How do you tell your boss you're struggling without sounding like you're moaning?

my bfg

my bfg

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Hi all

Lately at work im getting more and more put on my plate, mostly the extra work should be done by people above me who have delagated it to me. I dont mind the extra work as I can cope with it when left to my own devices but I also get called away to do parts of my old job if the need arises.
There is another girl at the firm who does about a quarter of my job as her full time job and I am frequently getting compared to her, so-and-so does this and so-and-so has done more than that etc. I think its very unfair as obviously Im not going to be at the same standard as her as she has four times as much time to concentrate on that part of my job. I made a list of what I do in an average week and though I work a 40 hour week Im doing around 86 hours worth of work, which I why I end up working loads of unpaid overtime, working from home and working over weekends.

But I dont want to come accross as a moaner I just need a bit of support from them above, I just dont know how to go about it??? Any suggestions???

Tea and biscuits to everybody who got to this point without nodding off! :)
 
A little difficult but learn to say no or give a time as to when you might be able to complete it. I used to keep a big chart on my desk with 'todays tasks' on it sounds very childish but you might be surprised how many people get on with their own jobs when they see you are already swamped and have a list of things to do.

A little unfair they are comparing you to someone in a fulltime position.

Stop taking work home and doing the unpaid overtime unless it is something you are doing to progress. If your doing it you'll never get a pay rise if they know you will do it for free...
 
Ask your boss if he can make any suggestions as to how you can manage your time better. Gives you the opportunity to point out how much you do without moaning, boss will see you want to do your best, & if workload is too much it will be your bosses suggestion to share it more evenly rather than yours.
 
I know someone in exactly the same position as you. Personally I'd go to the boss and tell them that by doing so many extra tasks you are worried that none will be done at the quality you like. Please can they advise what is expected daily as priority and the rest will be done in addition if you have working hours left.

Pan
 
thanks all

thoose are much better ways of getting my point accross and i think the chart idea is great! i really think that each manager doesnt realise what the other managers have asked me to do to so hopefully the chart will make them see that

thanks again :)
 
My mum is in a similar position, however she has spoken to her bosses all the way up to the top and nothing is being done. One in fact told her that it was only what was expected of someone in that role.

She started off doing her own job; then a colleague left and she took on her work. Another colleague left and she took on her job, one of the teachers had to give up the exams admin so she took that on too, then the business manager left his job and my mum was told they wouldn't bother finding a replacement as she could just do his work as well. She's put forward requests for pay rises repeatedly, laying out all her tasks and roles and reasons why she deserves more than the money she is on, most of which have been rejected. She leaves for work at 7:30 and doesn't come home until at least 6, some Sundays she goes into school just to get some work done.

My suggestion would be talk to your superiors, explain the situation. It didn't work for my mum so she's now adopted an attitude whereby if she physically can't complete the work on her desk, she leaves it until the following day. Perhaps then her bosses will realise they need to employ somebody else to help her. I really hope you can get it sorted, because I know it's not a nice position to be in.
 
Whenever I have discussion like this with my boss, I always set a specific time aside to discuss with them to highlight the importance of the issue.

Go prepared with all the current tasks you are responsible for. I usually say that I'm concerned either that I won't be able to do something in the required time or that I feel there needs to be more work put in to get to the required quality of output.

I always phrase it as a concern about business needs rather than my workload. Go with a clear idea of what you want the outcome of the meeting to be e.g. the other person takes on x amount of work or that y is no longer required etc.
Show your boss that you've identified the problem and come up with a solution. Usually they like it when they don't have to think much :)

Try to think of some ways around the problems e.g. Can you do something more efficiently, is there a process you can ditch/streamline to help. That normally impresses rather than it looking like you're trying to get rid of work.

I also practice the 'I'd love to do that, but I have this to do at the moment so when do you need it done by' response to all work delegated to me when I am already at capacity. It manages expectations and people are usually understanding.

Hope that helps!
 
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