fluxdensity
Electrical
- Jun 21, 2015
- 4
Where to begin?
I'm a production-level engineer who has been with a mid-size MEP consulting engineering firm based in United States for a little over two years. My office is one of about a dozen total. The first year, without exaggeration, was just about perfect. In addition to the great compensation package, coworkers, and atmosphere, everyone had just enough work to stay busy and yet only demand a 40-45 hour workweek. I mention the latter because it was a significant departure from my previous employer, which could only be best described as a sweatshop.
Without going into the backstory, here's my situation now:
1. Our present backlog, depending on who you ask, ranges anywhere from three to five years. There is absolutely no shortage of work for us in the foreseeable future.
2. The mechanical and electrical engineering departments are stretched ridiculously thin. Some project managers are projecting that, even if production staff were to work 80 hours a week, we would be unable to keep up with demand. Late nights and weekends are becoming common and morale is low.
3. Every week consists of a different set of fires to put out. We're operating in perpetual crisis mode. The focus is on getting drawings out the door by some deadline at all costs. Since we're all so busy, quality control has basically gone out the window. Nearly every project suffers from RFIs and changeorders to the point where it's becoming embarrassing.
4. The person managing our branch office appears to be solely focused on winning projects, revenue generation, and territorial expansion with little regard as to how the work will actually get completed. On more than one occasion and despite being understaffed, he has allowed project managers from other offices to transfer to our office for the sole purpose of bringing in more projects.
5. The person managing my department, while an experienced engineer, is incapable effectively managing our department and addressing the staffing situation. We hold weekly meetings to discuss our workloads - which are obviously a problem - and the only advice he can offer is to "get through it."
6. Our long-time, existing clients (Mostly architects) are beginning to turn away work from owners. Meanwhile, our branch office manager has made it clear that we are to never turn down a project from a client. Every RFP is to be responded to.
Then there's me. I have several projects assigned to me. Each one needs full-time, 40 hour-a-week attention, and each one has a deadline that coincides with one of the other project's deadlines. I have no idea how I'm going to meet any of them. I've been working 60+ hours a week for several months. Work and the stress that accompanies it have essentially become my life and it's pretty much all I think about. Every morning, I arrive to work upset and every evening, I leave feeling the exact same way. I feel as though my job is starting to take a serious toll on my health.
Is this a hopeless situation that's unique to my employer and would warrant me to leave? Is this just the way the MEP consulting engineering industry is nowadays? Is the problem with me or my employer? All of the above? If anyone can offer me any advice, I'd really appreciate it.
I'm a production-level engineer who has been with a mid-size MEP consulting engineering firm based in United States for a little over two years. My office is one of about a dozen total. The first year, without exaggeration, was just about perfect. In addition to the great compensation package, coworkers, and atmosphere, everyone had just enough work to stay busy and yet only demand a 40-45 hour workweek. I mention the latter because it was a significant departure from my previous employer, which could only be best described as a sweatshop.
Without going into the backstory, here's my situation now:
1. Our present backlog, depending on who you ask, ranges anywhere from three to five years. There is absolutely no shortage of work for us in the foreseeable future.
2. The mechanical and electrical engineering departments are stretched ridiculously thin. Some project managers are projecting that, even if production staff were to work 80 hours a week, we would be unable to keep up with demand. Late nights and weekends are becoming common and morale is low.
3. Every week consists of a different set of fires to put out. We're operating in perpetual crisis mode. The focus is on getting drawings out the door by some deadline at all costs. Since we're all so busy, quality control has basically gone out the window. Nearly every project suffers from RFIs and changeorders to the point where it's becoming embarrassing.
4. The person managing our branch office appears to be solely focused on winning projects, revenue generation, and territorial expansion with little regard as to how the work will actually get completed. On more than one occasion and despite being understaffed, he has allowed project managers from other offices to transfer to our office for the sole purpose of bringing in more projects.
5. The person managing my department, while an experienced engineer, is incapable effectively managing our department and addressing the staffing situation. We hold weekly meetings to discuss our workloads - which are obviously a problem - and the only advice he can offer is to "get through it."
6. Our long-time, existing clients (Mostly architects) are beginning to turn away work from owners. Meanwhile, our branch office manager has made it clear that we are to never turn down a project from a client. Every RFP is to be responded to.
Then there's me. I have several projects assigned to me. Each one needs full-time, 40 hour-a-week attention, and each one has a deadline that coincides with one of the other project's deadlines. I have no idea how I'm going to meet any of them. I've been working 60+ hours a week for several months. Work and the stress that accompanies it have essentially become my life and it's pretty much all I think about. Every morning, I arrive to work upset and every evening, I leave feeling the exact same way. I feel as though my job is starting to take a serious toll on my health.
Is this a hopeless situation that's unique to my employer and would warrant me to leave? Is this just the way the MEP consulting engineering industry is nowadays? Is the problem with me or my employer? All of the above? If anyone can offer me any advice, I'd really appreciate it.
