actually makes me feel A LOT better.

VR: "Are you learning what you want to be learning, and building your skills? " No unfortunately. The reason I took the job was because the hiring manager would have been able to help me with this. Then they were fired and replaced by someone who had no concept of what I do or how I do it. And now... don''t know. I think there is a chance that my new boss might be better, and I''m hopeful. But if I had to answer to day, emphatically no.

Perry, I agree. My boss''s boss is a major problem.

Hi LV... you guys hiring?? LOL. My co-workers are not wonderful. Two of them are not offensive in anyway, and even likable, but they too seem to hate the environment so they just keep to themselves and avoid everyone else (including each other).

Meresal, software.

Me too AG. It really does help to know that this is par for the course.

THANK YOU to everyone who responded and shared thier point of view. I''ve just been feeling very stressed out, and then got the re-organization news today and didn''t even know what to think. We''ll see what happens next week. Fortunately X despises me, so I should be able to avoid that part of the Drama anyway.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Oh dear, that sounds like a nightmare! I would dread going to work as well in your situation.

I am very sorry you are having to endure this shuffle about on the job. It must be disconcerting.

 

[courtney5638]

Date: 4/24/2009 1:37:07 PM
Author: iwannaprettyone
Oh dear, that sounds like a nightmare! I would dread going to work as well in your situation.

I am very sorry you are having to endure this shuffle about on the job. It must be disconcerting.

Ditto this. It stinks that you have to deal with this on top of day to day stress and responsibility. Fingers crossed for you that it gets better.

 

[omieluv]

Wow, lots of change going on at your company! However, the same is going on at my BF's company and he is in a very different industry. He has been working there almost 2 years and the company has gone through 3 rounds of restructuring. His original boss was laid off due to performance reasons and the COO was let go 6 months ago. They have eliminated positions, created new positions and have now elminated those newly created positions. This has all been quite stressful for him, since he was hired to be their corporate recruiter. So, he has been hiring people they have let go in 6 months time! The good news for him is that he has been promoted a few times and is now the HR manager, however, he has had to lay several good workers off, which as been hard for him. The new COO has been slashing costs everywhere, but has not made an effort to grow the business, so there is much drama going on there at the moment.

Like you, he dreads going into work each day, as his co-workers are quite miserable due to all of the uncertainty.

 

[April20]

I''ve been in the same position and worked for different people and under different umbrellas in the past. It wasn''t quite as crazy as your scenario, but unfortunately it does happen. Especially when companies are experiencing growth (or shrinkage- as it was for my past experience). All you can do it ride it out...... It got so bad at my last job that in six months I went from a job and company I LOVED to a job and company I hated. To give some perspective, I had been there nearly 8 years. I even told DH that if I didn''t get laid off, I wanted an exit plan. I got laid off. Now I''m nearly 11 months post layoff and into a new job, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. They had to pay me to go away and I got a much better job at the end of the day.

I hope your situation gets better! Or at least less crazy.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Gypsy - I often wonder if perhaps these problems are more common at companies in fields like software, hardware, aerospace, etc...where at least part of the management tend to be engineers and/or scientists. I have great respect for engineers and scientists, but their management skills are often not as great as they could be

I''m so sorry you''ve been so stressed though - its such a tough time, and you certainly don''t need the stress on top of everything you''ve gone through in the last few years. I''ll be sending you good thoughts that things settle down at least a little bit.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 4/24/2009 6:55:59 AM
Author: perry
Gypsy:

Yes, in some companies this is normal.

It is a sign of bad leadership - as it relates to being able to structure work and people in a way that there is relative good employee happyness and productivity.

Something that you can do nothing about.

THIS and what another poster said about the uncertainty of the situation stressing everyone out really ring true.

 

[Gypsy]

Well started under the new manager on Monday. Nothing much has changed but I''m still cautiously optimistic because the most stressful parts of my job were all the drama that was either caused by, by, or allowed to continue by my old boss. So, this guy doesn''t seem to be that type and I''m hoping that as long as I keep my head down, show up for work, meet deadlines etc. I''ll be okay. THANK YOU ALL for giving me some perspective. I really needed some.

 

[Mara]

welcome to the valley.... things move fast here and most people rarely feel 'comfortable'.

if you like things from an overall perspective, you are very lucky. it took me 8 years from my last good-feeling job to my company today to ctually find a place, a niche, a team i really like. most of my friends are either at companies, with teams, or niche jobs they don't like. it's rare i know someone happy with all three at once.

you seem to be the constant in the group so you can either stick with it OR move to another group...or another company entirely.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Gypsy - I''m so glad to hear that things are going OK so far. Fingers crossed that the lack of drama continues!