What would you do in my situation?

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cristyd

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I am working in shifts in an IT company. I am what is called Level1. It means i am the one the customer calls the firt time they have an issue. I do the first investigations and trouble shooting and if i can’t solve it I am supposed to send it to L2 and if he can’t do it he sends it to L3. So L2 is supposed to have much more knowledge then me and the L3 are the masters in IT.

We are working in shifts one of each L1 plus one L2 and the L3 is contacted very rarely and they work someplace else. I am not allowed to contact them. Only the L2 can do it.

My problem is my L2 is never helping me with anything. When night shifts he sleeps with the head on the desk. When i don’t know something and ask for help he says he doesn’t know and sends me to goggle it. I did it many times and i managed somehow until now. However if a serious situation comes during night I will not be able to solve it and we have some maximum time for solving issues. So i decided to tell this to my manager. He said he is also unsatisfied with L2 work and he will solve this without the guy knowing i talked to him. I saw some improvement in the guy for some time but then it became the same. I know i can’t rely on him, that i am alone no matter what the issue will be.

When he was sick for a week i had a L2 replacement and it was wonderful. We fixed all issues together. He even explained e some things i didn’t know. We talked when there was no job.

Now my L2 started also to come late all the time. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes 20, one time he came after 1 hour. My manager caught him several times late. Yesterday he was late also and my manager asked me in front of other people working there if he is always late. I said sometimes. He said sometimes always or sometimes. I said sometimes, what do you want me to tell you, you get it.

Now i fell bad that i have to be the one who tells but i didn’t want to lie to the boss when he saw himself that the guy is coming late. And then it’s about my job. I was unemployed half a year last year and it was hard for me to find this job. We need it, my husband and I. And what i was telling was the truth.

What would you in my situation. Try to defend the colleague from the boss or tell the truth even if I will probably become the bad one who rats on the colleague.
 
  1. Try to speak directly with L2, tell him that you are having a hard time, and that you would like to have a better work relationship.
  2. I have a problem with your manager asking you in front of others if your co worker is late.
    If manager is concerned with tardiness he should implement a way to deal with it. People have used time cards since the Flintstones 😉
  3. Maybe you could rearrange your shift, where you would not be paired with that L2 but another L2. Is that possible?
 
Given the difficult situation your boss put you in, you did exactly the right thing. You did not lie, and so you did not sin. Avoiding sin is always the right thing.

I would speak with your boss again, and let him know that his questioning you in front of other employees (especially in front of the employee in question) made you uncomfortable. You don’t have to be confrontational, but you could say that it would be easier for you to answer his questions honestly if he asks you in private.

If the L2 confronts you about what happened, you could simply tell him that you are a Christian and do not lie, no matter the situation. You never know, it may inspire him to straighten up.

Finally, pray about the situation, and trust that everything will turn out for good. God knew this would happen when you received the job offer, and God knows the resolution already. Trust in that.
 
cristyd said:
What would you in my situation. Try to defend the colleague from the boss or tell the truth even if I will probably become the bad one who rats on the colleague.
Click to expand...
I would tell the truth, and I would continue to insist that they do something about this irresponsible and uncooperative employee. If my manager didn’t fix the situation, I would go to HR.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
  1. Try to speak directly with L2, tell him that you are having a hard time, and that you would like to have a better work relationship.
  2. I have a problem with your manager asking you in front of others if your co worker is late.
    If manager is concerned with tardiness he should implement a way to deal with it. People have used time cards since the Flintstones 😉
  3. Maybe you could rearrange your shift, where you would not be paired with that L2 but another L2. Is that possible?
Click to expand...
  1. I spoke with him. I didn’t say i was unsatisfied with him but i told him that since he is the L2 he should have more knowledge then me and should know how to solve some of the issues i can’t or sent them to the upper level or at least give me some tips where to look for the answer if he doesn’t want to take the issue. He said that he doesn’t know more then me that we were not properly trained for the job we are doing and that some of the L1 guys know more then he does. He said that he was hired on L2 only because he has more certifications then me. What does that mean i don’t know. For me more certification means also more knowledge?
  2. Here i agree with you.
  3. I can’t. If i want to change i must find some L1 that is willing to change for me. During the working days we are more people working. I am alone with my L2 only on night and weekends. So all my colleagues know him and they don’t want to be with him.
 
I would talk with the manager and tell him that you cannot do your job properly unless the L2 is available to do his. Tell the boss that the L2 not doing his job affects customer service. Take dated notes. It will protect you if someone tries to blame you for any unhappy customer that gets caught up in this drams.

