Coworkers think my position at work is unfair

[SeductivePig]

So basically, I'm at a consulting firm - we started out small, I've been there 8 years now. Most of the people in the beginning left, except my boss, myself, and another dude, and my senior management. I've put in my time when I was younger and still struggle now and then. Our company has grown a lot, and I was fortunate enough to get onto a good client over the long term. I became an expert in what my company was known for, but over the years, as I've been working remotely at the client, my company has been getting more business in a different area of the industry. I've kept my knowledge towards what my client demands, and basically ignored what my company is doing now elsewhere because I don't like it.

My coworkers are not happy that I typically work no more than 40 hours a week, my work is low stress, I get a company car, and I get to come in and leave as I please, meanwhile they are working more than 40 (perhaps 45-55), have numerous clients, and don't get a car. Most of these coworkers are much younger, but one of them is very senior to me. I put in my long hours when I was younger, and only just now got the car, and on top of that, had a shitty commute for most of my tenure.

The caveat is that I have been 100% chargeable every year, my clients are happy (my client is a fortune 100 with a lot of small groups that I consult for), my projects are always under budget, my projects are on time, and all my clients really like working with me. I run the entire division by myself and I run a lean operation.

I am getting pressure from my boss and I'm getting shit from coworkers for sticking to what I enjoy doing, and what I'm good at, instead of giving up my work to junior workers and moving onto more difficult work. What do I do?

The business model I've created simply wouldn't work with multiple people on my projects. I circumvent project management fees entirely because I self manage my projects and take care of the work on my own. This keeps things simple for my client, simple for me, and simple for my home office, and my boss knows this, but still wants me to give up my position and move onto other work.

I simply don't want the stress associated with moving into new work, I don't want our client to suffer due to technical incompetence from junior consultants, and I don't want to work on stuff that I don't like. There's ZERO flaw with how things work now, it's just literally pure jealousy that I get away with my situation while others don't.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

That's just how the game is played in the consulting world - especially with smaller firms.

A lot of consulting firms will reward you (Promotion, Bonus, Raise amount, etc...) based on how good your projects or group are. The reality is - how you get staffed on a project begins with either a random assignment or which manager you shmooze up to the most. I find that to be rather shitty. Mine isn't like that since it's a large firm - but what manager you get is still a large determining factor for greasing the right wheels.

I also understand what it's like to work 40 hours vs. 60 - it is ENTIRELY dependent upon the client, their industry, and their worker mentality. If your client is a more lax environment - you likely will only work 40 hours or so. If your client is unorganized and has a "work hours" not "work hard" culture, you can be looking at 50-60 hour weeks.

Part of what I like about my consulting work is we revolve a lot around the client providing information. So if they can't provide information, we can't work - or at least, we can't work on whatever they want us to work 50+ hour days on. That's been a good feeling for me. But I have definitely been on a hell project. All you can do is count down the day till it ends knowing that you can always start anew.

EDIT: I also find that clients where I only have to work 40 hours are also the clients that have....
1) An on-time go live.
2) Few change requests
3) Less hectic, sporadic, and overall stupid.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

OH - about your overall problem. The consulting world is usually always considered an "Up or out" mentality - and I've literally been told that. If you aren't striving for something new - be it new clients, new projects, new engagements, new training's, or new skills.... that tends to get noticed... at least in my practice.... But again, I work for a larger firm.

Best case: Tell the client to poach you

 

[SeductivePig]

Yea my first year I was pretty much the only young guy, and I was grilled HARD.. I was getting pushed in different directions from four different managers, there was so much stress and lack of organization, so much bullying etc.. it really prepared me well for a big contract that we had gotten. Prior to getting that contract, our company was falling apart, people were leaving, etc.. eventually when the contract came in, I was the only man for the job. Even if there was competition, I would've been a good fit for it.

Ever since that contract hit, it's been me handling the work, and there were no complaints for the first 3 or 4 years, but as people started joining the company, people noticed the perks that I was getting and I guess it rubbed them the wrong way. I see where they're coming from, but really, it's a matter of circumstance. I haven't broken any rules or done anything wrong.

I try to avoid coming into the corporate office nowadays and avoid my boss because I always get comments about my situation.. and I don't think that's right.

Personally, if someone was doing better than me without putting in as much work, I would be happy for them. Seriously, I don't envy CEOs at big banks that get ridiculous bonuses, I'm happy for them. More power to you if you can make things work like that in your favor.

OH - about your overall problem. The consulting world is usually always considered an "Up or out" mentality - and I've literally been told that. If you aren't striving for something new - be it new clients, new projects, new engagements, new training's, or new skills.... that tends to get noticed... at least in my practice.... But again, I work for a larger firm.

Best case: Tell the client to poach you

My client has poached me before. They're even hiring right now, but it would be a different role than what I've gotten, and much harder. I would not want to work for them as I would lose the company car, parking, low hours, etc.. I literally come and go as I please, and report to myself. I'd lose all of that working for them.

 

[Ns1]

What do I do?

sounds like you do nothing and enjoy the ride while it lasts.

