Am I being too hard on myself?

I recently returned to work for a short holiday and I had a load of emails and messages/invoices to look at - just so I was updated with everything.

I just feel bad because I didn‘t respond to my boss‘ welcome back message for me, and they also asked me about an issue with our work calendar which I knew nothing about because I was away. Luckily my colleague knew what the issue was.

I was just quiet and I didn‘t respond. Its a new job and I‘m just finding it tricky to juggle socialising online with my colleagues as well as doing the work to the correct standard.

Am I being too hard on myself?
Any advice

Reply 1

Muttly

Its ok to feel its tricky to juggle socialising - but remember you are at work to work and its easy to waste hours on unproductive social emails or internet.

Your boss will be watching you to see how you perform, particularly in early days. Ignore them at your peril. The lack of communication speaks volumes about your ability to understand work politics, and good manners, and to acknowledge your role, and what you need to do. You work with your bosses as members of a team, and they need to know you are on board with everything. Even though you have been brought up to speed by other work colleagues about the calendar you should respond immediately to your boss to let them know you are OK with this change.

It depends on your work load and how 'snowed under' you are with work commitments for responses to emails. After any break, it can take ages to go through an in box. You have to be ruthless and 'park' or get rid of dross emails. Sort them out into immediate - action needed (date stamp), urgent, get to it down the line or trash and get to work on them. with a smiley to colleagues, particularly if you are finding your feet and need to do a quick reply. But you also need to prioritise work and become efficient at your job role. Respond quickly to colleagues, something that is quick and frees you up but doesn't make you appear aloof and stand offish.

If you ignore communications with your work bosses or supervisors they will wonder why. You will raise red flags about you for all the wrong reasons. You know what you know and why. You know what your plan of action may be. But no one else knows that. They are not telepathic, and unless you communicate that to them and you can become 'high maintenance' or 'difficult to manage' because of your lack of response.