Tell the manager as well that you don’t like being put on the spot in front of other employees, and that in the future it would be best to discuss these things in private. Personally, I would never do that to one of my employees and I own my business.
 
cristyd, I’m an L3 😃 Actually, I’m a systems engineer/architect who designs email systems, builds storage arrays and works on blade servers.

Sounds like you will soon be the L2 and the current L2 will soon be L-zero. 😉

I would study whatever the L2 needs to know, buy some books and build a lab if needed, and prepare myself for filling out the application for his job when they fire him. I’m not kidding on this. This is how it works in our industry - the one who can figure out the problem is the one who gets to keep his job.

About telling the truth, personally, I wouldn’t worry about it. It stinks that your boss did that in front of others but the truth is the truth and it’s the L2’s own fault, not yours. Keep your own concious clean, show up on time and keep your reputation spotless. Personally, I think God has called you out to perform at your personal best due to your boss’ public questioning.

I can tell you from experience, the best thing you can do on the help desk is have absolutely impeccable customer service skills. You will soon be the L2.

-Tim-
 
cristyd said:
I am working in shifts in an IT company. I am what is called Level1. It means i am the one the customer calls the firt time they have an issue. I do the first investigations and trouble shooting and if i can’t solve it I am supposed to send it to L2 and if he can’t do it he sends it to L3. So L2 is supposed to have much more knowledge then me and the L3 are the masters in IT.

We are working in shifts one of each L1 plus one L2 and the L3 is contacted very rarely and they work someplace else. I am not allowed to contact them. Only the L2 can do it.

My problem is my L2 is never helping me with anything. When night shifts he sleeps with the head on the desk. When i don’t know something and ask for help he says he doesn’t know and sends me to goggle it. I did it many times and i managed somehow until now. However if a serious situation comes during night I will not be able to solve it and we have some maximum time for solving issues. So i decided to tell this to my manager. He said he is also unsatisfied with L2 work and he will solve this without the guy knowing i talked to him. I saw some improvement in the guy for some time but then it became the same. I know i can’t rely on him, that i am alone no matter what the issue will be.

When he was sick for a week i had a L2 replacement and it was wonderful. We fixed all issues together. He even explained e some things i didn’t know. We talked when there was no job.

Now my L2 started also to come late all the time. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes 20, one time he came after 1 hour. My manager caught him several times late. Yesterday he was late also and my manager asked me in front of other people working there if he is always late. I said sometimes. He said sometimes always or sometimes. I said sometimes, what do you want me to tell you, you get it.

Now i fell bad that i have to be the one who tells but i didn’t want to lie to the boss when he saw himself that the guy is coming late. And then it’s about my job. I was unemployed half a year last year and it was hard for me to find this job. We need it, my husband and I. And what i was telling was the truth.

What would you in my situation. Try to defend the colleague from the boss or tell the truth even if I will probably become the bad one who rats on the colleague.
Click to expand...
I’d do exactly what you did.
The L2 knows that he’s failing you and failing his employer.
I wouldn’t need to bring that to his attention.

My guess is that as time passes, this L2 will be no more.
Meanwhile as Timothy H susggested, upgrade your skills.
Find out what texts can push you to the next level.
 
investigate to see if there is course you can take to increase your knowledge. If that course would be during your work hours, run it pass your boss as a means to change hours.
 
Big_Dummy said:
investigate to see if there is course you can take to increase your knowledge. If that course would be during your work hours, run it pass your boss as a means to change hours.
Click to expand...
brilliant.
i applaud you.
 
You did the right thing. Never be afraid of telling the truth, no matter what the consequences. I have been in a management position, and it sounds like the company would like to let this person go, but it is difficult without documentation of his unsatisfactory work. Hang in there, don’t be a “tattle tale”, but if you are asked again tell what you know. Hopefully, it will end soon and you will have a replacement to work with, who will not sleep on company time and do his job.
 
I think i did something bad today. I came to work to find out that my L2 is sick and that i have to work with a replacement and for a moment i was happy. Then i felt bad that i was happy for somebody’s sickness.
Is it a kortal sin and should i go to confess it?
 
I don’t think it is a mortal sin. It seems to me an impulsive reaction without any reflection behind it, from what you said. But of course feel free to mention this your next confession.
cristyd said:
I think i did something bad today. I came to work to find out that my L2 is sick and that i have to work with a replacement and for a moment i was happy. Then i felt bad that i was happy for somebody’s sickness.
Is it a kortal sin and should i go to confess it?
Click to expand...
 
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