I work as a junior graphic designer for a small design company. I started working two months ago, along with my co-worker, who we’ll call Ed (not his real name). He already had an extensive work experience as a graphic designer, whereas I didn’t have much.
Today, I started a task at 9 which I couldn’t finish. When asking my team leader (aka my boss) if I could continue it tomorrow, he allowed me to (only after he ‘jokingly’ told me I couldn’t). It was 7, an hour after work ends, and i could finally log out. Ed had already logged out at 6 (but hasn’t left yet, thanks to the work culture).
Ed and I and some of my other co-workers were getting ready to leave when a message popped up at slack from my boss, telling Ed to render overtime to do the same task that was given to me, from scratch. I asked him if he would talk with our team leader, seeing that he was obviously unhappy about this, and after some time he told me that he’ll just do it.
I can’t even begin to describe the guilt I felt when I saw him sit back down, and turn his computer back on. I felt like I passed him my burden. I dont know how he’ll feel about me tomorrow, but if I had to guess I think he’d be upset at me. This is the second time I had marked a task as WIP and my team leader giving it to Ed to finish in overtime hours.
That’s the part that really irks me. To see my team leader give me a pass to continue my work the next day, and then doing a 180 and giving the task to Ed as extra work, especially when he’s already logged out, depresses the hell out of me.
Does my boss not see how this strains my relationship with Ed? I’m sure he knows I didn’t give him the task, my boss did. But the objective truth will always linger in the back of his mind “If only OP was able to finish this I would’ve been home by now.” And you can’t really blame our team leader, can you? If you did, that means you’re being insubordinate. God forbid you reject an order from your boss. He has to blame somebody.
I really think what my boss/team leader did was wrong. I cant help but wonder why my boss did what he did. Is he trying to teach me a lesson? Because you know what this all reads to me? It reads:
”render your overtime or I will make somebody else render yours.”
I respect my time and my job. When the job ends I leave, and I only do overtime when I’m absolutely required to (as per company policy). So if my boss is trying to teach me to work extra hours that aren’t even mandatory, I’m not having any of it. This may be my first job as a 20-year-old but im not letting you beat the self-respect out of me.
What do you guys think? Should I talk to Ed and ask how he feels about all this? And/or talk to my boss on why he made that decision? Or should I quit while I’m ahead? I really appreciate y’all’s feedbacks. Thanks.