Ugh. My job is going to shirt

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I've been a phone monkey for a major manufacturer of enterprise-class computing systems for close to 9 months. I have won customer service awards and have demonstrated higher than average job performance. I really like this job. I'm proud of what I do and I'm fanatical about helping the customers I interact with.

But...

But...


That was until the overused phrase "path to profitability" was uttered by our CEO two months ago. We've gone through a wave of layoffs. Call volume has spiked and I'm struggling to keep up. I've put in some unpaid overtime to get my case load "back into compliance" -- meaning that my cases meet deparmental standards. I've sucked it up and learned to deal with the nitpicking by management.

The big freakout is now due to upper management consolidation office space. That means packing us phone monkeys into a tigher space. Which means more ambient noise. I fear overstimulation and shut down big time. I fear potential meltdowns. Help.

I just found out today that a co-worrker who is the loud, obnoxious b***h in our department will be moving in the cubicle across from me. Which means even more stressful social interaction and more noise. I really don't know what to do except to start pimping out my resume for another job.

That sucks. I've been an analyst in about 5 different call centers - and that seems to be the trend: "Path to profitability." They call it something different each time, but it means the same thing.

Besides looking for a job, you could try to get a different job within the same company (being in management makes call center changes slightly more bearable) or talking to your manager and seeing what they can do. But, and I hate to say this, I think looking elsewhere may be your best bet. Layoffs are rarely a good sign for the history of the call center - although they are needed every now and then.

My hats off to you, though - of all the call centers I've worked in, I've never had the guts to get on the phone. To me, that is the ultimate sensory overload ... I make my boyfriend order the pizza.

Longshot, but do you think a headset with a noise-canceling mic like one of these would help? Otherwise I'd second the resume routine. Good luck out there.

It's gotten worse.

We've had VP's coming though our offices making rapid changes to our working enviroment. In a week's time it's gotten noiser, I have less workspace, and it's gotten incredibly more stressful.

Management has dictated that we in the call center:

- Remove all personal items from our work areas
- Stop using Post-It notes
- Restrict us to one computer at our desks
- We're being policed for the cleanliness of our desks

Which means my job is rapidly becoming incompatable with my AS. Especially the Post-It note rule as that's the tool I use to organize myself. The one computer rule sucks because nothing is as stressful as having a customer on the phone while you thumb through a manual. I used to be able to login to my extra system and try commands out before I recommended them to a customer.

Is it worth playing the ADA card by asking for reasonable accomodations? Or will disclosing my AS and ADHD make matters worse in this case?

It's gotten worse.

We've had VP's coming though our offices making rapid changes to our working enviroment. In a week's time it's gotten noiser, I have less workspace, and it's gotten incredibly more stressful.

Management has dictated that we in the call center:

- Remove all personal items from our work areas
- Stop using Post-It notes
- Restrict us to one computer at our desks
- We're being policed for the cleanliness of our desks

Which means my job is rapidly becoming incompatable with my AS. Especially the Post-It note rule as that's the tool I use to organize myself. The one computer rule sucks because nothing is as stressful as having a customer on the phone while you thumb through a manual. I used to be able to login to my extra system and try commands out before I recommended them to a customer.

Is it worth playing the ADA card by asking for reasonable accomodations? Or will disclosing my AS and ADHD make matters worse in this case?

It's gotten worse.

What happened to make things worse?

hiring people in india is cheaper and many companies seem to be outsourcing callcenter jobs as a result.

Update:

I now have a co-worker that likes to walk past my cube and mock me. How do I confront this guy?

From my experience confronting the person makes matters worst and tellling other co-workers how pissed you are also does not help.

When he approaches etc. start counting and then imagine the happiest time of your life . . . gradually he will start to wonder if he is invisible.

haha this topic reminds me of office space, sorry to hear that bro that must be terrible.

I worked in a call center this summer, making a livable wage in what might be your idea of an Aspie- friendly environment (except when both shifts were present for about a 1hr period in which the place sounded like a noisy classroom which i privately can't stand).
BitterGeek, it sounds like you need to relocate to somewhere with a lower cost of living (like the South) and get a job that's less stressful. Maybe you could even become self-employed doing computer repair. It would be your own business and the money would be all yours and Uncle Sam's.