I don't understand. Maybe it's me?
zombiegirl2010
Toucan
Joined: 20 Apr 2012
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Posts: 273
Location: edge of sanity and bliss
I work in an office environment. I think that their is a good reason everyone has different job titles, and responsibilities. As a result, everyone should only do their responsibilities. This whole "team work" business is nonsense! If we are to all do one another's job, how come we have job titles to begin with!? That's stupid!! If this whole "team work" business is how it is done, we should simply have employee numbers and no job titles.
You aren't supposed to do others' work but you should understand how your job affects everyone elses' work. In an office environment all the duties are linked to each other.
In addition when they talk about "team work" my understanding is that they just want everyone to get along and work well in the same environment, generally. My work has these meetings sometimes that they call "team building activities" and they talk about us meeting up outside of work and becoming friendly with eachother and doing activities like bowling or paint ball.
Blech.
They have only talked about it so far, not actually done it so fortunately I haven't had to deal with that yet. But the fact that they consider recreational activities to be "team building" indicates that I'm on the right track with them wanting everyone to get along well.
_________________
Non-NT something. Married to a diagnosed aspie.
Nothing is absolute.
After ten horrible years temping in the NT workplace I finally deciphered what those euphemisms really meant.
This is not an attempt at humour. I am deadly serious.
Good teamplayer = willing to be ordered about.
Teamwork environment = We're understaffed. As the junior, expect to have everyone else's excess work dumped on your desk.
Immediate availability required = this job sucks so much the last person walked out.
Opportunities to develop and take on new challenges = if you think the first week is bad, wait until you're settled in and we really start overworking you.
Self-motivated = you will be expected to mysteriously know what to do from day 1 without receiving any instruction whatsoever.
Must possess ability to initiate new systems and procedures = there is currently no filing system, the switchboard is outdated, and we're losing customers. Here's your desk. Sort it out.
Ability to work well under pressure = we need to fill two new positions but the budget won't let us. We're hiring you to do both on half the pay.
Flexible approach to timekeeping = if you don't agree to do unpaid overtime, we'll find an excuse to fire you.
Must enjoy working autonomously and as part of a wider team = must agree to do our jobs as well as your own.
Understands and appreciates the importance of using discretion = you'd better not report us for our illegal and unethical practices.
Sociable and outgoing = good-looking.
etc
etc
It really is like some sort of weird code that NTs seem to understand. ![]()
All White is pretty much on the money, so I'll just add that if everyone did only their own job, you'd find out pretty quickly that there aren't enough employees to go around. There might have been at one time, but then someone either quit or was laid off, then instead of replacing him, management decided, "Hey, let's try NOT replacing him/her and see if we can get the same amount of work done." And 'Teamwork' is how you go about that.
_________________
Everything would be better if you were in charge.
I always feel that no one has confidence in my ability to do the job so I feel like I am practically begging for work. I know that I seem to lack focus and I have gotten fired suddenly from a few temp jobs last year because others thought I wasn't grasping the information & didn't seem interested. What I don't understand is that people complain how busy they are and work 12 hours every day but I don't have enough to keep busy for 8 (plus lunch hour). I always feel that no one like me and everyone seems cold & distant
Currently I am taking Adderall & Prozac which helped in the beginning but now making me just manic & hyper.
zombiegirl2010
Toucan
Joined: 20 Apr 2012
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Posts: 273
Location: edge of sanity and bliss
This is not an attempt at humour. I am deadly serious.
Good teamplayer = willing to be ordered about.
Teamwork environment = We're understaffed. As the junior, expect to have everyone else's excess work dumped on your desk.
Immediate availability required = this job sucks so much the last person walked out.
Opportunities to develop and take on new challenges = if you think the first week is bad, wait until you're settled in and we really start overworking you.
Self-motivated = you will be expected to mysteriously know what to do from day 1 without receiving any instruction whatsoever.
Must possess ability to initiate new systems and procedures = there is currently no filing system, the switchboard is outdated, and we're losing customers. Here's your desk. Sort it out.
Ability to work well under pressure = we need to fill two new positions but the budget won't let us. We're hiring you to do both on half the pay.
Flexible approach to timekeeping = if you don't agree to do unpaid overtime, we'll find an excuse to fire you.
