Like the job but not keen on my co workers.

dx052

I am temping at the moment at a very desirable company, I get paid a decent rate although I do work hard & long hours but the main people I work with are not very pleasant. Should I just keep quiet and look for something else in the mean time? Never really experienced anything like this before, I can't really talk to anybody about it as I am just a temp and don't want to jeopardize my position. I am pretty good with getting on with most people & I am pretty chilled but this place is very cliche and basically up themselves a bit. I really like the role think I need to look elsewhere.

tommytynan123

I've just started a new job (at age 59) and this is the 1st job where I get on well with all the staff. Cliques will always form anywhere not just in the workplace and it may be they view you as some sort of threat.
Just ''head down'' and do your job with a smile whilst being polite no matter what is said or done. Eventually they will edge closer and the problem will go away.
Not ideal but thats often the way it is.

JKSandy

My manager is moody and you never know from day to day what your suppose to be focused on, whatever you decide it's the wrong thing.

My advice is head down and if a job elsewhere comes up that suits go for it.

DomRavioli

OP, you're a temp - that means you're there to make money, you will be looked down on for the most part by the perm staff (9 years experience of temping!) - you're not paid to be social, you're paid to work so don't expect especially nowadays to have a chinwag with people who don't know you and are busy working.

I've worked with people who are less than pleasant; you're lucky you're on assignment with a company who doesn't treat temps like scum, calls them names and even messes with their lunch.

Murphybear

Not all temping assignments are like that. I have worked as a medical secretary in some NHS Hospitals and everyone was really nice and friendly and I was included in everything even extra overtime at one place. I was asked to apply for the permanent job for which I was covering. I worked in a psychiatric locked unit more or less on a one to one basis, fab job and I was presented with a large box of chocs when leaving. I had similar experiences at temp University jobs as well.

FBaby

How long have you been there? It can take quite some time to be included in a team, but once you are, you can make great friendships. The problem with temps is that they come and go, so it doesn't always come naturally to include them in a team that is close knitted. Give it a bit more time, be pleasant and friendly, and as you become part of the picture, they will start opening up to you too.

dx052

Thanks for the advice guys, one person mentioned that they me see me as a threat which I didn't realize. I have been there for maybe a couple of months max. My social skills are fairly decent hence the reason I am not used to this situation. The only good thing about tempting is that you can decide if you would ever want to work there as a perm if offered the chance. I don't see why somebody would see me as a threat when I am only there due the lack of numbers in the department. I worked in a place as a temp just before Xmas and I got really well with the people there and it was nothing like it is here. As mentioned I will keep my head down and plough on till a suitable perm job comes along.

poorlittlefish

I'm curious to know what you said when that person said they see you as a threat. It's a back-handed compliment, in a way. Is he/she part of the clique? Maybe you working hard and doing long hours makes them feel they look (or are!) lazy or inefficient in comparison?

If it was me, I think I'd have to ask the person to explain a bit more about how they felt, reassure them and generally try and clear the air so everyone feels more at ease - but I'm pretty direct and I know that, for others, approaching someone in that context wouldn't be easy.

km1423

DomRavioli wrote: »

OP, you're a temp - that means you're there to make money, you will be looked down on for the most part by the perm staff (9 years experience of temping!) - you're not paid to be social, you're paid to work so don't expect especially nowadays to have a chinwag with people who don't know you and are busy working.

I've worked with people who are less than pleasant; you're lucky you're on assignment with a company who doesn't treat temps like scum, calls them names and even messes with their lunch.

I worked for years as a temp, most of the time more experienced/better skilled than those who were employed. Yep they looked down their noses on me, but I just got on with it, knowing that this contract would end one day.

My mum used to say to me - you go to work to earn money, not socialise. She was correct. My mum is so clever.:p:p

Big_Tree

temps aren't a threat in the obvious sense......it's having temps working for a company then becoming permanent, on contracts that aren't as attractive as long standing employees that is the threat.

All of a sudden Saturday and Sunday are treated as a contractual day for the temp so the long standing employees have now lost the chance for a bit of OT at double time.

The temp is performing as well as permanent employees yet doesn't receive any performance bonuses, now the management have a case for removing/reducing performance bonuses.

temps undermine longstanding contracted employees by working more unsociable hours for less money with less employment rights, that's why people don't like temps. When temps or agency staff are brought in it's the start of the decline.