# Bob is trapped in his job, how would you resolve this problem? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2016, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872 "2016-06-20T06:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/41 "2016-06-20T15:36:10Z")
How long has Bob been working for the company and how long in his present position? How does this compare to his superiors? It is obvious that Bod needs to either find a new job or have his current job changed to reduce the workload to be more manageable. What would be the consequences to the company be of Bob leaving? If Bob has as much or more seniority at the company than his superiors, it is quite likely they would feel they could not run the company without him. Perhaps this is why they pile the work on, to keep him so busy he cannot find a new job. If this is the case, a few “minor failures” that the company could survive, but would make management look bad might be in order. Of course, nothing that could be considered deliberate, but people do have to take time for Doctor and Dentist appointments, and other time off has to be taken. People do make mistakes and when they are overworked, sometimes they forget everything they have on their plate. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/42 "2016-06-20T16:15:40Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > What would happen if Bob did become ill? If he go cancer, had a heart attack, got in a car wreck? Would the company literally go out of business? Possibly. It nearly happened during Bob’s most recent vacation. Shit got serious; Production ground to a halt across the company - Bob travelled back from the other end of the country to resolve the problem. After he did so, the remainder of that week off was cancelled by his boss on account of fresh projects that had arisen. > [@](#): > > What if he got a little bit ill–missed a couple weeks because he got pneumonia, had his appendix out? Would they fire him after the entire system melted down? That’s pretty much what happened to Bob’s predecessor who got sick. They were about to fire him; he threatened legal action and they settled out of court. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/43 "2016-06-20T16:23:26Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Until fairly recently in my career, I’ve often found myself in similar positions where I was working longs hours trying to meet some ridiculous deadline without the proper resources. A couple of things I learned: > > - If a company is so dysfunctional that you have to kill yourself to make it work, chances are there isn’t much of a future there anyway. > - If the company isn’t willing to support you with proper staff, they probably aren’t going to support you with a promotion or a raise either. > - If you are the only person in the office when the cleaning staff are emptying waste buckets, you are doing something wrong. > - At some point you WILL have a personal obligation that you will be unwilling or unable to cancel (even if it is your upcoming trip to the hospital). So you might as well draw a line in the sand now. > - If they are going to fire you for something, might as well be for not working like their work bitch. > - As a senior manager, I wouldn’t expect you to be “doing” things yourself. If stuff needs to get done, you need to learn how to make a compelling argument to your managers that you need the proper resources. > - If you are the only person who can do the work, that in and of itself is leverage. Upvoted. I was in a similar position a couple of years ago where the management above me repeatedly failed to provide the necessary resources or support, was obstructive about hiring even though I numerically didn’t have enough people to do the planned work, and finally just saddled me with a problem employee and refused to allow me the appropriate latitude to effectively discipline the authority. I finally broke the dam when said problem employee stepped over a line and I sent an e-mail to management and human resources liberally spiced with the kind of specific language that nobody could ignore (“creatinbg a hostile work environment”, “employees feel threatened”, “gross insubordination and refusal to adhere to basic standards and policies”, et cetera). Somehow, I was blamed for the employee’s behavior and utter lack of performance even though I had been warning management and HR about these specific issues in extensive detail for months and had a “performance log” of the employee that was four inches thick. (I was actually criticized and castigated for keeping this record separate from the HR file, even after I specifically asked the HR investigator to point me to a policy, standard, or law which prohibited me from doing so.) At this point, it was clear that I would never receive the correct support to help and support my good staff, and I was already looking for other positions when a suitable one basically fell into my lap. Lesson learned: if your management isn’t supporting you now, when you are doing your damnest to be productive, and recognizing the need to allow you vacation to get away and refresh yourself, they sure as shit aren’t going to back you up when things are going awry or when you have a genuine personal issue that requires leave. Employment is an exchange of money and benefits for valued services, but if they aren’t valuing your services with compensation and consideration, you should make it clear that you are going to move on unless the situation changes. No job ultimately is worth your mental, emotional, and physical health, even if you are literally saving the world. As any SAR-trained person will tell you, the first person you look after is yourself, because a rescuer that gets injured or in trouble just creates a bigger problem. The same applies more generally to life. