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Default Feb 16, 2019 at 06:32 PM
  #1
This week I went to HR about an issue I was having at work. My boss was out of the office so I couldn't go to him, and I assumed that HR is the one to speak with when you're having issues.

I told HR that I am totally burnt out & that I want to leave the company because of a specific task I feel wastes our precious time and takes far too long.

As a result of talking with HR, HR then decided to call a meeting between myself, my boss, HR & the CEO to discuss our internal process. HR told me that the CEO respects me. I am the most senior person in my dept.

And the end result is positive: I am now meeting 1:1 with my boss to work on reducing inefficiencies in the entire process.

BUT my boss is very angry with me and told me that I should have spoken to HIM first.

However, when I first approached HR, I told her that I didn't wish to go above or around my boss AND that I just needed to talk to someone about it.

Also, I made a direct point of telling both HR and the CEO that my boss is the BEST boss I've ever had, and that my issue has to do with this particular process we have in place.

So, my question is: did I really do the wrong thing here? I mean, isn't HR existing in part for the purpose of supporting employees with any issue at work?

AND, who's to say that IF I had talked ONLY to my boss, that the end result would have even happened?

For all I know he may have just asked me to find ways to be more efficient with the task myself. And now, as a result of this bigger meeting, I am able to provide input on how to improve the process and lessen the time it takes to complete this one task for everyone involved.
 
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 01:18 AM
  #2
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Originally Posted by golden_eve View Post
This week I went to HR about an issue I was having at work. My boss was out of the office so I couldn't go to him, and I assumed that HR is the one to speak with when you're having issues.


I told HR that I am totally burnt out & that I want to leave the company because of a specific task I feel wastes our precious time and takes far too long.


As a result of talking with HR, HR then decided to call a meeting between myself, my boss, HR & the CEO to discuss our internal process. HR told me that the CEO respects me. I am the most senior person in my dept.


And the end result is positive: I am now meeting 1:1 with my boss to work on reducing inefficiencies in the entire process.


BUT my boss is very angry with me and told me that I should have spoken to HIM first.


However, when I first approached HR, I told her that I didn't wish to go above or around my boss AND that I just needed to talk to someone about it.


Also, I made a direct point of telling both HR and the CEO that my boss is the BEST boss I've ever had, and that my issue has to do with this particular process we have in place.


So, my question is: did I really do the wrong thing here? I mean, isn't HR existing in part for the purpose of supporting employees with any issue at work?


AND, who's to say that IF I had talked ONLY to my boss, that the end result would have even happened?


For all I know he may have just asked me to find ways to be more efficient with the task myself. And now, as a result of this bigger meeting, I am able to provide input on how to improve the process and lessen the time it takes to complete this one task for everyone involved.
I'm a manager and if someone went to HR over a work procedure I wouldn't be happy. What's done is done but don't beat yourself over it. Try communicating with your boss about your ideas and how to make your job a better place to work at. You shouldn't hate your job.
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 03:11 AM
  #3
A Manager is only as good as his subordinates..and vice versa. Going over your Boss's head by approaching Human Resources, would maybe denote that your Boss is incapable of dealing with/ or ambivalent about the issues you raised with them.

But this doesn't have to be a big deal...simply have a sit down with your Boss and apologise for putting him in a difficult situation, and that you in no way wanted to insinuate that he was anything but a stellar Boss.

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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 06:30 AM
  #4
Thank you both for your honest feedback.

I honestly feel horrible.
 
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 06:36 AM
  #5
I AM going to beat myself up. What I've done is wrong and I can't go back and change it.

I've already told my boss he's the best boss I've ever had. And as I mentioned, I made sure to tell HR this, AND the CEO when we had our big meeting.
 
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 06:48 AM
  #6
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Originally Posted by golden_eve View Post
...
I told HR that I am totally burnt out & that I want to leave the company because of a specific task I feel wastes our precious time and takes far too long.

...So, my question is: did I really do the wrong thing here? I mean, isn't HR existing in part for the purpose of supporting employees with any issue at work?

AND, who's to say that IF I had talked ONLY to my boss, that the end result would have even happened?
HR is mostly about keeping a company legal--IE creating due processes and advising those in charge how to handle issues in a way that complies with the law. Sometimes high level people in the company follow their advice, sometimes they don't. HR is support--they only matter if those in charge pay attention to their advice.

According to my H, many companies have bad IT processes in place, and for a variety of reasons (understanding the big picture/job security) are resistant to streamling the way things are done. He had to learn to let it lie.

I have always been leery of complaining to HR. Most will tell those in power what you said, even if they should keep it confidential. Lesson learned. Try to make the best of it and put it behind you.
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 07:00 AM
  #7
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HR is mostly about keeping a company legal--IE creating due processes and advising those in charge how to handle issues in a way that complies with the law. Sometimes high level people in the company follow their advice, sometimes they don't. HR is support--they only matter if those in charge pay attention to their advice.

