Yesterday, I was an individual contributor who did technical work. This morning, a group of my coworkers and I found out that we are now expected to manage about 10 non-exempt staff each. Overnight! There’s no title change, no increase in salary — just added work and stress. We are told we have no choice and have to take on that extra work because the company’s success or failure depends on us. Can they just make us managers without asking? Do we have the right to turn down these positions?
To read the answer, click here: Dilemma of the Month: Abruptly Made a Manager
I would definitely update my resume and start assessing the job market. This sounds like a company circling the drain.
Definitely sounds like the company has been forced by shareholders to increase profit line and where is the most money made –by cutting labor costs. No consideration is given for the pressure and emotional stress placed on employees to achieve mandated job performances especially if they were unaware of required changes to job skills.
Now this is assuming a work efficiency expert has evaluated all aspects of working in company. Perhaps other positions were eliminated as being redundant hence making those employees in charge of a area they have the knowledge to increase performance of others, as this is a tech business.
Apart from the above, for me it would be a time issue. Managing all those people will take up a good chunk of time day-to-day and for periodic things like appraisals, recruitment or performance management. I would also be asking for a reassessment of my own targets and objectives to accommodate the displaced time.