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/44 "2016-06-20T16:32:10Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Possibly. It nearly happened during Bob’s most recent vacation. Shit got serious; Production ground to a halt across the company - Bob travelled back from the other end of the country to resolve the problem. After he did so, the remainder of that week off was cancelled by his boss on account of fresh projects that had arisen. > > That’s pretty much what happened to Bob’s predecessor who got sick. They were about to fire him; he threatened legal action and they settled out of court. What kind of holy fuckup of a company is this that is so dependant upon one guy that production grounds to a halt, but they don’t treat this many-splendored employee like the Duke of Edinburgh? Fuck the nonsense of giving up vacation; they should be paying you a performance bonus for being the kingpin holding their locomotive together. Either you’ve massively misestimated your importance, or you should walk in and demand the resources you need and pay commiserate with your efforts, or else shut them out like Nolan Ryan. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/45 "2016-06-20T16:45:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Sure it can. He’s volunteering to do it. He has no choice but to volunteer, but in the case of a legal dispute, the company’s lawyers will point out that _nobody ever actually asked Bob to work more than his paid hours - maybe he’s just terrible at managing his workload._ The OP didn’t specify what Bob’s position is. If it qualifies for exempt status, then he can be required to work however long it takes without extra pay. It it doesn’t, he has to paid for overtime whether he volunteers or not.The company can still require him to work overtime, but they have to pay him for it. And for the record, the roles of management are defined by the DOL. You can’t just call someone a manager if they’re mostly doing regular work. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/46 "2016-06-20T17:12:48Z")
Bob needs to drop his balls and stand up for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/47 "2016-06-20T17:29:08Z")
There’s a practical joke you play on people where you offer to show a magic trick: You climb on a chair while holding a full glass of water, touch the rim of the glass to the ceiling, and then get someone to press the tip of a broom handle against the bottom of the glass to support it while you climb down from the chair. Then you and everyone leave the room, leaving the poor schmuck with the broom stuck holding a glass of water against the ceiling. If they let go of the broom, the glass falls and water spills everywhere. Let me ask: if that person says fuck it and lets go of the broom, whose fault is the spill? ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/48 "2016-06-20T17:56:45Z")
Bob should apply for whatever job his superior has. If he doesn’t get it, then he should change his name to Mitt and quit. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/49 "2016-06-20T17:59:01Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > One more constraint (and I’m not just making these up to try to render the question unanswerable, honest) - Bob is in charge of a service that, if it fails, causes the whole business to come to a standstill (and this will be regarded as Bob’s failure, not an inherent failure of the prevailing situation). It this specific problem that prevents him taking leave. > > Bob has a team to which tasks can notionally be delegated, but resource demand from mandatory/urgent work is already pegged constantly well above capacity (125% normally, peaking 175%) - so any dip in effort pretty immediately causes serious outcomes. One thing -= and Bob would have to check with a lawyer and a doctor to make this work - would be to get a doctor to say that he is at risk of severe health problems if he keeps it up - which he probably is - and to document it. Once he gets this, he might be protected by disability laws. Somewhere there should be legal means of keeping a company from killing you from overwork. I trust Bob is looking for other employment. If this doesn’t work Bob needs to go to the mat, and say that without additional help he cannot keep this up, and the bosses had better compare the cost of a company-wide shutdown with the cost of one or two new employees. If the company really collapses the bosses will lose also. And he should cut back on his documentation as much as possible to make it harder for a replacement to pick up the pieces. Not destroy anything, just prioritize. I agree with those who say this company doesn’t have much of a future anyway. I did my 60 hours a week once on a clearly doomed project. I got another job and life got much better. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/50 "2016-06-20T18:33:42Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > One more constraint (and I’m not just making these up to try to render the question unanswerable, honest) - Bob is in charge of a service that, if it fails, causes the whole business to come to a standstill (and this will be regarded as Bob’s failure, not an inherent failure of the prevailing situation). It this specific problem that prevents him taking leave. > > Bob has a team to which tasks can notionally be delegated, but resource demand from mandatory/urgent work is already pegged constantly well above capacity (125% normally, peaking 175%) - so any dip in effort pretty immediately causes serious outcomes. Then Bob has a lot of clout that he’s not using. If his “failure” will essentially shut down the business, he needs to give them a taste of the consequences. He needs to start making demands, whether for more staff so he can use his leave and work reasonable hours, or more money. But I don’t really get this claim. Are you saying Bob doesn’t understand what a key role he plays? Or the company doesn’t? Or no one but the OP, the all-knowing narrator, gets it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/51 "2016-06-20T20:10:02Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > What kind of holy fuckup of a company is this that is so dependant upon one guy that production grounds to a halt, but they don’t treat this many-splendored employee like the Duke of Edinburgh? Fuck the nonsense of giving up vacation; they should be paying you a performance bonus for being the kingpin holding their