No Job too Small or Public Humiliation?

Recently someone wrote to tell me that they were asked to fill in at the office assisting with printing, making copies, creating files, data entry, and filing. Nothing wrong with that, there are times when we all need to pitch in right? Does it matter that they are middle management, have over 20 years experience in their field, an MS and a PhD?

Old school would say, “no job too small, we need to set an example and show the young staff that no one is above doing the most menial tasks!” Today’s generation may say something that sounds more like, “that’s not what I was hired to do; that is not a good use of my skill set and I think you should hire a temp to do this work.”

So who is right? Both sides seem to have valid points so let’s look a little deeper. This person has willingly taken up the challenge but has heard some of the younger staff talking about the awkwardness of giving a manager work assignments. This manager has felt undervalued and underappreciated for some time and this new assignment feels to them like a confirmation of those suspicions. So is this a message from upper management?

Is management trying to send a message to staff that everyone needs to have an attitude of no job too small (many of the Millenials in the office do not) or is management sending a message to the manager that they are not valued and should probably start looking elsewhere? Maybe there is no hidden message at all. By the way, did I mention that the manager has to leave home on Sunday afternoons, drive 5 hours, stay in their sister-in-laws basement, and then return on Friday afternoons, probably for at least a month?

Miss Management has some thoughts but would love to hear what you have to say first. Write in and share you opinion – what would you do in this situation as either the junior or senior staff?

Comments

[Carol]

Anyone that works for a company other than the one they own will find himself/herself faced with the same conflict. True, what one person values as menial labor another person values as an everyday task. Either way, the task at hand does need to get done. Perhaps upper management heard disgruntled issues presented by the manager (or through the company grapevine) and made a conscious decision to give 'menial tasks' to see how the manager performs in this type of environment; interacting with other personnel; taking instruction/direction from those below as well as above him/her in the corp org chart. Then again, maybe there's no underlying issue from upper management at all! Maybe it's just this manager's turn to do 'menial tasks'...end of story. Did you ever watch Undercover Boss? It's interesting how management as well as junior employees perceive themselves to be 'above' the menial tasks. Personally, I wouldn't care if upper management asks me to pick up a broom to sweep the floor. As long as I'm getting paid my regular salary to push a broom and I don't have to work over time as a salaried employee I would consider myself ahead of them all! No stress. No problem solving other than finding the dust pan. Why make waves? Why make a mountain out of a mole hill? Whatever the task is, do it with dignity and with pride of a task well done. No grumbling...no muttering. It's a job. The employment is full time. In these days of uncertainty, having a well paid, full-time job is worth holding on to. Perhaps the younger, less experienced employees that are giving the tasks to the senior manager feel intimidated...perhaps they're afraid of the senior manager reviewing their project/performance so the younger employees are reluctant to release information to the senior manager for fear of critisism; afraid that it's not good enough and the senior manager will try to 'fix' it or improve their hard work. Maybe the manager sees himself/herself as a go-getter and big-time advisor, but the junior employees see him/her as unapproachable? It could very well be a trust issue from both sides of the conflict. Maybe the manager needs to relax and let things fall naturally. To live in the present moment and stop worrying about what was or will be. Presenting a positive approach demonstrating grace and wisdom to do a job well done--no matter what the job--is the example to set. With regards to the manager having to sleep in the sister-in-law's basement...that's a choice. I'm sure the manager knew of the traveling issues when agreeing to take the job.(Maybe that's why six-figure salaried managers leave their position to open a cup cake business!)