Work issues need advice

[Salinasma]

So I've been with at my job for a little under a year now. It's a privately owned construction company, about 20k employees. Corporate environment. I'm a cost accountant on a 12 billion dollar project. I've been promoted twice in 10 months and I work hard(beyond the 40 hours of my salary). A majority of the lower positions in my department are filled with women. They've recently become jealous as I've surpassed many who've been with the company for much longer than I. They've spread some rumors that I've been bragging about my pay and I've never had any conversations with my coworkers about anything involving pay. I guess I'm just looking for some advice anybody could offer a young 25 year old male working with women. There's a lot of chatter and drama it seems. I'm learning how to deal with all this. Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks!
Mark

[Etschell]

I'm from San antonio.

I'd do nothing. Just keep on keeping on.

I've done the same thing w less fan fare in my career

[Star Ferry]

You have to stay above the fray.

Whether you keep your job, and whether you get promoted again, will depend on your seniors. Workplaces are not democracies.

With that said, the chatter could potentially make its way to your superiors. Always be a kind, modest person and avoid adding fuel to the fire. It's impossible to succeed at anything without attracting jealous haters

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[218225]

Originally Posted by Salinasma

So I've been with at my job for a little under a year now. It's a privately owned construction company, about 20k employees. Corporate environment. I'm a cost accountant on a 12 billion dollar project. I've been promoted twice in 10 months and I work hard(beyond the 40 hours of my salary). A majority of the lower positions in my department are filled with women. They've recently become jealous as I've surpassed many who've been with the company for much longer than I. They've spread some rumors that I've been bragging about my pay and I've never had any conversations with my coworkers about anything involving pay. I guess I'm just looking for some advice anybody could offer a young 25 year old male working with women. There's a lot of chatter and drama it seems. I'm learning how to deal with all this. Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks!
Mark

You're the chief now? Get used to it.
Just be courteous and fair to everyone. One thing I've learned is to rescpect and recognise / give credit to people who've been in the business longer than I've been. However the group is getting smaller nowadays:)
If you have an idea where the rumours are coming from try to figure out what you can do to "promote" that person's position, not necessarily in money but recognition of some sort.

And trust me, most women in the construction business I know (co-workers) love fact that there is not a lot of gossipping.

[Mick P]

Originally Posted by Salinasma

So I've been with at my job for a little under a year now. It's a privately owned construction company, about 20k employees. Corporate environment. I'm a cost accountant on a 12 billion dollar project. I've been promoted twice in 10 months and I work hard(beyond the 40 hours of my salary). A majority of the lower positions in my department are filled with women. They've recently become jealous as I've surpassed many who've been with the company for much longer than I. They've spread some rumors that I've been bragging about my pay and I've never had any conversations with my coworkers about anything involving pay. I guess I'm just looking for some advice anybody could offer a young 25 year old male working with women. There's a lot of chatter and drama it seems. I'm learning how to deal with all this. Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks!
Mark

Mark

From the voice of experience, saying less achieves more.

Mick

[Rock]

Winners are grinners and the rest .....bitch about it.

[jmiicustomz]

They are jealous, but just remember that if nobody hates you then you are nobody.

[The Joker]

Sounds like you've done nothing wrong, and at 25 you sound wiser than I was at that age.

A bit off topic, the best thing you can do in a corporate environment is join a Union, this will best protect your job in the long run. Find out if your company recognises one in particular and if colleagues are members.

[beshannon]

Is your supervisor happy with you?

Congrats on being motivated and effective.

The lion does not care what the sheep think.

[DeeTee]

Sleep with as many co-workers as possible.

[Thatguy]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

Sleep with as many co-workers as possible.

Lol! That will redirect the current gossip!


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[RKTudor]

One lesson I've learned about life in general is no man has ever won an argument with the opposite sex. So, I think the advice to stay above the fray is excellent.

Just keep doing you. From what information you've given us I'd venture to say you're working your tail off. Stay humble and keep working hard.

[Salinasma]

Originally Posted by Rock

Winners are grinners and the rest .....bitch about it.