 

[Ns1]

n/m

 

[Red Squirrel]

Nothing wrong with having a cushy job. May as well ride it for as long as you can. Work smart, not hard. I work at a NOC so it's equally as cushy, if more. Are consultants normally held liable for everything they say/recommend etc? My city uses consultants for every little thing and spends 100's of thousands on them. Even simple things like deciding if they should change an intersection to a 4 way stop. Do they do this so that they have someone to blame if something goes wrong? Seems silly to me.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I will also say... none of my coworkers know jack shit about what I do because I'm either in the client office or I'm at home. They have no clue if I work 30 or 50 hours unless they are a manager and wanted to check my timecard info.

So I would also do what you're doing and stop showing up to the office - I don't go into the office at all unless it's something important on a Friday.... Even then, I leave once the event or meeting is over instead of staying all day.

 

[SeductivePig]

How does your manager know that you worked the hours that you say you did on your timecard?

 

[kranky]

Here's how it sounds to me. You have had a sweet gig for a while. Now things are different. Your boss isn't happy with you, your coworkers are talking both behind your back and to your face, and you don't want to be hired where you're consulting.

I see the inevitable outcome as either you give up your current gig and move on to other work at the same consulting outfit, or move out. You cannot keep the status quo. Your boss is no doubt getting more and more irritated at you. You are not taking the hint.

Oh, I get it, you like things the way they are. I accept everything you said about why things are going well at face value. It might make perfect sense to keep things the way they are. But perhaps your company culture is that people do not "own" a consulting gig and they need to move around from time to time. You won't get an exemption from that.

Logic doesn't always rule the day.

I think it's best to make the choice before someone else makes it for you.

How does your manager know that you worked the hours that you say you did on your timecard?

No, you do not want to play that game. Especially if your boss is not 100% thrilled with you, and that may be the case since you won't move to another role. You would be handing them the bullets to put in the Fire You gun if they choose to pull the trigger. Never lie on time cards or expense reports. Many people do, and get away with it, until someone wants to fire them... then they dig around, and find they have an ironclad reason.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

How does your manager know that you worked the hours that you say you did on your timecard?

So it depends on the project, some are large where there is a manager, senior manager, or partner that is on site part of the time or full time.

But we also have projects where I have taken charge and got my manager to stop coming so he can pursue other engagements. In those cases, he only checks in if I have questions or something. The main way he stays up to date is that for most projects we always have weekly status calls with the client. Managers are always on those types of call, but I'm the one that fills out the status report and presents it.

I think all my projects thus far always has status calls. Basically reporting to the client what we are doing since obviously we better be getting shit done because our hour cost is ridiculous.

 

[SeductivePig]

No, you do not want to play that game. Especially if your boss is not 100% thrilled with you, and that may be the case since you won't move to another role. You would be handing them the bullets to put in the Fire You gun if they choose to pull the trigger. Never lie on time cards or expense reports. Many people do, and get away with it, until someone wants to fire them... then they dig around, and find they have an ironclad reason.

So it depends on the project, some are large where there is a manager, senior manager, or partner that is on site part of the time or full time.

But we also have projects where I have taken charge and got my manager to stop coming so he can pursue other engagements. In those cases, he only checks in if I have questions or something. The main way he stays up to date is that for most projects we always have weekly status calls with the client. Managers are always on those types of call, but I'm the one that fills out the status report and presents it.

I think all my projects thus far always has status calls. Basically reporting to the client what we are doing since obviously we better be getting shit done because our hour cost is ridiculous.

I straight up asked my boss if I could come in late and leave early to avoid traffic due to a back issue, and he said yes. I asked him to work from home, he said yes. My clients pretty much know that I come in randomly and leave whenever I want, and they don't care either - they just ask if I'm available every time they need to reach out to me. And I always am - I communicate very well and always pick up my phone when needed. I don't lie on expense reports, and I don't lie on my timesheets. I'm just curious how an employer would ever prove that I'm even working. Much of our work is discussions with clients, looking at hard copies of reports/drawings, etc.. and I know many people at my home office spend 30 minute stretches at a time just bsing with other coworkers. Even I'm guilty of that.

Regardless - my boss is not unhappy with me. He just wants me to get involved in other things so that I'm more valuable to my client - it's getting to the point where he wants me to take over the work that someone with 35 years of experience is doing for my client. The amount of struggle involved in that, in my opinion is not worth it. I'm getting paid handsomely for the effort that I put in now, and for my employer to destroy my lifestyle and make me work far harder than I am for the same paycheck makes me feel that I should jump ship if that's actually what happens.

If you had a cushy job making a certain salary and everything was just peachy, and all of a sudden you were asked to hop off and do something else for no reason at all, for the same pay, with a lot more stress and effort, wouldn't you feel like you're getting shafted?

 

[brianmanahan]

i would consider leaving your current company and working directly for the client, provided your employment agreement doesn't specifically prohibit it

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I straight up asked my boss if I could come in late and leave early to avoid traffic due to a back issue, and he said yes. I asked him to work from home, he said yes. My clients pretty much know that I come in randomly and leave whenever I want, and they don't care either - they just ask if I'm available every time they need to reach out to me. And I always am - I communicate very well and always pick up my phone when needed. I don't lie on expense reports, and I don't lie on my timesheets. I'm just curious how an employer would ever prove that I'm even working. Much of our work is discussions with clients, looking at hard copies of reports/drawings, etc.. and I know many people at my home office spend 30 minute stretches at a time just bsing with other coworkers. Even I'm guilty of that.

