Work Changes

I have so much to write about the kids, but work deserves a post or two as well.   Work has changed a lot for me in the past year and a half.  There was the roller coaster of  learning a lot of new tasks and skills when our company was purchased by new owners.  There was the stress of my long time manager being fired last fall. Though his departure was necessary (and for me even somewhat welcome) it was still stressful.  Then there was the disappointment of finding out that I was not going to be considered for his position.  And this January getting a new manager.

That would all be enough change for me, but our company also has a mandate on all properties that they manage that there be a separate private office for the interviewing of applicants. This is because our interviews deal a lot with personal financials due to our subsidy programs.  It makes sense, but I had a large spacious office that I shared with a coworker whom I like.  I had suggested a potential floor plan change  that would allow the needed privacy but this was all begun back when my old boss was there. He hated my idea and said we would simply cut our large office into two.

This finally happened about two months ago.  I spent more than a month working literally in the construction zone.  We could not let clients into the space but we could work in the hard hat zone and did, running back and forth to deal with customers at the other end of the building.  It was fairly insane but this is not the kind of office where you can work remotely for a month.

When it was done, we had two nice and pretty tiny  10 x 10 offices.  Powers that be finally figured out that I was right and there was not going to be room for the 4 gigantic lateral files that house tenant records and which I use daily, in my office.  Not and have room for anyone to sit down and meet with me. I tried to like the space but I really  hated it.  It was dark, despite the gold colored accent wall they gave me (I was not allowed to pick out my paint because they hired a 'colorist'.)  On cloudy days the beige on the other walls reminded me of the color of spackle as it dries.  I am slightly claustrophobic and although I was dealing, this was not a happy work space for me.

So, more changes.  A gigantic room that used to house computers for our residents was emptied and renovated to become my new office space.  There is room in there for all the files, an L shaped desk, a conferance table to meet with residents and applicants and 4 chairs around it comfortably.  With all that, there is still room to walk around!  I was allowed to pick out my own paint.  I did not ask for any of this, but am very happy that it happened.

It was sort of a carrot for something else that happened that the upper management knew I would not like.  I was previously Assistant Property Manager.  I liked the responsibilities because I like varied work duties.  And because obviously I am trying to prove that I am worthy of being promoted to a managership.  However due to the scope of our subsidy work and the fact that presently I am the only person highly trained in it, my coworker was promoted to Assistant Property Manager, a new person was brought in as a Management Assistant and I was given the new title of Manager of Compliance.

I am a make lemonade out of lemons kind of girl.  So I thanked them and asked what I could do concurrently with the compliance so that I can further my education for a managership.  I have been open from day 1 that I do not love doing paperwork all day long (ironically my wife loves the idea of just doing paperwork!) I am a big picture person who likes to have different tasks to rotate between.  I  was given the opportunity to meet with them in a month and cherry pick two of my former tasks that I liked that were removed from me when I was given sole responsibility of the dratted compliance.  I also received an assurance that I would be allowed to take advantage of educational opportunities that pertained directly to the property management angle as opposed to solely compliance.

In the midst of all of this, my wife who worked Saturdays at the same apartment community lost her job.  It was an elimination of her position, not a firing. But the lost income was a worry and the blow to her self esteem was hard as well.  Thankfully, she has been able to find a new position which she started today and I hope it is a good fit for her. I'll find out when she comes home tonght