It’s not in my job description!

[BoldonLad]

I used to work in the Maritime sector.

My longest single working day was 50 hours (put your sox on on Monday morning, take them off on Thursday night).
I think my longest working week was 20 something days (circa 300+ hours).

Anyone who was not flexible enough to do silly hours when the time came would not have lasted more than a couple of months.
I lasted 44 years!

On the plus side I used all my 'TOIL' (Time Owed in Lieu) in one go and travelled around South America for 3 months, being paid every day of it!

My eldest son works in Oil/Marine sector, some of his working hours and travelling are unbelievable (he is well paid for it).

I worked in IT, in a Marine related industry, don't recall doing a 50 hour marathon, like yourself, but, working several days without a break, and/or several weeks without a day off was not unusual. There were compensations.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

As a nurse, working within scope of practice pretty much stipulates what I am liable for and falls under the NMC so I'm kind of governed by that. Being accountable dictates what is and isn't my job to a certain degree in that respect.
The not my job thing has never been my attitude though with some things, ill quite happily dig in with the support staff and housekeepers, we often stay late to meet patient needs and work well as a team to get jobs done. We often go without breaks and I know numerous staff that use theirs to run errands for our patients.

Years ago when I was in building trade the not my job attitude was rife, lots of arguments on sites around it

 

[Jenkins]

Who here regularly reads their job description, or knows it in enough detail, to regularly use that age old “it is not in my job description“ disclaimer to get out of doing a task asked of them?

I started my current job around 5 years ago and, apart from reading the JD in order to complete the application form, haven’t looked at it since.

I ask because I encounter a couple of individuals who, from time to time, start quoting sections from their JD, and even from the JD of others in arguing that they should not be doing a particular task. It often comes to the point of debating the meaning and context of a phrase and even specific words.

As long as what I am asked to do is reasonable I really can’t be bothered with that nonsense.

We've got a few like that - one is the union rep, the others are just workshy, lazy buggers. The rest of us just get on with it and when necessray, work together to get the job done - even if it means doing the higer or lower pay grade's job.

I did look at the latest version of my job description & requirements the other day as they put out an internal job offer to temporaily fill a vacancy - due to additional qualification requirements, I can't even apply for my own job!

 

[Jenkins]

Don’t be so sure.

I frequently recruit individuals who, whilst not having the relevant academic requirement, more than make up for it in experience and transferable skills.

This is the civil service - the job application states you need these qualifications (they are all internal ones - part of the 2+ months induction & training for all new recruits for the past 15 years) and you have to show them on the application form. No qualification, your application gets rejected, so I guess your point about jobsworths applies to this.

 

[Mike_P]

I had a job where senior management were content provided I did what had to be done to also do anything which needed to be done but which no else could be bothered to do. Two restructures later new management brought the job back and gave it to the office show pony. Needless to say nothing beyond what is specified gets done and their sole major contribution ever has been to do destroy over 25 years worth of unique irreplaceable records because they were old and tatty.

 

[Time Waster]

TLR
In our workplace everyone is equal but some get away with refusing reasonable tasks and make the same few do the grotty jobs over and over again. I hate that and would sack the workshy buggers and the works manager who let's them get away with it by covering for them.

We have two main types at work. Those who give a dam and those who don't! They are usually people who survived 2 years without getting found out and finished. After 2 years they refuse a job given to them by the works manager if they don't like it, so it goes to the same set of people who just get on with it. If they don't outright refuse they'll go so slow or pretend not to know what they're doing or do a really bag job until it gets taken off them. Those people are usually either relatives of works manager or directors, or they get on well with them so they get away with it. A few can be right difficult so they get away with everything.

The worst bit of it is that you know some get away with everything but others get dropped on from a great height. The same few get the shoot jobs and get bollocked if they complain. It's so bad that the awful, lazy buggers get covered for by the works manager even the directors/ owners. It's annoying when you see the owners helping out on production getting down and dirty when some of their employees simply refuse.

BTW everyone but a few in the "management team" are on the same production operative and it's part of the jd that they are expected to do anything in the factory subject to training. Most get trained up in the first 2 years on the main jobs but usually fall into a function they're good at with urgent cover on other jobs when needed. This cover is where they refuse.

BTW there is only one director, out of three executive directors, who doesn't help out on production and that's because he's old and knackered! Two new hips, two new knees, arthritis in other places and had a bypass plus other things that were kept secret somehow (there's almost no chance of keeping things secret at our place). He still does what he can until the pain gets too bad.

That's what is the worst thing. Some refuse certain jobs because they had a couple of days of back pain (in one case from lifting weights at home) but others carry on after having two crushed vertebrae, with a hernia and other pain issues. That person never complains even when lifting 35 to 45kg bulky loads. I fact we can't stop him despite him being told to get help and use various lifting equipment available to him.