According to my H, many companies have bad IT processes in place, and for a variety of reasons (understanding the big picture/job security) are resistant to streamling the way things are done. He had to learn to let it lie.

I have always been leery of complaining to HR. Most will tell those in power what you said, even if they should keep it confidential. Lesson learned. Try to make the best of it and put it behind you.
Thank you!

Though I thought HR was also involved in employee relations, and that if you have an issue at work, that you can talk to HR about it? Our HR dept is just one person, and therefore, is a generalist.

I went to HR because my boss was out of the office all morning, and I was completely strung out and overwrought at the time.

I was practically in tears when I talked to her. I needed someone to talk to, and I thought HR is partially there in existence to support company employees when there's a problem at work.

Last edited by Anonymous40643; Feb 17, 2019 at 07:14 AM..
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 07:14 AM
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Thank you!

Though I thought HR was also involved in employee relations, and that if you have an issue at work, that you can talk to HR about it? Our HR dept is just one person, and therefore, is a generalist.

I went to HR because my boss was out of the office all morning, and I was completely strung out and overwrought at the time. I was practically in tears when I talked to her.
HR is a good place to go if you need to take leave (family emergency, etc.), learn about/use benefits, that kind of thing. Mostly, I don't think they are that good about employee relations.
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 07:16 AM
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HR is a good place to go if you need to take leave (family emergency, etc.), learn about/use benefits, that kind of thing. Mostly, I don't think they are that good about employee relations.
Yes, I suppose this is true. I have seen this as well in my experience.

However, what I'm getting at is their defined professional function at work and whether they are supposed to be a resource for employees when there are problems --- like wanting to leave a company because the employee is completely burnt out, like I am.
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 07:24 AM
  #10
This is from Forbes:

"If you are given a work assignment you don’t like, talk with your manager to get perspective on why you were given that task. Unless it’s a habitual problem or you feel there is favoritism or discrimination, it’s best to talk with your manager first, says Christy Hopkins, a human resources consultant for Fit Small Business."

My issue isn't about a work assignment I don't like -- it is about a habitual problem.

It's about a work assignment -- and the structure of that assignment (for our entire group) --- taking a whole week to complete for all of us. My issue is that this is far too long, and it takes away valuable time from doing our real jobs.

For example, after the meeting with the CEO, my boss's boss called me into his office to talk about the issue I have.

I point blank told him: I was hired as a website strategist, not as a website traffic analyst. We're not spending enough time on strategy, is what I said.

Because of this one task that takes a whole week (we're actually given EIGHT business days to complete this one task), and because client meetings to review this completed task are done during the following week, it turns out we really only work on website strategy, what we are hired to do, for just two weeks of the month.

That is ridiculous in my professional opinion. I have never seen such a ridiculous process.

We should be spending FAR more time on client strategy, not on client reporting, which is what takes a full week, or 8 business days, to complete.

I told HR that because I am spending SO much time on writing these client reports, I am getting completely burnt out on the job and want to leave. I also told her that in my experience, which is eight years in the field, I had seen reports that are TWO pages long, not EIGHT pages like ours are.

Our reports are 8 pages of website analysis. I have to write 8-9 of these client reports a month! Every single month.

Last edited by Anonymous40643; Feb 17, 2019 at 07:45 AM..
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 08:33 AM
  #11
Methinks that your boss is concerned about his status. That's just me looking at this from a distance. It might have been a good or a bad idea to talk to HR - or both at the same time. That's life.

One way to approach it is to assure him that this just happened because he was out of the office and you will never go "over his head" again... that takes care of his status concern. He will probably calm down.

It's also the job of the senior boss to take care of your line manager's concerns - involve him in the ongoing discussion - smooth his ruffled feathers, make sure that he doesn't feel side-lined.

Sounds a bit like your anxiety needs addressing internally. Hey, everyone makes mistakes... I bet your boss and his boss have made a few mistakes in their lives, and in the future you may manage staff who occasionally put you in a difficult position yourself.

You sound very professional.

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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 08:38 AM
  #12
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Methinks that your boss is concerned about his status. That's just me looking at this from a distance. It might have been a good or a bad idea - or probably both at the same time.

Perhaps one way to approach it is to assure him that this just happened because he was out of the office and you will never go "over his head" again... that takes care of his status concern. He will probably calm down.

It's also the job of the senior boss to take care of your line manager's concerns - involve him in the ongoing discussion - smooth his ruffled feathers, make sure that he doesn't feel side-lined.

Sounds a bit like your anxiety need addressing internally. Hey, everyone makes mistakes... I bet your boss and his boss have made a few in their lifetime.
Thank you!

Yes, it may have been BOTH a good AND a bad idea to talk to HR.

My boss DOES know that I didn't mean or intend to go above OR around him.

I even point blank said this directly to HR in just that way: "I do not mean to go above or around my boss, but I need someone to talk to about this and he is out of the office".

I made a point of telling both HR and the CEO that my boss is the best boss I've ever had.

I don't know what more I can do to smooth this over with my boss. I've already told him I now know to bring an issue first to him and not to HR.

