Frustrated

My supervisor takes hours to respond to my messages and requests, and it's getting so frustrating to feel unacknowledged, or being acknowledged after hours. My understanding is that supervisors are there precisely to be available to answer their employees requests, questions and messages and to help them, not just to assign them tasks If they are busy from their employees, what they are busy with, I wonder I got angry today, and may have expressed it in an inappropriate way, though not directly. I feel bad about it, but I feel frustrated, too, and I don't know how to approach her about this. If it happens few times, that's understandable, she would be busy, but when it happens all the time, then there is something wrong.

That sounds frustrating. I think if you address it by offering suggestions about how communication can be improved, you might be able to get your point across better.

I work freelance. I was on a call recently with a few of the other freelance writers/editors and the client company's owners. This same issue came up. It doesn't sound as pervasive, but there are e-mails that don't get answered quickly. My client has been very busy and they get so many e-mails that things fall through the cracks. Anyways, together we developed a new system that's been working. In the e-mail subject we include more detail about what we exactly need and then a time what we need it. Something like "name of client - what information I am asking for - please respond by 3 PM. We also use WhatsApp or Google hangouts and follow up by those channels if I haven't received a response.

It's just an example. Your work environment may be different and this exact system may not work, but maybe you can come up with some similar ideas that adapt to your work situation to suggest. I'd also frame it as that you are going to be able to work more efficiently with better communication. If other co-workers have similar issues, maybe you can talk to your manager together. Good luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rechu That sounds frustrating. I think if you address it by offering suggestions about how communication can be improved, you might be able to get your point across better. I work freelance. I was on a call recently with a few of the other freelance writers/editors and the client company's owners. This same issue came up. It doesn't sound as pervasive, but there are e-mails that don't get answered quickly. My client has been very busy and they get so many e-mails that things fall through the cracks. Anyways, together we developed a new system that's been working. In the e-mail subject we include more detail about what we exactly need and then a time what we need it. Something like "name of client - what information I am asking for - please respond by 3 PM. We also use WhatsApp or Google hangouts and follow up by those channels if I haven't received a response. It's just an example. Your work environment may be different and this exact system may not work, but maybe you can come up with some similar ideas that adapt to your work situation to suggest. I'd also frame it as that you are going to be able to work more efficiently with better communication. If other co-workers have similar issues, maybe you can talk to your manager together. Good luck!

The problem is that I feel this is personal. When I send her a message and she doesn't respond, she would be reacting to others' posts and messages that's not related to her like the IT guy saying there is server maintenance!! OK, good, but I have a question or a leave request I feel she prefers not to deal with me as a person. I have noticed this when we were working in the office. When I asked her questions or approached her with a request she would frown and do all kinds of negative facial and body expressions, including those related to disgust. I have tried to address what's that that I don't do right and that I am willing to listen to any feedback to adjust my behavior and conduct, but she wouldn't say. I don't want to throw the bias card arbitrarily, but it might be the case here, still I am giving her the benefit of the doubt. The manager is even worse than her. He doesn't respond to messages, and I doubt that me talking to him about this will make him take any actions. The whole environment and culture is frustrating.

Yeah, that does sound like a bad work culture. Your description reminds me a lot of my prior toxic workplace and manager. There was lots of favoritism and if our manager decided you had gotten on her bad side, she wanted out out. Her boss was not receptive to any feedback either. When it's the overall environment that's the problem, change isn't likely. I can empathize.

I know the employment situation is not great in a lot of places, but maybe it's time to at least try job hunting.

Edited to add: I actually took me a while to get used to my current work environment where I am treated respectfully and my opinions are valued. I guess, in a way, I got used to the crappy treatment.

There is a culture of favoritism. As someone said, finding a good and healthy workplace is a rarity. Managers and supervisors are not enough trained to manage in most cases. Favoritism in particular is very damaging to employees morale. I'm job hunting hoping to find a place where I'm being valued and respected. Thanks for sharing your experiences and for your responses.