Manager or Working Joe which is better?

[truckin 79]

The place I work they love to give out titles which equate to manager positions. So I was a manager in the past and things shifted and went from 3 managers to 2. I was odd man out and now they want to go back to 3 managers again. Mainly because the one person is always gone yet she is staying on as a manager, dont get me started on her. Anyway being manager was mainly people complaining both patients and fellow employees. The only real benefit is the couple bucks a month extra. I am trying to decide if it is worth it to put up with the headaches that come along with the title. What experiences have you guys had being manager? Is it worth the headache or should you have stayed as a working guy?

[Getter-Done]

I have had a few opportunities to be (In Charge).

IMO the extra money is not worth the hassle.

I look at what the people in charge go thru and say No.

[Boog]

Depends on the individual really. Some are able to handle the problems of production and employees better than others. I will say I might have been happier before becoming a manager but manager level pay and a few perks made the job a bit more comfortable. Having said that, stress lead me to make the decision to quit when I did, just a couple of years sooner than I wanted.

[truckster]

Not quite the same, but as a young Soldier I decided to go to Officer Candidate School because I didn't like the way things were run in the units I had been in and I wanted to make a difference.

In my opinion, if being a manager gives you the opportunity to make life better for other people, it's worthwhile. If not, it's a waste of time.

[57taskforce]

Manager. Ive done both. Lots more money/perks on the management side of the company I work for. The stress comes and goes but I get satisfaction in knowing my hands and reputation are on the work we as a team produce. I enjoy working with the younger guys coming into oil and gas and helping them get their working lives started.

[Sicklajoie]

Working by far.
Punch in, do my work, punch out.

[bnorth]

Manager pay, bonus, perks are worth it. Also the experience looks great on the resume if you find yourself needing a new job or are looking to further your responsibility and salary. These days the best way, unfortunately, to increase pay is to change companies.

[jerry moss]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

I have had a few opportunities to be (In Charge).

IMO the extra money is not worth the hassle.

I look at what the people in charge go thru and say No.

I 100% agree. i'm the "manager" at the shop where I work (auto repair) and all it means is i'm the one that gets *****ed at when things go wrong from both the customers and the other employees. it ain't worth the hassle in my opinion. the only reason I stick around is #1 only work 4 hours a day and #2 i worked a deal with the owner to get my 69 suburban up and drivable and he got my tool box and tools and paid me $$$$$ to boot. once the suburban is done so am I

[68bowtie]

I’ve been in the lowest of low manual labor jobs. Currently I manage managers. I like it. But it’s not for everyone.

You should have some basic enjoyment working with people to start with. I recommend some manager training and taking some personality type tests (both you and your team) to learn about what works and doesn’t work for you. That’s been a huge help to me.

In my experience the best person at doing “XYZ” gets promoted to managing people doing “XYZ”. It’s usually a completely different skill set, and that fact often gets neglected. I went to 4 years of engineering school to learn engineering, when I became a manager I was told geterdun!

[D.B]

I managed a distribution / service center for offroad heavy machinery for 20 years. Had 14 people working for me. It was great the first 17-18 odd years. Once you have to hire this new generation it became a day care. Every morning, I had 14 different attitudes. Stress level increased and I decided it was more a younger man's job. I now work from home (6 yrs), and it cannot get any better. I still work for the same company and only have to show up at the shop twice a year. No stress driving in traffic and no stress of normal work life. I have been with this company for 32 years and with the one before for 10 years before this one bought them out.

[Steeveedee]

Both. I've worked as a tech and an engineer, and I liked working on the shop floor with the techs as a manager. It's interesting getting techs who I was told were a problem. I managed them and let them find their own level. Amazing how a little guidance and freedom to perform can make a person blossom. A lot of them were "under the gun" because of color or sex. I made sure to document performance and give fair appraisals for these people. Some had been held back because of the issues mentioned above. I've also burned down people who were problems. They got fair work appraisals, as well.

[farmall]

Done both and agree, change jobs for better compensation.

Younger gen, no work ethic, dont show up, show up late, play with their phones, 1/2 hour breaks, sit in the ****ter for another 1/2 hr., job interviews with unqualified lowlifes with an arrest.org sheet longer than their resume'. No drivers license, can't pass a piss test.

Can't reprimand because qualifed replacements can't be found or are unwilling to work. You have to cut their hrs. low enough till they are below the benifit level to get them to quit because they want to be fired and milk the system.

Angry customers unhappy with quality, time frame from of all the above.

I don't have to deal with any of that anymore. I just let the manger deal with it and smile.

I'm just enjoying what I'm doing and waiting till 70 to start my handout from Uncle Sam. (If there is anything left.)

My current manager has accrued more sick days in a year than I have in my entire LONG working life.

It's getting late. I have to get up and go to work tomorrow.

