anais
Newbie
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« on: September 06, 2005, 05:42:19 pm » |
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I am PA to the Vice Chancellor of a large university and have been in my job for several months - my boss and I have a fantastic relationship and I enjoy the work - there is however one problem which has really been getting me down - I share my office with another PA - I am in my late 20s, and she is in her 50s, and even though I am in fact the senior one, she constantly assumes seniority, is bossy and interferes in my work. She also spends a large amount of time talking about her personal life, even though I have made it clear I have not got time to talk - she has long drawn out personal conversations with others and when I have pointed out that this disturbs me, she answers that our office is a shared one and she is allowed to talk - I have got to the point where I feel really stressed and angry all the time - how would you suggest dealing with this?
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countrigal
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« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2005, 06:35:46 pm » |
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Your best bet at this point may be talking with your supervisor and seeing if there is any hope of getting a separate office, either for yourself or the other admin. What is her role? Is she supposed to help you or is she the admin for someone else? How are the offices located? Would it be more functional to move either of you to another office, perhaps closer to the person you are supporting? These are things to look into. And if this isn't an option, then you may want to have a discussion (after talking to your supervisor) with her and her boss, pointing out the problems and trying to find a way of fixing it to the best of both of y'all. That's a touchier way of handling it, but if going to her directly hasn't helped, that may be the only avenue available to you.
CountriGal
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gee4
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« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2005, 08:59:11 am » |
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CG is right - a separate office would help, or just ignoring her and getting on with your work might give her the hint.
G
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geminigirl
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« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2005, 10:22:58 am » |
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A difficult situation. We have someone here at work who talks incessantly on the phone on personal phonecalls, collars you to tell you all her personal trials and tribulations and even what she had for dinner last night! Thankfully, she sits nowhere near me! Those people who do sit near her just "blank her out" - and let everything pass through them - she doesn't even need a response. She will also carry on talking to you as you're walking away! Her supervisor has been informed that no-one wants to sit near her for these reasons and he just shrugs her shoulders and says 'It's just "Jane'". When I get 'caught' by her I just carry on typing / working and just hmm and nod my head now and again.
Failing getting a separate office (which would be great but ... ...) you have done all you can, I think, directly with her. You do need to take it to your supervisor and seek their help and advice. As you say, it's affecting your work and wellbeing and they do have a duty to act.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
PS just saw 'Jane' walking towards me - I always avoid making eye-contact and picked up the phone - coward's way out, but it works ;-) I have dialled my own home number so many times!!
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raindance
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« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2005, 11:35:47 am » |
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I had a similar experience in my last employment where I was youngest in age but the most senior person in an office shared with three other people. There were difficulties and my "youth" appeared to be the greatest difficulty for some of my colleagues, but time is remedying that!
If you have already spoken with this lady and no good resolution has been achieved, then I agree with the others, you must speak with your manager. You can gauge whether to speak with him/her on the basis of "seeking advice" or making a formal complaint. And don't let them fob you off with suggesting that you just have to make the situation work. You need to make it very clear how this matter is affecting you and your work and, ultimately, the performance they can expect from you under these circumstances. If you can do this in a detached, unemotional manner then you should get your point home.
I wish you luck, Anais. Please let us know how you get on.
Best wishes,
Raindance
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anais
Newbie
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« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2005, 08:06:44 pm » |
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Thanks for all your support!! The strange thing is things came to a head yesterday - I was on a work phonecall and the PA who shared my office was having a really loud conversation with one of her friends to the point where I couldnt hear the person I was on the phone to - we were going though diary dates - so I politely ask them to either stop chatting or go elsewhere. Once I had finished on the phone and her friend had left she informed me very aggresively that it was a shared office and that she was entitled to hold a conversation when she felt like and if I was on the phone it was tough - I responded that her personal conversations should not intefere in my work but she refused to back down or admit she was wrong and started saying - but you have conversations and disturb me - which is not true - we had quite a heated discussion which ended by me saying that if she should have the common coutesy or professionalism to realise that it was inappropiate to carry on conversations while disrupting my work. I knew then I had to talk to my boss and give him my side of the story before he heard it from her or her boss so I stayed behind last night and told him what had been going on and that I had been feeling upset, stressed and angry for quite some time - i tried to get accross that our professional and personal styles and expectations of what our office enviornment should be were different rather than try and attack her personally - my boss has not realised that there was a problem and actually said it was a credit to my professionalism that he hadnt realise - he also said I was v precious to him as a PA and he wanted me to be happy in my work environment and also that he was not keen on the current arrangement - he said he is going to give alternative solutions some thought and talk to her boss. I was out of the office today on training so am feeling a bit nervous about going back - she is quite a vindictive person and I am not and I suspect she will befurious I got my side of the story over before she did - have decided I'm going to be calm and normal tomorrow as its up to my boss now and I dont intend to lose my dignity by engaging in any slanging match with her! Will let you know how it goes and thanks for the support!
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diamondlady
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« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2005, 08:26:37 pm » |
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Sounds like you have things well under control and that your boss is willing to help you out of a bad situation he was not aware of. Hang in there, and please stop by here to vent anytime you need to. That's what we're here for. Good Luck. Diamondlady Peer Moderator  |
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geminigirl
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« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2005, 11:45:16 am » |
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I think it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise that things have come to a head and well done, you, for getting the truth of the situation out before anything could (possibly) be distorted by your colleague. I think you handled it very well and very professionally and your colleague, older and wiser (words used very loosely there!) should really know better.
I hope your boss makes good on his promise to look at alternative arrangements.
With you being out of the office for a day, that at least has given her a chance - hopefully - of cooling down! Hang in there!
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gee4
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« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2005, 12:01:28 pm » |
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Yes - these things always come to a head sooner or later. Perhaps she didn't realise how annoying she actually was!
G
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dettu
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« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2005, 04:53:14 pm » |
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Way to go on the quick, proactive thinking! I hope you get your own separate office...
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mrsbean
Newbie
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« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2005, 11:22:17 am » |
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This looks like a generationconflict.
Your collegue seems to be in the company for a long time and has experience you can win from.
Why don't you try to work together instead of beating your heads of?
It might not be so much fun for her either, all of a sudden having a young girl in front of her turning out the boss!
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reddrogue
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« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2005, 05:02:59 pm » |
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I agree that it sounds like a generation conflict. Just the same, however, if the elder woman does not want a younger woman to have seniority over her, then she needs to do what it takes to either get the training she needs to move up in her position/life, or find another job, perhaps one where she is the only PA and does not have to share the office. She sounds as if she is being a pain in the rear just for the heck of it.
Don't you just wish they could put a camera in the office so the bosses could witness how she really is?
rr
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