Working outside your normal duties

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Soldato
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After seeing Apatia77's thread "oh noes I have to do some actual work" thread it got me thinking about what people do do outside of what you might consider "within your remit"

Right so I'm a dynomometer operator for a performance car tuning garage.
What would I consider that I do outside of this that I'm not asked to do.

Sweeping
Hoovering
Tidying up
Mopping the floor
Emptying the bins
Ordering parts
Stock control
Washing up
Making drinks
Shopping
Collecting items for other employees.
Collecting parts from companies that don't deliver.
Using the net to further the business name and keep check of what's being said.

Do I get praise for it. NO
Do I get extra pay for it. NO
Might it make the ship sail a little better.. HELL YES.

So are you a jobsworth blinker wearing sheep that clocks in at 8.59am and is running for the door at 5.29pm, bleating "that's not in my contract" during the day, or do you actually try and be part of a team and further the business you are in?
 
That is in your contract, other duties as required. :p

we all do loads extra, othwerwise we would all be sat at home every day, going we can't do anything because of x,y,z.
 
I can't be bothered to list all of the smaller jobs that I do that are outside of my normal job description :p With the exception of the company directors, I'm the longest running employee here and I can do practically anything needed for the business!

As for going "above and beyond", I regularly work past my hours. A couple of weeks ago, I worked 12 hours on a Saturday entirely unpaid and without time in leui :o Pays itself back in other ways though.
 
I wouldn't mind working outside my normal duties, if doing so wouldn't leave others open to repurcussions or problems.
 
Employees are being asked to do more and more odd jobs because of either stiff job competition or bad contracts/employers.

Company Brain: "Why hire a Sales Supervisor for just sales when I can make them do the cleaning as well and save myself having to employ a cleaner".

Or if your company rents you as a service:

Possible Contracted Company: "What can you offer us?"
Company brain: "If you hire our 'insert you here', they will be receptionists, clean, answer queries, guard the door, be the welcome officer, etc... etc..."

More and more our job roles are becoming generalised to save costs for the employer, and what are our choices as employees? Well they're to be hired and do work we're not titled to do or to not be hired.

C'est la vie
 
My official job at work is shop manager but I also;

Provide cover for the managers when required
Provide cover for the projectionists when required
Look after the stock control
Provide IT support on a nearly regular basis :/
Perform any and all tasks related to the general running of the cinema
Regularly stay after my appointed hours to ensure the smooth operation of the cinema

I could just do like the others, keep my head down and get on with the daily routine, never doing anything outside of my appointed tasks but that just be boring.
 
FabienO said:
Possible Contracted Company: "What can you offer us?"
Company brain: "If you hire our 'insert you here', they will be receptionists, clean, answer queries, guard the door, be the welcome officer, etc... etc..."
Click to expand...

Pure fantasy.

Lets put it another way - does the company hire 5 sales guys, 5 warehouse guys and 5 techs. You only need 5 sales on mondays and tuesdays, only need 5 techs on fridays and 5 warehouse on wednesdays.

What is the point of hiring all those staff to drink tea and chat most of the week when people from other departments can help out while they are quiet?
 
I just help out on the golf course so happy doing most things but will do any job I'm asked. As I only work in the summer and only a few days when I join college I think it's good to just get on with it then in the future you will be willing to help out it might just benefit you in someway.
 
Telescopi said:
Pure fantasy.

Lets put it another way - does the company hire 5 sales guys, 5 warehouse guys and 5 techs. You only need 5 sales on mondays and tuesdays, only need 5 techs on fridays and 5 warehouse on wednesdays.

What is the point of hiring all those staff to drink tea and chat most of the week when people from other departments can help out while they are quiet?
Click to expand...

Your example is based on the fact that there is not enough work available during the week for each person to be employed all week. In mine I am referring to role mergers which could otherwise be done by two people. Rather to have 1 overworked than 2 worked. Granted I am sure this isn't true for everyone, but it has certainly been true for me in the past.
 
I tend to do pretty much what is asked of me during the day whether it is related to why I was employed in the first place or not. I've worked with folks who think it is below them to do certain tasks, ie: cleaning up - even though half the crap that needs cleaned up is their mess anyway.
I'd rather be keeping busy than standing scratching myself anyhow and usually find it's a break from routine so don't mind. The only thing regarding the OP that I'd be strict about is the times, in that I wouldn't stay unpaid etc..
 
FabienO said:
Rather to have 1 overworked than 2 worked. Granted I am sure this isn't true for everyone, but it has certainly been true for me in the past.
Click to expand...

What is over worked though? Are you just busy or working overtime constantly?

It isn't unreasonable to be fully occupied during your owrking day is it?
 
I am the least paid of the 3 guys who do the EXACT same job, i do it a hell of a lot better, and do a hell of a lot more work to help other people :(
 
G18241 said:
I am the least paid of the 3 guys who do the EXACT same job, i do it a hell of a lot better, and do a hell of a lot more work to help other people :(
Click to expand...

Does being good at your job and helping others make you feel bad? Or do you feel you aren't being recognised for it?

I suggest you talk to somebody or at some point you'll just become bitter and sour and end up like some others in this and the 'omg manual labour' thread.
 
No i like helping others :)

i never get recognised for it and am being paid 6k less than someone doing the exact same job as me...that makes me feel like its pointless going out of my way
 
If you are asked to undertake a task that you are over qualified to do, my recommendation would be to smile and do it willingly, thinking:
I am being paid whatever I am doing
I am glad to have work to do
I am glad to be employed
I am glad to be considered useful
I am glad that there isn't an immigrant working doing my job for half my pay.
 
I do my job, i.e. what I was employed to do and closely related tasks (and no my contract does not have a generic we can make you do anything statement in it). My current role involves a wider range of responsibilities than what I was doing previously with in the same area but they are all directly related to my field of expertise.

Do I do cleaning ... no, (except obvious things like tidying up packaging if I have had new test kit delivered and making sure my desk is in a reasonable state). Normal cleaning is done by the contracted cleaning staff. If they have an issue staffing that then that is between them and our facilities management.

Similarly I do not move heavy boxes around. Our company can be pretty strict on this for liability reasons (I think there have been issues in the past) and I am actually not allowed to do so, especially as I have not done a manual handling course. They are strict on this to the extent that when I had a new 22" LCD monitor delivered for work use I had to wait until the post room delivered it to my desk (on a trolley!) and was not allowed to pick it up from the post room myself.

With overtime, I do ~3-4 hours more than my contracted hours per week anyway just by working slightly longer days. If they want me to work more than this then they need to pay me overtime as per my contract of employment. I don't do shift working and my contract specifically states that I am not employed to do so.

edit: I would add that I have found in the past that if you agree to doing anything then you end up being taken advantage of hence I make sure it's clear what is, and is not, covered by what I am employed to do now.
 
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