What do I do when I’m everybody’s work cover? #askworkit #work #jobs

Key Concepts

• Career Stagnation: Ben's situation exemplifies a lack of career development and advancement.
• "Call-in Guy" / "Replacement Guy": Ben's role is characterized by filling in for absent colleagues rather than having a defined developmental path.
• Increased Workload: Ben is consistently tasked with covering the duties of others.
• Hiring Limitations: The company's reluctance to hire contract workers for temporary coverage exacerbates Ben's workload.
• Pay Review / Compensation: The possibility of requesting a pay review based on increased responsibilities is discussed.
• Leveraging Experience: Using the experience gained from covering multiple roles to negotiate better terms in future job searches.

Ben's Career Stagnation and Role

The transcript highlights that there are "no plans to develop Ben's career." Ben is consistently positioned as the "call-in guy" or the "replacement guy," indicating a lack of proactive career progression and a reactive role within the organization. This suggests that his current position is not designed for growth or advancement.

Increased Workload and Hiring Limitations

A significant point raised is Ben's obligation to "cover the duties of everybody else." While Ben has attempted to manage this, the situation is unsustainable. The discussion points to a potential solution: hiring a "contract worker to take over that person's job for maybe six months." However, the transcript notes that the company's unwillingness to do so, and the fact that such decisions are "beyond Ben's pay grade," contribute to his ongoing burden.

Advocating for a Pay Review

The possibility of Ben approaching his boss to request a "pay review" is presented as a viable strategy. The argument is that if Ben has "covered x number of people's job for x number of months," this increased responsibility warrants a compensation adjustment. The transcript asserts, "definitely so yes," indicating agreement that this is a reasonable course of action.

Making the Best of a Bad Situation

While acknowledging that a pay review doesn't "make things better" in terms of workload, the transcript suggests it can "make the best out of a bad situation." The rationale is that at least Ben would be "compensated in other ways," specifically through "a bit more money." This additional compensation can be used to "bump up your your current drawn right so your next drawn it's better," potentially adding "that additional 5% after that." This implies using the current challenging circumstances to improve future earning potential.

Conclusion

The main takeaway is that Ben is in a career-stagnant role with an unsustainable workload due to hiring limitations. However, he has the option to advocate for a pay review based on his expanded responsibilities. Even if this doesn't alleviate the workload, the increased compensation can serve as a stepping stone to improve his financial standing and leverage for future career opportunities.