My boss has introduced a initiative to the workplace, and 2 days in, I already want to throw myself into oncoming traffic. The new initiative is “to do something above and beyond everyday!”
My problems are numerous with this. One – I get paid minimum wage and am the least paid member of staff. I also have to use public transport to get to where I work, which effectively means I work an hour for free. I got bollocked for being late, and told to catch an earlier train (they come once an hour, meaning I would have to wake up at 6:30am to start a job at 9:00, meaning I’d have to spend an hour every morning in the freezing cold, waiting for some place to open, and then I’d have to spend more money to stay somewhere warm until it was time to go to my job, joy)
Two – I have been slowly being dog piled with more and more stuff to do, and often went above and beyond with my duties such as opening new avenues for recruitment, and starting a company newsletter with upcoming events in the community, discounts on stuff etc to try and help staff.
Three – I was one of a few people hired to do this job. I’m the only one kept on. Meaning whatever duties they had are mine. Also, other staff got a pay rise following their probationary period of 3 months. I didn’t.
Four – Today, I did double my workload to do my “going above and beyond”. A bit basic, but whatever. I didn’t HAVE to do that. I’ve exceeded my target meant for 3 days time, and was promptly told “that’s not going above and beyond, that’s just doing extra work.”
This is more of a vent than anything else, but i’m so tired of trying to work hard and hoping for a pay rise. I’m looking at other jobs rn, but it’s pretty bleak in my area (strong deprivation) and finding something that’s WFH or to do with my degree (languages) is virtually dead in the water. I’m going back to university again, I think. Fuck this. I worked hard to learn 3 languages and there’s shit all here. I genuinely cannot wait until I leave this place and never come back.
Edited to add: they also have enough money to pay for a 3 course meal for like circa 40 people at a fancy shindig, but not enough to pay above NMW. I declined my invite, because I’m not devoting any time out of work to anything to do with work. I lied and said I have plans, lol.