…as a going away for the HR Coordinator who is going to NOTHING. When PH said, ‘What are you most looking forward to doing?’ the HR Coordinator had little to no offering. If PH was quitting she has a literal LAUNDRY LIST of activities she would jump right into. So, instead of doing something productive tomorrow afternoon getting a draft of her book updated – PH will instead be eating and drinking with people she tolerates.
How many glasses will it take to be fun?
In hopes of her upcoming potential promotion to HR Coordinator, PH took a few minutes yesterday to create a file of what she actually does with her day – who she reports to, who takes up her time and where her energy is generally spent. Unsurprisingly, a good deal of her time went to support the HR department – one she owes 25% to. In reality, it’s more like 50%. The largest part of the problem goes to the current HR Coordinator and just HOW much work she’s doing for this woman. PH doesn’t want this woman to leave on a sour note, but she’s having a difficult time keeping her mouth shut. PH understands the people that matter know how hard PH works and she’s glad someone who’s already ‘checked out’ mentally (if she was ever there) is on her way out, but she just can’t understand how someone would just NOT want to do their job so much.
On a daily basis.
Case in point, there is a current very small project that the HR Coordinator should CLEARLY be in charge of. Rather than finish the job, she’s sent this:
Hi
I’ve updated the list with those that are single.
Best G
This effort helps not. Why not take the list to completion? The thing that makes PH the most frustrated, is that the HR Coordinator knows PH is busy this week. Also, the HR Coordinator has 3 days left – she should be worried about her reputation and going out on a high note.
Can you tell PH is ready for the weekend???
The Judgeful Nurse now has a new name and that name is ‘The Matyr.’ PH is sure you’ve worked with a Martyr before – they are very easy to spot and among the worst co-workers to have. Case in point. Today was the School’s annual ‘Family Fun Day.’ It is a fairly simple gathering where families come and play around. PH doesn’t really know the exact details – she left after setting up for 1.5 hours (playing the game as she is up for a promotion – more details on that later). Anyway, the Martyr dropped this gem yesterday:
“Yes, we were thinking of going out of town for my husband’s birthday, but you know…the event.”
Cut to PH wondering how on earth this woman thinks her attendance at Family Fun Day is absolutely integral to its success. If tasked with going out of town to celebrate Hubs’ birthday over staying for a 3 hour event on one afternoon, she would be on a plane faster than you could say ‘yalla.’
Mr. Vanilla continues to confuse PH. He’s like an island unto himself, which is a strange find in the HR department. He also seems to take an inordinate amount of time to complete simple tasks. In the past week?
1. A simple ONE PAGE document describing what people in the department do. Such a document already existed and only needed to be updated. It still has not been sent out.
2. A poster promoting Family Fun Day.** With most people needing to organize events weeks in advance (especially where families are involved), Mr. Vanilla literally dicked around for an entire week before creating a poster which PH could only sit and wonder at. As PH explained to her Hubs, “I could’ve made something better with Clip Art when I was in third grade.”
PH is not actually lying when she says this is what the poster looks like.
**Family Fun Day / Community Relations will be the topic of an upcoming post.
Not that PH had any residual feelings towards the place she worked at for less than a week, but Qatar is a small world and earlier this week when she was out with the Scouser, a gentleman approached their booth. Lo and behold it was MD. PH made introductions and proudly announced she was working with the School. After the intros were made, the MD let slip that he had recently left THE COMPANY HE WAS TRYING TO RECRUIT PH FOR. Had PH stayed on, she would’ve been well and truly fucked. Fortunately, things worked out how they are supposed to. As MD lingered on (as if to continue conversation – ?) he mentioned his wife was with him. PH is not sure what he expected her to do – go over and say hello? Ask if they’ve stopped yelling at each other? Try and understand what sort of maniacal way they were going to try and make money? In the end, PH appreciates the universe sending her a sign that she made the correct choice.
There are a few points to cover under this topic, so let’s get started!
1. Extended absence. When PH first started, Girl PH Hopes to Soon Be Replacing, took an unprecedented amount of time off. She literally did not work a complete week for 6 weeks in a row (and a few of those weeks she worked a total of 1-2 days). The funny thing? Nothing – at all – fell apart. When Mr. Vanilla took an entire week off (due to an undisclosed sickness), with the exception of a few missed training sessions (easily rescheduled) – again, NOTHING happened. PH wonders how little does your job matter if you can take many unscheduled days off and nothing changes? Given all the proverbial balls PH is juggling at the moment, it would be difficult for her to take lots of time off.
2. The day after Super Bowl Sunday is NOT a holiday. Get over it. Even if you are an ex-pat and the game starts at 3:30AM – it is YOUR choice to do stay awake / get up early to watch it. Two personnel in PH’s department took Monday off.
Party all you want - come to work the next day.
3. While it doesn’t really bother PH, per se, another member of the team is gone for nearly 2 hours twice a week to pick up his kid from school and then bring the kid home. Maybe he works late, but she really can’t be sure.
4. Have a doctor’s appointment? Clearly, this means you need to take the entire day off!
5. In another one of the departments PH works with, a woman is scheduled to take 6 weeks off. In a row. She did this last summer. Apparently she is not alone – as other moms at the School also do this. PH does not understand how an employer would let MULTIPLE personnel get away with this!!!
Maybe all of these are simply the way things are done at the School and PH should chill out a bit. Still, PH doesn’t and never has taken a cheeky day off and likes to think that things would get out of hand if she took more than a few days off.
PH has yet to mention Vanilla Dude, because, well…he kind of just blends into the background. Mr. Vanilla had been seconded to Main School for 8 months and returned in January. Having heard the rumors, PH was excited to meet her new colleague especially one with a good sense of humor. Unfortunately, amidst the hype and rumors, Mr. Vanilla fell completely flat. From what she can tell, he passes his days by sitting in his office (no lights), refusing to interact with the rest of the department (multiple occasions – including the upcoming community events) and took a week off work to be ‘sick.**’ PH knows its a lot to ask to have normal co-workers, but why come to work if you’re just going to take up space?
Because this isn't creepy at all...
**Work abscence post coming up shortly.
I Hate Cupcakes 