Ask Ash: Unfair comparisons?

Dear Ash,

I am increasingly overwhelmed with my workload at the moment due to staff shortages. However, when I try to raise the issue with my line manager she tends to praise my junior colleague who she claims is coping really well; and to make matters worse keeps suggesting that I delegate more to her if I am struggling. I don’t feel the junior has my skillset to deal effectively with the more complex issues and I don’t want to have to constantly supervise either. I just feel I am being made to feel inadequate, especially through comparisons with a junior colleague.

Ash replies:

I will play devil’s advocate and say that there are two potential interpretations to your manager’s response. Yes, she could be being unhelpful by making comparisons with a more junior colleague, or she may be highlighting that the junior colleague has capacity to assist you in order to provide a potential solution to address the pressures you are under?

I suggest that you do make a case for more senior support to help in the longer term, but that you also review your caseload and identify and mark out those areas where little or no supervision may be necessary. We all had to start somewhere, and sometimes having to address more challenging and unfamiliar work can be the most challenging but rewarding learning curve.

I also suggest that you take some time to address the stress you are under as well, including self help and other simple activities on a day-to-day basis to effectively provide some light relief from work.

Excessive stress is also more likely to result eventually in you being less focused and productive, so please do heed the advice and accept support whenever it is made available.

“Ash” is a solicitor who is willing to answer work-related queries from solicitors and other legal professionals, which can be put to her via the editor: peter@connectmedia.cc. Confidence will be respected and any advice published will be anonymised.

Please note that letters to Ash are not received at the Law Society of Scotland. The Society offers a support service for trainees through its Education, Training & Qualifications team. Email legaleduc@lawscot.org.uk or phone 0131 226 7411 (select option 3).