LOVE THIS!



I appreciate the advice/comments. I'm a numbers guy and don't often like to speak with people about anything other than work. I've always been polite and say things like "good morning", "How are you?", etc. with a smile so I guess my overall image should be something close to friendly. My superiors thank me for my hard work and say I'm doing great things. My only worry is that the chatter is getting to them and it seems I'm outnumbered in all this. Guess I shouldn't pay so much but I tend to overthink everything.

[The Libertine]

"It's a jungle out there" as they saying goes.

Look, you're obviously doing something right, so keep doing it.

Maybe, if those who were complaining focused on themselves instead of grousing about this or that, they would be farther along in their career path.

[Salinasma]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

Sleep with as many co-workers as possible.

My brother's advice was to sleep with their wife or daughter. LOL

[joli160]

ignore, do your own thing

[Baco Noir]

Distractions like in the workplace reduce productivity, and I handle it head on. I'd go the person you heard it from and ask them where they heard it and work if up the chain. If they won't tell, just tell her point blank it is wrong and if you ever find the source you'll take it to HR and offer the participate in a lie detector test to prove it. That should stop the liar in their tracks.

Remember, your integrity is all you have in the workplace and takes a lifetime to build but only moments to destroy.

[SemperFi]

Keep your nose to the grindstone and your lips buttoned tight.
Responding to unfounded gossip will probably get the attention of your superiors quicker than the gossip itself. Stay the course.

[Gaijin]

Simply put just choose to live in a higher level. You can't control what people do or say, just how you feel about it.

[77T]

Consider some underlying reasons for this "chatter". You're an analytical so think through the possibilities. Since you are a project accountant I must presume the others are not directly reporting to you.

For example, there may have been a longtime tradition of pay imbalances where the department paid women less.

The manager to whom you report may also be in charge of their manager and a history of benign neglect, or outright inequity, could be boiling. And you are the newest example of one who came from the outside rather than promoted from within. So a natural target for unfounded rumors about your pay level.

In the department there may be an informal information network where your salary increases may have been discussed and now out in the wild.

You may be just the newest target - before you came along some other person was the "whipping boy" for discontent.

So consider those possibilities before choosing any line of action.

Odd as it may sound, you could be seeing a form of reverse harassment where the people spreading the rumors have no other outlet for their frustrations.

As others have said - your work is your focus. Attack the work and use your energy there to be the best project cost accountant in the firm.

BTW, got your MBA yet?
Get on that if not - future opportunities for growth beckon...either there, or at the next company in your career path.


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[artschool]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

Sleep with as many co-workers as possible.

almost right.

establish who the matriarch is and sleep with her.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by 77T

Consider some underlying reasons for this "chatter". You're an analytical so think through the possibilities. Since you are a project accountant I must presume the others are not directly reporting to you.

For example, there may have been a longtime tradition of pay imbalances where the department paid women less.

The manager to whom you report may also be in charge of their manager and a history of benign neglect, or outright inequity, could be boiling. And you are the newest example of one who came from the outside rather than promoted from within. So a natural target for unfounded rumors about your pay level.

In the department there may be an informal information network where your salary increases may have been discussed and now out in the wild.

You may be just the newest target - before you came along some other person was the "whipping boy" for discontent.

So consider those possibilities before choosing any line of action.

Odd as it may sound, you could be seeing a form of reverse harassment where the people spreading the rumors have no other outlet for their frustrations.

As others have said - your work is your focus. Attack the work and use your energy there to be the best project cost accountant in the firm.

BTW, got your MBA yet?
Get on that if not - future opportunities for growth beckon...either there, or at the next company in your career path.


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An excellent post.

Also consider that it's acceptable to be friendly and personable with coworkers. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and an easy target as someone who is aloof or arrogant. A little charisma goes a long way. It wouldn't hurt to have some friends in this pool of haters.

