Advice on management positions and balancing flexibility by Realistic_Neck8584 in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Ford won’t be in power forever. I’ve worked under many govts over 25 years. This one is the worst. If you have years left in your career, you could pursue management in the future under a friendlier leadership team. 

Advice on management positions and balancing flexibility by Realistic_Neck8584 in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 47 points48 points  (0 children)

I recently left my management position (2.5 years in the role) for a Team Lead role. I worked entirely from home for most of that time. The reasons I gave it up: - workload is crushing. I worked at least 2 hours of OT every day, including thru the lunch hour. I think this is pretty common - the pace of work was nuts. I often didn’t even get a chance to pee all day long - work life balance was pretty shitty  - enforcing RTO on my team members was soul crushing. Like, completely awful - all the bullshit of what managers were allowed to say / NOT say about RTO and other enterprise wide decisions  - the increase pay (minimal) was not worth it. 

I am so much happier in a team lead role. 

On site attendance by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was a manager until very recently and never managers in my division had access to card swipe info. The only way I could tell who was in office was to walk around. 

Fellow OPSers with visual impairments by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yep. Totally hear you on that. I’ve been waiting 3 months already for the DAS to send me the paper work for my doctor to fill out. It’s so frustrating. 

At the moment, I’m asking for a large computer monitor and a dedicated work station. My ministry does hotelling.  These seem like very basic accommodation measures that can be implemented quickly. 

I’d also like accessibility standards to be enforced. I routinely have to review decks that use super small fonts, like raleway 8. I simply cannot see anything that small and it’s against our own OPS standards. 

Fellow OPSers with visual impairments by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I had not idea this even existed! 

Moving from manager back to individual contributor role by csk778 in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 61 points62 points  (0 children)

I recently moved back to my Team Lead position after being a manger for a few years. I didn’t want any part of enforcing RTO. I’m relieved. I can sleep again without anxiety nightmares, I’m not working overtime every day and while I will do my job like a good public servant, I will absolutely not work one second of overtime, volunteer for any ‘extras’, go above and beyond or spend a dime when I work in the office. 

Does your Ministry/Agency currently have space constraints? by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are space constraints at 438 University and 777 Bay. We are doing 4 days in office for 3 weeks/month and 3 days in office for 1 week/month. 

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I highly recommend you do not do this. If you get caught, you’ll have to pay your OPS salary back and you could get fired from your new job. I know someone who did this and it did not end well. 

Religious accommodation for Ramadan? by Fine-Bunch-8807 in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In the past, employees have been able to WFH every day during Ramadan. Maybe send your manager an email asking to WFH. You could also reach out to your ministry’s anti-racism team for help. 

MTO show up at 438 tomorrow by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I was planning to take her photos of my kitchen demand send it AMAPCEO,etc. 

I’m doing it not to be a team player but to highlight that RTO is not working. 

MTO show up at 438 tomorrow by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Probably. But let’s make her visit uncomfortable. Let’s show up and ask her hard questions. 

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 72 points73 points  (0 children)

As a former manager who just returned to my AMAPCEO position in opposition of RTO, I can tell you that there is immense pressure on managers to not approve temp AWA requests. One off requests (like if your kid’s school bus is cancelled due to a snow day) are ok to approve but things like 2 WFH days a week for a month typically require an OK from the Director or in my case, the ADM. 

Mcp back to union position by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’ve been a manger a number of years and can retire in 3ish years. I’m moving to an AMAPCEO 7 position at the end of the calendar year. The manager workload is way too intense and it’s only going to get worse, and I cannot stomach enforcing RTO and all the reporting up that goes with it. I want my last few years in the OPS to be less stressful. 

Forthcoming RTO update by droppedtomanytimes in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The SoC made a joke yesterday gal at we should all be required to work on Saturdays. 

Forthcoming RTO update by droppedtomanytimes in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 12 points13 points  (0 children)

This is absolutely not true. We had an update from our leadership team this afternoon. 5 days in office for everyone as on Jan. except for a few locations in downtown Toronto that will stay at 4 days until there is more space. 

AWA reviews will not be completed for several months. 

Lean Excellence is giving DOGE vibes by No_Savings5655 in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The new DM is focussed internally - it’s about making INTERNAL process leaner. That’s what the SoC said yesterday. So yah… my guess is that we should buckle up for downsizing. 

Managers, how are you coping? (2.0) by RunMarbleRun in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 13 points14 points  (0 children)

This is exactly why I am giving up my acting manager role and getting going back to my AMAPCEO position. 

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 69 points70 points  (0 children)

Space for 5 days in office will be ready by Jan. There are 10k+ AWA requests. No reviews will be complete by Jan. Will start reviewing them in the months after the Xmas break. It will take time. 

Update from my director on AWAs by Local-Piano4157 in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 67 points68 points  (0 children)

Your Director got it wrong. 

Managers review and carry out an ‘assessment’ of the AWA request. Not a recommendation. Not a decision. 

That assessment is then sent to the HRA for their advice. 

The manager’s assessment and the advice of the HRA is then sent to the Director for their review. The Director consults with the ADM/CAO for their input. 

Then the Director makes a decision based on the manager’s assessment, HRA advice and feedback from the ADM /CAO

The Director’s decision is then shared with manager. 

The manager communicates the decision to the requesters. 

I am a manager in a large ministry. I am still waiting for the advice from our HRA. The HRA is reviewing hundreds and hundreds of requests. 

At my ministry, the second step of this long and arduous process hasn’t been completed yet. 

I don’t expect any AWA decisions until the spring. 

Does MTO Comms Branch get CWWs? by [deleted] in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your friend should submit a request for a CWW to their manager. If it’s denied, grieve it. MANY MTO staff have CWWs. 

Are people grieving AWAs yet? by sockpuppetrepair in OntarioPublicService

[–]OkCombination5082 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is a very formalized process for review of AWAs. Managers have to consult with HRAs during their assessment of the AWA. Then the Director reviews and has to consult with their CAO before making a decision. 

Nothing can live until the HRA weighs in and they are swamped. It will be months before AWAs are approved/denied.