Must enjoy working autonomously and as part of a wider team = must agree to do our jobs as well as your own.
Understands and appreciates the importance of using discretion = you'd better not report us for our illegal and unethical practices.
Sociable and outgoing = good-looking.
etc
etc
It really is like some sort of weird code that NTs seem to understand.
This explains so much, and I love the simplicity that you've illuminated on the complicated subject of workplace politics! Thank you! I think I'm going to save this.
In addition when they talk about "team work" my understanding is that they just want everyone to get along and work well in the same environment, generally. My work has these meetings sometimes that they call "team building activities" and they talk about us meeting up outside of work and becoming friendly with eachother and doing activities like bowling or paint ball.
Blech.
They have only talked about it so far, not actually done it so fortunately I haven't had to deal with that yet. But the fact that they consider recreational activities to be "team building" indicates that I'm on the right track with them wanting everyone to get along well.
At every job,it seems like mgmt & other coworkers want me as far away from their work as possible (including now). Whenever I mention to take on additional work or help out on a project I get told 'thats ok' or when I ask for work there is nothing for me, but other team members in the same role are working 12-16 hours a day. No one seems to have confidence in me I think because I come across as unfocused and make careless mistakes..
I figure why goto these 'team building' or after work events when everyone hates me.
This is not an attempt at humour. I am deadly serious.
<snip>
It really is like some sort of weird code that NTs seem to understand.
I have been in the NT office environment for much longer than that, but I'd say you've hit the nail on the head. I know you're attempt was not entirely supposed to be humorous, but it is funny...and sad that it is all so true. So, so true.
These are the two that are kicking my butt at my current job. These two new "arrangements" have come up recently following a couple of large layoffs. I suddenly found myself part of a TEAM...guess which player...(hint: the title is in the first one below...)
Self-motivated = you will be expected to mysteriously know what to do from day 1 without receiving any instruction whatsoever.
_________________
I can explain it to you, but I cannot understand it for you.
-----------------------------------
AS quotient: Scored 42
Your Aspie score: 175 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 30 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie
I figure why goto these 'team building' or after work events when everyone hates me.
I'm sorry to hear that you are being treated that way on the job. I hate the whole "team" concept because I think it is laziness on management's part as a way to lump good and bad employees into a homogenous lump that somehow mysteriously gets all the work done.
What you gotta remember is that NT's are driven by a need for attention and recongnition. These are harder to gather in a team environment and since you are not slashing away to climb the popularity ladder, they don't understand what motivates you any more than you understand what motivates them.
As for after hours activities, I personally don't allow anyone to dictate my non-paid time. If there is an after hours event that they are willing to pay me to attend, I will make every effort to show up, but if they just want me to play nice with everybody, I'm not really into that, thanks.
_________________
I can explain it to you, but I cannot understand it for you.
-----------------------------------
AS quotient: Scored 42
Your Aspie score: 175 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 30 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie
I meant that I am always treated like the unwanted red headed step child and instead of me being able to understand different roles on my team, mgmt and coworkers want me as far away as possible. The reason is always because 'no one has confidence in me' or I make too many careless mistakes, ask too many questions, act "weird". Even now I probably will be the only one who they will let go, but all the other contractors will be made permanent
Good team work involves forgetting the rigid titles and helping each other out when needed. Although you may have a different title on paper and some different responsibilities, if you work in a group, you all have a common goal. Everyone in the group needs to act in the best way to meet that goal.
Since everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and fluctuating workloads, sometimes you need to offer to go above what you're strictly paid to do in order for the job to be done. In a good environment, they'll be grateful and do the same for you if you're in the same situation.
There's nothing worse than someone who won't be slightly flexible about their role to the detriment of whatever the goal is, whether that's running a business, school, patient care etc.. It leads to pettiness all around, where people refuse to do simple tasks because it's 'not their job'(one of the reasons 'work to rule' action is so dreaded). Not every task is specifically assigned someone to do it, so if everyone just focused on what they were specifically hired to do, a lot of things would end up not being done at all.
(I'm not talking about bad 'teamwork' here btw, wh.n everyone tries to do as little as possible and work gets passed down to one person. that's not team work)>
