Office Auntie
4 Aug 08
I'm unfairly ignored
Dear Office Auntie
I work in finance. That means that everyone thinks I am a nuisance and any requests I make for information go to the bottom of their to-do list. I know it’s deliberate, I know they try to make my life harder. It does not help that I am in Scotland and they are based around Europe and can avoid me easily. Some even pretend they do not understand me, but English is our office language and I know their English is good. Life is so unfair– I get the hard work and they get the sunshine.
Auntie says
There are three regularly misunderstood sections in the organisation: IT, HR and finance. The reason is simple – when you do what you do well, no one thinks it can be that difficult: and of course they do not understand why you do what you do. It does make it harder when they are far away. If English is the company language I’m sure they speak it well, I’m not so sure they speak accountspeak. Nor does anyone feel good dealing with an invisible human being. So here is what you do. First, you go and see them face to face. You ask for a meeting and ask for any points they would like to discuss. You are going there to see them and show you are a human being: it almost does not matter what you talk about but it is a good idea to try and help them understand why you ask for the information you ask for. And if your boss won’t let you travel? Use video conferencing or, better, set up a “finance explained” workshop. Once they know you, send them friendly e-mails, stay in contact, ask after their families and friends, be a human being. Tell them how wonderful Scotland is, make them dream of your blue and purple hills amid their sweltering summer heat..