[Gnomon]

OP: This may come as a total surprise to you at your young age, but the fairer sex (irony alert for at least one sense of the word 'fair') despite all its myriad other undoubted fine qualities is, shall we say, rather prone to gossip, jealousy, vindictiveness, and herd behaviour. It also holds ALL the cards in any escalation involving the dreaded HR (which department they will also surprise, surprise dominate). Forget any naive notions of fair play or substantive evidence requirements you might have when it comes to this. If they really decide to go for your hide, you'll be out on your posterior accused of harassment or similar.

You may need to pop the red pill :).

My advice is to stay above the fray, be scrupulously correct in all your dealings, rigorously document any attempts to compromise your position, work hard at fitting and getting along (without compromising your principles of course) and keep up the good work performance wise... You seem to be on the right track.

[Dyim]

Women usually don't gossip about guys unless they have some interest or have an axe to grind.

Did you turn down one of them in a bad way? Dissed them some how? Or did something to one of their friends/ sisters?

Or they are simply jealous of your rapid rise in the company.

Is your boss a woman by any chance?

[Dr.Brian]

If you're getting promoted quickly, you're doing something right. It's a huge company, so if you continue to shine, you can potentially climb high.
Just keep swimming...
(And buy a DD40 for work, but never mention it.)
In all seriousness, never discuss money, debt, etc. at work. Nothing good can come from it. Everyone has their own package and pathway, (and baggage) just worry about your own. When I went back for a fellowship, I had been in practice for a few years already and my wife had a great job. I was already debt free, drove a Rover and rented a nicer place than many of the faculty. The other fellows would often bitch about low pay, high cost of living, debt, etc. I just kept my mouth shut. No talk about trips to Napa, vacation to Hawaii, and I always bought the first pitcher and left before things devolved. There was an established surgeon from Japan that came back for a fellowship as well. We used to hang out, go out to nice restaurants, etc. I offered to drive 3 fellows to an event at UCSF once early on. It was awkward.

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

Sleep with as many co-workers as possible.

Finally some good advice

[S0041464]

Hmmm baseless rumours? Maybe it's the Rolex on your wrist that is "bragging"?
Keep doing you. Think like a leader. Act like a leader. You are young (like me), people will be jealous of early success. Male or female it's irrelevant. Keep working 40+ and love what you do.


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[axjimenez]

Originally Posted by Dr.Brian

If you're getting promoted quickly, you're doing something right. It's a huge company, so if you continue to shine, you can potentially climb high.
Just keep swimming...
(And buy a DD40 for work, but never mention it.)
In all seriousness, never discuss money, debt, etc. at work. Nothing good can come from it. Everyone has their own package and pathway, (and baggage) just worry about your own. When I went back for a fellowship, I had been in practice for a few years already and my wife had a great job. I was already debt free, drove a Rover and rented a nicer place than many of the faculty. The other fellows would often bitch about low pay, high cost of living, debt, etc. I just kept my mouth shut. No talk about trips to Napa, vacation to Hawaii, and I always bought the first pitcher and left before things devolved. There was an established surgeon from Japan that came back for a fellowship as well. We used to hang out, go out to nice restaurants, etc. I offered to drive 3 fellows to an event at UCSF once early on. It was awkward.

This - all of this. You do not need to divulge your success. You work hard, treat others with due respect and all will be well. The rest is nothing but noise.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Salinasma

LOVE THIS!



I appreciate the advice/comments. I'm a numbers guy and don't often like to speak with people about anything other than work. I've always been polite and say things like "good morning", "How are you?", etc. with a smile so I guess my overall image should be something close to friendly. My superiors thank me for my hard work and say I'm doing great things. My only worry is that the chatter is getting to them and it seems I'm outnumbered in all this. Guess I shouldn't pay so much but I tend to overthink everything.

Keep up the polite comments and then just whisper under your breath, "I know where you live."

[handsfull]

Originally Posted by Dr.Brian

If you're getting promoted quickly, you're doing something right. It's a huge company, so if you continue to shine, you can potentially climb high.

Not necessarily.

I worked for a 'huge' company and found many people getting promoted for the wrong reasons (not for doing the 'right' thing, but rather how to spin things properly). All depends on who is in the chain of command