I suppose on Tue I can also inform him: You know, when I initially went to HR about this, I had NO intention of it going to the CEO with a follow-up meeting. I didn't know it would be taken to that level.

AND YES! I need to work on my anxiety for sure. I have an anxiety disorder.

Last edited by Anonymous40643; Feb 17, 2019 at 09:22 AM..
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 03:39 PM
  #13
Can anyone else help with this issue? I could really use the support right now and am trying to feel better about it.. or at least relatively OK under the circumstances.
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 04:49 PM
  #14
I guess i dont understand how you can devise new strategy for your clients if you havent properly analyzed how your previously recommended strategy succeeded. Isnt it an iterative process, not a "one and done"?

Or are you saying that is someone else's job? Or that there are parts of the analytic process that are needed for strategizing, but are otherwise unnecessary (and time-consuming) as far as you know? Are there ways to mechanize the analytic process?

I guess im looking at ways you can offer your boss solutions to the problem you presented. I always heard, never bring your boss a problem without having a solution for it. So, what is the BUSINESS problem here, not your dislike of your task.
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 06:04 PM
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Thanks Una. I guess that’s partially helpful but not really. I am meeting with my boss to come up with solutions as I’ve stated. The rest I don’t feel like explaining because this thread is not about what my position is. It’s about whether I did the wrong thing by talking to HR about my burnout. And it’s not that I don’t like the task which I’ve already stated. Thanks for trying.
 
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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 07:10 PM
  #16
Golden,
Going to HR before talking to my boss is not a choice I would have made, but I may not have done anything at all. I think it was your anxiety getting the best of you, but it seems all this has led to discussion about doing things differently which is positive. You know we are only human and no human makes 100% right decisions all the time. Just try to take this in as a learning experience. I think part of this decision was because you have only been in a workplace for a short amount of time. Be kind to yourself. This,too, will pass and in the end, you may likely make your colleagues time better spent. I know it looks like the crap is just piling up, but this is life. You do have the skills to see this all through. Take a big breath!! You CAN get through the muck life is throwing at you. Make sure you are taking time for self care.

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Default Feb 17, 2019 at 07:29 PM
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Golden,
Going to HR before talking to my boss is not a choice I would have made, but I may not have done anything at all. I think it was your anxiety getting the best of you, but it seems all this has led to discussion about doing things differently which is positive. You know we are only human and no human makes 100% right decisions all the time. Just try to take this in as a learning experience. I think part of this decision was because you have only been in a workplace for a short amount of time. Be kind to yourself. This,too, will pass and in the end, you may likely make your colleagues time better spent. I know it looks like the crap is just piling up, but this is life. You do have the skills to see this all through. Take a big breath!! You CAN get through the muck life is throwing at you. Make sure you are taking time for self care.
Thank you so much, Deejay. That's helpful. Though it wasn't my anxiety that got the best of me, it was the high burnout factor that drove me to talk to HR the most.

I will try to focus on the positive: that I am now meeting with my boss to improve things, and yes, it could improve things for my whole team if we can come up a good solution.

Self-care is most important! My anxiety over this is getting the best of me now -- just took my anti-anxiety pill. It helps!

Yes, I must remember that this too shall pass..... I am also a perfectionist who had overly critical parents. When I make a mistake that is big like this one and really ticks someone off, I get really upset with myself and down on myself for not having done the so-called "right" thing. I beat myself up over it.
 
 
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Default Feb 18, 2019 at 07:56 AM
  #18
The culture is different at different companies, but thank goodness your boss seems to like you, because going over your boss’s head used to be considered professional suicide. Supervisors are busy and sometimes you have to keep trying to raise an issue. I used to email my otherwise unapproachable boss with status reports of how things were going in my department. Then when I wanted something important, she was more likely to listen.

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Default Feb 18, 2019 at 08:34 AM
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The culture is different at different companies, but thank goodness your boss seems to like you, because going over your boss’s head used to be considered professional suicide. Supervisors are busy and sometimes you have to keep trying to raise an issue. I used to email my otherwise unapproachable boss with status reports of how things were going in my department. Then when I wanted something important, she was more likely to listen.
Thanks!

I have a feeling that the end result would not have occurred if I had only gone to my boss about this issue.
 
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Default Feb 18, 2019 at 09:31 AM
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I think your boss will get over it given time. He probably had a nasty shock and is still reacting to that with his ego chattering away in threat mode. "Is this a challenge to my authority." I can imagine that a lot of the men who I've worked with would just say to him "sorry buddy, mistake!" over a pint and that would be the end of it. Women worry more (huge generalisation) but I've seen guys do the "sorry buddy, mistake" routine successfully, and I'm incapable of doing that myself.

Can you tell yourself that mistakes are OK!!! As in, "I'm human and to achieve anything we are going to fall off the bicycle before we learn to ride it". Normal, no big deal.


Be pleasant to your boss, that's all you owe him. And know that one day if you are a boss, you may be put in the exact same situation.

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