IMHO you get grafters and wastes of spaces in every workplace. I have no issues with either except when they happily let others do what they won't. I don't like people getting away with things in the full knowledge the same few will be put upon because of their refusal. Indeed I've heard such people telling the works manager to give it to one of those victims.

 

[vickster]

I had a junior colleague tell me today that I’m doing too many things on a project that I shouldn’t be doing at my level (I actually don‘t mind when I’m not super busy, better than having nothing to do…and I know it’ll be done right )

 

[Profpointy]

I've never worried unduly, and when I wrote JDs for people I was recruiting I always included "and any other tasks that may reasonably be required from time to time".

To be fair to (some) jobsworths, there are probably instances of giving people shoot tasks or things they're no good at to drive people out unfairly. I always worked in reasonable places so if it was a new to me activity I'd warn the boss it wasn't really my skill set but I'd do my best.

I guess there'd have to be a discussion if you'd been given a different (and less appealing) entirely from what was agreed, or if you were doing a more senior job than your pay level for an extended period of time without realistic promise of promotion in due course

I remember in a previous job we were introducing some new technology and (some of) the team who'd be working with it were moaning "we've not been trained on that". The more keen people were thinking "Ooh, sexy new tech. That'll look good on my CV. Yes please, put me down for that!". In my field (IT / telecomms) you really wanted to keep up to date with the new stuff; vital career wise, but also more fun, so I never understood the attitude.

 

[Roseland triker]

Hell

My job description is get it bloody done and hury the F*#@ up.

I think if I said it is not in my job description I would get told to work it out or f*@# off basically so farm work is probably the closest term I could apply.
That however causes more issues so we just go to work and do what ever needs doing.

 

[annedonnelly]

A true scenario where I used to work. Supermarket deliveries that involved presenting full cages of goodies to the rear of the trailer then back door man takes cages from there to the shop/warehouse.
Reverse procedure with empty cages.
Driver, being helpful, assists back door man to push cages across the yard. He hurts himself doing it and has to be driven to hospital.
He was off work for a while. Company refused any responsibility for his injury and any pay while he was off saying it wasn't in his job description, or role, to be doing what he did.

Yep, that's why some people are, rightly, cautious about doing things they're not instructed to do. Though if the driver had just stood watching he'd have looked unhelpful.

 

[Saluki]

I remember a relative saying about ‘it’s not my job’ or ‘on in my job description’. They said, “don’t be one of those people” they never do well in life as their minds are too narrow to muck in with others”. They were saying ’don't be lazy and inflexible’ really. It was excellent advice.


I am pretty sure that, outside of a joke to my late MiL, that I haven’t said it (something about whether or not I iron pants).
I just go to work and crack on with things that need doing. Only yesterday I was doing a load of digital filing for the other admin, who cannot do my job as she doesn’t have the kit, but I didn’t have much on so was delighted to help. In fact, I learned loads so a win-win situation all around.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Who here regularly reads their job description, or knows it in enough detail, to regularly use that age old “it is not in my job description“ disclaimer to get out of doing a task asked of them?

I started my current job around 5 years ago and, apart from reading the JD in order to complete the application form, haven’t looked at it since.

I ask because I encounter a couple of individuals who, from time to time, start quoting sections from their JD, and even from the JD of others in arguing that they should not be doing a particular task. It often comes to the point of debating the meaning and context of a phrase and even specific words.

As long as what I am asked to do is reasonable I really can’t be bothered with that nonsense.

I tend to do the exact opposite; I've moved department since my contract was written and no-one is quite sure how this department will develop, so I take full advantage of that (within reason) to do what I think is right without asking people.

 

[JtB]

Since retiring Mrs JtB is my boss. I’m not sure exactly how she would respond to “it’s not in my job description”, but I do know it would not be good for me 😵‍💫

 

[Cycleops]

IMO 'Chief tea maker and bottle washer' should be written into every job description.

 

[annedonnelly]

I remember a relative saying about ‘it’s not my job’ or ‘on in my job description’. They said, “don’t be one of those people” they never do well in life as their minds are too narrow to muck in with others”. They were saying ’don't be lazy and inflexible’ really. It was excellent advice.


I am pretty sure that, outside of a joke to my late MiL, that I haven’t said it (something about whether or not I iron pants).
I just go to work and crack on with things that need doing. Only yesterday I was doing a load of digital filing for the other admin, who cannot do my job as she doesn’t have the kit, but I didn’t have much on so was delighted to help. In fact, I learned loads so a win-win situation all around.

Actually one of the jobs I disliked most was one where we had to charge all of our time to job codes. I understand why it was necessary but it meant that if you were at a loose end you couldn't easily help a colleague unless they were able to provide a code for you to charge to. Very frustrating. "Sorry, I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs but I can't help you with that problem 'cos I'm not allowed to be charged against your project"