Q. I have a project due on Jan. 10. It’ll be intense, but right now, I just want to coast. Is that OK?
A. It sounds like you’re asking me to give you permission to coast and to that, I say, “Yes!” It’s the time of year to wind down. If you’re not taking PTO, it’s a great opportunity while work is quiet to clean out that in-box, declutter, get organized…and then get ready to hit the ground running to crush that project right after the holiday. (If, however, you need to plan ahead then, yes, do that heavy lifting now so it’s go-time in early January. But if not and you will have enough time in the new year, then I stand by my original statement: It’s OK to coast. We need to unplug and decompress; if we don’t, then burnout can emerge.)
Q. I have to submit my timesheets by year-end, but I’m new and no one has time apparently to help me figure out the system. Who should I approach? And should I be concerned that if no one is available for this task, they won’t be around for bigger stuff?
A. I hear you on learning new systems; we often only learn by doing. Ask your boss, a colleague, a mentor, HR, online tutorials and a national help desk. You may want to video the conversation for your use only, not to post anywhere, but so you can refer to it for your next timesheet submission.
Regarding your second question, it is helpful to look at the big picture. Is it just this time of year that schedules are out of the office so you don’t have access to tap into guidance or are people just flat out unhelpful? Hopefully once you navigate timesheets, if you need help for additional resources whether it’s learning more of your job, additional internal systems or other topics, you’ll get the support you need.
Q. My company got rid of performance reviews (which I’m not unhappy about), but my boss is constantly MIA. How will I know how I’m doing and get rated for my salary increase in January without him?
A. Toxic micromanaging bosses often get all the press, but absent ones are problematic as well. Reach out to your boss to engage them more frequently. Ask your boss how will you get ongoing feedback and how will you get rated. And how does that rating impact salary increases?
You may want to suggest weekly check-in meetings for 30 minutes. That may seem like a lofty ask if they’re going from zero involvement to weekly, but you can certainly try that or see if twice a month is doable.
If your boss is not responsive, then you definitely have a solid reason to go above their head to HR or your boss’s boss. Indicate you’ve tried a few times to connect with your boss for meaningful dialogue and since they’re not available, who should your point of contact be? Granted, their first course of action may be to approach your boss and indicate you went to them.
Tribune News Service