[67C10Step]

My professional career has seen me go from engineer, to senior engineer, to R&D engineer. Then I jumped out and took a chance at engineered equipment sales as outside sales engineer/account manager. Did that for about 11 years and am now director of our services division. Sometimes dealing with upset customers as easier. It's amazing to me even in the professional arena how many want to do as little as possible, don't seem to remember how to do things correctly, and in general just don't listen.

However, I am hoping to do this another 7-10 years and someone else can have it. The company I work for became employee owned a few years ago and my company stock value has grown 10x in the past three years. Between that, IRA, and 401K I should be able to make it. I will not live lavishly, but comfortably is all I am looking for.

[richard2717]

I vote for option #3 sole proprietor. Been doing it since 95 and could not imagine going back to work for someone else in any capacity.

[Greg58]

My thoughts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzr4nA1thsQ

[Mid-Pack]

Truckin 79, I think you`re answering your own questions in the OP. You don`t sound very enthused about the management position. Doesn`t sound like the compensation justifies the stress and aggravation that goes along with the position. You`re already pissed about dealing with the other absentee manager.

Don`t know your personal situation and if the benefits are a must. Are you going to use the position to bolster your resume and look for employment elsewhere soon?

Are you the type of person that will bring the additional stress and negatives home with you, that will effect your personal life. Can you leave work at work and not bring it home.

If you`re in a good place now, why rock the boat? Good luck with your decision.

[truckin 79]

Originally Posted by farmall

Younger gen, no work ethic, dont show up, show up late, play with their phones, 1/2 hour breaks, sit in the ****ter for another 1/2 hr., job interviews with unqualified lowlifes with an arrest.org sheet longer than their resume'. No drivers license, can't pass a piss test.

Can't reprimand because qualifed replacements can't be found or are unwilling to work. You have to cut their hrs. low enough till they are below the benifit level to get them to quit because they want to be fired and milk the system.

.

This is a big reason I am hesitant to jump in the whole management thing. I am 54 and some peoples work ethic in general is questionable. These people are adults and should be able to solve petty problems themselves. In the past I have had to talk to a person because others said she talked to loud, that was her job talking to patients on the phone?!?!?! I have taken some leadership classes and done strength finders book. I was in the Army and leadership there is do what I tell you and shut up lol.
I am 50/50 but mainly wanting to do it to pad retirement fund. The place I work they contribute 7% to retirement fund even if you add nothing.
Thanks for all the input

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by truckin 79

The place I work they love to give out titles which equate to manager positions. So I was a manager in the past and things shifted and went from 3 managers to 2. I was odd man out and now they want to go back to 3 managers again. Mainly because the one person is always gone yet she is staying on as a manager, dont get me started on her. Anyway being manager was mainly people complaining both patients and fellow employees. The only real benefit is the couple bucks a month extra. I am trying to decide if it is worth it to put up with the headaches that come along with the title. What experiences have you guys had being manager? Is it worth the headache or should you have stayed as a working guy?

As a young man I ran businesses. I liked it. Then I went to work for govt. making the conscious decision to remain as far away from their bureaucrat ways as possible, which meant I wasn't in-charge of anyone. If you think employees in private sector are whiney, ha.

That said, I imagine the medical industry has its challenges where employees are concerned. Choose what makes you happiest.

[special-K]

At this point in my life, and after running my own business for over 40 years, I would only want to put in my 8 and at quitting time start thinking about anything I want.
I tried working for someone else as a carpenter. I was offering my skills not my management. But just because of my age my boss expected me to run the job. That would be fine since it takes no effort for me. It's instinct, second nature, and in my blood. The problem was, he gave me no control! In fact, it was rare that he didn't work along with us. And any input I had was shot down as if it we were competing. Hey, not my business, IDGAF, whatever you say. Then he starts claiming I'm losing him money. I was hired at the middle of his pay range with the agreement he's bump me up based on my efficiency. Great! I'm all about efficiency. First job we do it's all four of us up on a roof watching him work, with one of us going down to get something he didn't think to have us bring up in the first place. I stood there wondering what I had gotten myself into

[joedoh]

in engineering i have been a manager on and off two decades (off when i hung my own shingle and did contract project mgmt)

the best way i can describe it is, my engineers give me the procedure and output data which i turn into something a third grader can understand. my boss turned that into something a first grader can understand. i imagine at the vp level they just have a big green button that says yes and a big red button that says no.

would i rather be responsible for the output? I have been in that position and the solution of problems was satisfying, but the only upward path was to take on more responsibility for output. mgrs dont get overtime but they do get almost 50% more salary and much higher perks for bonuses and performance metrics.

mgr all day for me.

[special-K]

I'm back to doing it all again. The 18 month break I took working for someone else was only nicer because I could spend money know how much was coming and when. Not as much, but Steady Eddie was a nice change. Everything else pretty much sucked. But that was because of the person I worked for was a sicko. I'd like to just kick back and just do the work, but with the right boss I'd like to have the responsibility because at this point nothing throws me for a loop. Problem solving I am good at. Even better at preventing them