Regardless - my boss is not unhappy with me. He just wants me to get involved in other things so that I'm more valuable to my client - it's getting to the point where he wants me to take over the work that someone with 35 years of experience is doing for my client. The amount of struggle involved in that, in my opinion is not worth it. I'm getting paid handsomely for the effort that I put in now, and for my employer to destroy my lifestyle and make me work far harder than I am for the same paycheck makes me feel that I should jump ship if that's actually what happens.

If you had a cushy job making a certain salary and everything was just peachy, and all of a sudden you were asked to hop off and do something else for no reason at all, for the same pay, with a lot more stress and effort, wouldn't you feel like you're getting shafted?

Dude that is the consulting world. What you are experiencing is the "Up or Out" mentality. I know it sucks, I see it first hand. I'm in a staff role and in order to move up to manager they want me to perform at the staff level goals (Lots of charge hours) but also do manager stuff to prove I'm worthy. Translation: they want me to do 2 jobs at the same time.

It sucks, it really fucking sucks but that's the nature of it. You can always hop to industry for a more relaxing environment of "Your job is to A, B, and C tasks". As someone that is an introvert, I can make it to manager but after that it is so exhausting that I can already say I probably won't make it to the next level. It's just not for me. The more you move up the more you are expected to do the selling part and not the work part.

Thankfully my practice has a specialist route that I will likely pursue after manager. It's basically a specific track you can move to that says "Ok, you suck at selling but you're damn good with your technical skills."... that I can do.

 

[brianmanahan]

Dude that is the consulting world. What you are experiencing is the "Up or Out" mentality.

yeah when i was at a consulting company, i was told that people who don't advance after 2-3 years get fired

i had no intention of moving out of development positions, so i just stayed a year and used the work to get a better job with better hours and better pay somewhere else

 

[SeductivePig]

Dude that is the consulting world. What you are experiencing is the "Up or Out" mentality. I know it sucks, I see it first hand. I'm in a staff role and in order to move up to manager they want me to perform at the staff level goals (Lots of charge hours) but also do manager stuff to prove I'm worthy. Translation: they want me to do 2 jobs at the same time.

It sucks, it really fucking sucks but that's the nature of it. You can always hop to industry for a more relaxing environment of "Your job is to A, B, and C tasks". As someone that is an introvert, I can make it to manager but after that it is so exhausting that I can already say I probably won't make it to the next level. It's just not for me. The more you move up the more you are expected to do the selling part and not the work part.

Thankfully my practice has a specialist route that I will likely pursue after manager. It's basically a specific track you can move to that says "Ok, you suck at selling but you're damn good with your technical skills."... that I can do.

Yea I know what you mean. My consulting role is engineering consulting so that's a bit different.. oil/gas. I could certainly hop to a different engineering consulting firm or even work for my client, but I know that I would lose my perks. I really don't want to pay for a car again. I've always wanted to move into software/tech or finance, so maybe it's time I really do that.. at least then I'd enjoy what I'm learning, even if the hours/pay aren't as good. Only reason I've stayed so long is the hours/pay/ease of work.

 

[Thebobo]

Start your own consulting business?

 

[purbeast0]

If your coworkers are getting paid for 40 hours but working 45-55 hours, then you work with some stupid people. I'm not a big fan of stupid people.

 

[deadlyapp]

If they want you to do something different, and you want a job, then you need to stop thinking about how to avoid it and more how to skew it to be beneficial to you. You seem so hung up on a company car, etc, when in reality that's only money, and you're talking like 300-400 dollars a month, just get them to compensate you for it.

My company (oil and gas) used to give a vehicle to every person director level or above, but they did away with that probably 10 years back and simply compensated all those people an equal amount. Car costs are trivial.

I guarantee you though, if you look to jump ship, you're going to find everywhere else just as difficult and corporate. If you perform well at your job, you're always going to be asked to take on more responsibilities/change position/be a leader. You just kind of sound like you're in your own bubble.

And I'm also in O&G so I know your perspective.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Not to be harsh but you sound like a lot of our sales people, they brought in a giant account and only want to service them only, while everyone else is busting their ass trying to get new business. Sounds like you have the "diva" syndrome. Either open up your own consulting firm and take your client with you or it sounds like you are going to be fired in the near future. Either way, it's time for change whether you want one or not.

 

[dyna]

It sounds like you have one of those jobs where you can milk it while times are good. My experience is that people in that role are always the ones that get laid off during the down turns. You should always position yourself in the areas of investment and growth as that is the most sure fire way for long term stability.

 

[spacejamz]

OP, how old are you???

 

[SeductivePig]

OP, how old are you???

I'm 30

 

[BoomerD]

Haven't read everything in both threads, but...if your coworkers already resent you because of your working deals, how much will they resent you if you somehow get your employer to let you relocate to NYC?

 

[Sonikku]

Who moved my cheese?