Been working for about 5 years in a company of 10-12 employees.
I am in production department (coding, deploying) with three other coworker. They are quitting all together at the end of next month.
One is designer, the other one is project manager and another one is network engineer.
Now I am afraid, if they quit the job would be transferred to me, which would be almost impossible for me to complete as I get busy with my own assignments.
They quit means it will be only 7 staff , there is one new designer only with me as rest are HR and Marketing.
What would be the right approach for me?
Should I also start looking for a job?
I dont want to quit because I have been working remotely + my wife is 6-7 months pregnant and we are expecting a girl on September. So I dont want to add extra anxiety about job. But handling other assignments is almost impossible too.
Also what would happen to my and wife’s(dependent) health insurance if I resign? Also if I resign, will I be eligible for unemployment benefits from hellowork?
I am in too much pressure as delivery date is approaching and now this job’s anxiety. 😔😔
11 comments
Is there a reason the company is likely to dump the responsibility onto you instead of just hiring new staff?
Firstly, why are they all quitting?
You may have to run_the_show until they can hire new staff.
High turnover in any company as you stated in a sub-comment is a red flag. There also seems to be a lack of proper management and the result is overworked and stressed out workers. You may have to ride out the storm due to your personal situation with your wife and baby, but I would start looking at other options of employment if I were you. If you feel this company has potential to grow into something better, that’s your call. At any rate, good luck.
If they dump all of their tasks on you and you really cant leave, I would just try to tough it out for a little bit. Nobody can expect you to do 4 peoples work in a quarter of the time. (I guess it would actually take longer as surely they have some skills that you don’t.)
I personally think they will go easy on you as they can’t afford to lose one more person. If they do push you to the same deadlines then they are completely unreasonable and I guess there is nothing you can do but look for a new job or just ignore them and continue at your own pace. If you are full-time they can’t fire you easily anyway.
look for new job while just failing to do everyone’s work. Just attempt to do the job and at the end of your shift sign off.
Reading through the comments, I would suggest that this may actually be a good time for job hunting. However, there are still few factors that may influence the decision:
1. How will your boss compensate you if you stay and show loyalty?
2. How fast can you find the next job as a programmer?
If you can bargain a better pay and better working hours after they find stable new hire, it can be great to stay. Stability must be important for a family man. If not, it may be an indication that things may ended up worse, meaning longer hours and stagnanted wages.
On the other hand, how fast can you find a new job? If you can find a new gig before the birth. It may be a worthwhile endeavor.
Does half this sub work for < 20 people companies ? Just a funny observation from peoples random stories here.
Regarding HelloWork. Yes, you would be able to claim provided you have employment insurance, which you should have.
However, be aware that if you decide to leave then there is a 3 month wait from the time off application processing to first payment.
I would probably advise you to keep at the job but be actively looking for an applying for a new job.
edit. I would attempt to be strict about your job with your current employer. You are not the network engineer or project manager, you should not be expected to do their job. The staff will have provided notice periods and it’s up to the boss to be prepared for their replacement. Stick to the terms of your employment contract.
Just be aware that if you change jobs now, a new employer would not be required to give you any parental leave in the first year of employment. They might, but legally they can deny it.
If I was you, I would tough it out to see how it is. Be honest and direct that you are not willing to do everyone’s job, and continue working the way you already are. As long as you do your job they can’t fire you or anything.
If it turns out to be really bad, take your parental leave for the full year and enjoy the time off for a bit, and then use that time to find a better job.
And also, since you have asked in several comments, if you leave this job you and your wife would have to sign up for the regular national health insurance. The cost will be different, but the coverage is all the same, so don’t worry about that. Once you find a new employer you would join their health insurance and you are back to the same as you have now.
There is a saying that I find useful in these sort of situations, “Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what you get.”
You’re in a tight spot, so let’s plan for the worst first:
1. Brush off your resume and start looking at jobs. Ask your coworkers where they’re heading and to give you a heads-up if they’re hiring. Stay friendly with them.
2. Don’t quit. Wait until you find a new job, and move from job to job with as little delay as possible in-between.
3. Regarding health insurance, the moment you start working for a new employer you’re covered – even if it takes some time for the paperwork to catch up. Try to put some money aside in case you have to pay for some stuff up front and then get reimbursed later.
If you end up temporarily out of work then you can pay to join the health insurance privately even if you aren’t employed. Quietly check how much this costs and budget accordingly – if I remember correctly it is based on your income so it will vary. You will be covered one way or another.
4. You should already have the book of coupons that cover almost all the necessary prenatal costs, so that’s handled. That isn’t going away.
5. With births there is a payment that you receive from the government that should cover almost all the costs. Now there are two ways to handle this. You can pay up front and then get that payment later, or you can fill in some paperwork that authorises the hospital to claim the payment directly from the government. The second way is far easier because they deduct the government payment from the bill and only ask you for the extra. Do the paperwork now and breathe a sigh of relief that it is handled.
Then. Relax. Take a deep breath, and move on to “hope for the best” territory.
Yes, your boss is rude. However hopefully they’re not a complete idiot. They should realise that one person can’t do the work of four specialists. Will they be angry for a while that 3/4 of their staff just jumped ship? Yes, but point out politely that you’re the one who stayed, and shouting at you doesn’t fix the problem. Focus on doing your job. That’s what you’re paid to do. That’s what you were hired to do. Point out (again, politely) that you’re a specialist and you don’t know how to do design, project management, or network engineering. These are all separare specialities. You do coding and deploying. That’s all you know how to do. Even if you do know something about these areas pretend ignorance.
If worst comes to worst then bow, apologise, and promise to do your best. You’re playing a delaying game until your child is born and you can take paternity leave and line up a new job. That’s a couple of months away, and during your paternity leave you’re fire-proof.
During that time hope for the best. Maybe you’ll find a new (and maybe even better) job. Maybe your boss will get a wake-up call that they can’t be rude to staff, and will adjust their attitude. Maybe they’ll hire on new staff quickly. Maybe they’ll even be grateful to you for being the one who stayed, and view it as a sign of loyalty. And this is the angle I’d suggest taking with your boss if they push you – stress that you support them, you’re loyal, and that you are the “good” employee (the fact that you’re quietly plotting to jump ship at the first opportunity is a secret you keep to yourself). Say that you’re doing your best for them.
Don’t borrow problems from tomorrow. Handle things as they come and do them one at a time.
Right now nothing has changed. If things do change then deal with that situation as it comes.
Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what you get.