locomotive together. Either you’ve massively misestimated your importance, or you should walk in and demand the resources you need and pay commiserate with your efforts, or else shut them out like Nolan Ryan. > > Stranger Bob reports directly to the CEO (he’s the only manager. Bob knows he’s a critical component of the company’s function, but the board has demonstrated their boneheadedness in the face of challenge before. They will win any conflict just to assert their authority, even the cost of doing so is punitive. They’re actually just not very good at assessing risk and linking cause and effect. Bob can’t stay; the job will kill him. Bob can’t quit; he’ll face financial risk. Bob can’t change the situation; the resistance to change is just too great. Really, it’s pretty clear that the area where Bob has the most control and opportunity is in his search for alternative employment. There has been some good advice and analysis in this thread, I’ll make sure Bob sees it 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/52 "2016-06-20T20:22:25Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Let me ask: if that person says fuck it and lets go of the broom, whose fault is the spill? I’ve read that glurge. Turns out there’s another set of footprints in the sand. Let go of the broom, Jesus will hold it up. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/53 "2016-06-20T20:28:44Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Bob reports directly to the CEO (he’s the only manager. Sorry - that bit doesn’t parse. It’s meant to read “he’s the only manager in that reporting line” ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/54 "2016-06-20T20:30:29Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Bob reports directly to the CEO (he’s the only manager. Bob knows he’s a critical component of the company’s function, but the board has demonstrated their boneheadedness in the face of challenge before. They will win any conflict just to assert their authority, even the cost of doing so is punitive. > > They’re actually just not very good at assessing risk and linking cause and effect. > > Bob can’t stay; the job will kill him. Bob can’t quit; he’ll face financial risk. Bob can’t change the situation; the resistance to change is just too great. Really, it’s pretty clear that the area where Bob has the most control and opportunity is in his search for alternative employment. > > There has been some good advice and analysis in this thread, I’ll make sure Bob sees it 😉 Bob should also change his financial situation so that he doesn’t face catastrophe if he loses his job. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/55 "2016-06-20T20:37:06Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Bob should also change his financial situation so that he doesn’t face catastrophe if he loses his job. He’s insured against involuntary loss of employment, but insurance against _just walking out_ is harder to find. Of course that’s not the only way to protect oneself from financial impacts. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/56 "2016-06-20T20:37:36Z")
The only rational solution to Bob’s problem is suicide. Until then, he should quit EvilCorp today. Nobody that reports directly to a CEO can be without marketable skills. If he’s working 70 hours a week, he can get TWO jobs for half as much money and retain the same work week and pay. He should get a dead fish, put it in the CEO’s desk, take a dump in his chair, tell him he has ugly children, and walk out. He will feel much, much better. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/57 "2016-06-20T20:45:26Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > He’s insured against involuntary loss of employment, but insurance against _just walking out_ is harder to find. Of course that’s not the only way to protect oneself from financial impacts. Well, then, Bob should just let this play out until he gets fired. Implement some of the stress- and sanity-saving measures we’ve suggested (prioritizing, delegating, letting minor stuff crash and burn, etc.), keep looking for a new gig, but in the meantime, let them fire you. At least Bob can get unemployment and if he’s insured against involuntary loss of employment, then there you go. That’s the exit door. Usually, executives at that level have some nice little golden parachute deals set up. Does Bob have stock options or a 401(k) or something that could also hold him over in the event of involuntary loss of employment? Surely, Bob hasn’t been at that high a level for however many years and has zero savings or retirement investments. If that is the case, then Bob should seriously restructure his personal finances before taking any other action. Does Bob really \*need \*cable? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/58 "2016-06-20T20:47:30Z")
Bob’s coming off as not so bright. How long has he been digging this particular hole? One day Bob’s gonna wake up and recognize the only way out, is out! He’ll be lucky if he’s not doing so after waking up in a hospital, in my opinion. One has to wonder what he WON’T put up with on his job? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/59 "2016-06-20T20:49:51Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Well, then, Bob should just let this play out until he gets fired. Implement some of the stress- and sanity-saving measures we’ve suggested (prioritizing, delegating, letting minor stuff crash and burn, etc.), keep looking for a new gig, but in the meantime, let them fire you. At least Bob can get unemployment and if he’s insured against involuntary loss of employment, then there you go. That’s the exit door. That’s not going to look too good on the CV though, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872/60 "2016-06-20T20:52:05Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Bob’s coming off as not so bright. How long has he been digging this particular hole? A couple of years - a little longer than any of his predecessors lasted in the role. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-is-trapped-in-his-job-how-would-you-resolve-this-problem/757872.md?page=4)