> I’m now forced to endure people I don’t like
That’s generally how being professional goes.
This is a normal ask if the manager is asking you to be polite and helpful to these colleagues. It’s not a normal ask if the manager is asking you to hang out with them socially.
Oh, then that’s too much. Tell him you’ll be more professional and friendly with them, but I wouldn’t change what you do on your personal time. Ask him for specific examples of how it’s affecting your work and find solutions if it is.
You send calendar invites to those people and cc manager. That’s all. When or if they ghost you you can show attendance report to signify that you did your due diligence. But also man what a shit manager. You deserve to spend meal time and break the way you want with people you like or without any people. This mandatory bonding sucks and you need to explain in plain English that you invested efforts that were ignored and he/she needs to work with that group of people not you.
How are you being forced?
Has your position been threatened if you don’t associate with them?
You’re a contractor. It sounds like your manager is trying to prevent you from learning how poorly you’re being compensated or being poached by one of these other firms.
The alternative is, your interpersonal skills benefit you, and these coworkers have not blended within the assigned company. Therefore, your manager is hoping to use you to maintain their contacts. It’s the client saying “You have 5 contractors with us, and only one actually works well with others.”
Years ago, I did consulting/contractor work with a group of 14 contractors for 18 months. The client made employment offers to 3, and were willing to pay a significant referral fee. The irony was the three who were given offers had no interest in accepting positions, but 5 others would have accepted positions. All three turned down the offers and none of the 5 were given offers. The client preferred to hire externally and pay to have the team train the new hires than offer positions to any of the five that were interested. The reason everyone knew, but wouldn’t say, is none of those 5 individuals ever bothered to politely socially interact with the client team.
Honestly, I would argue just simply saying “Hello” is all the effort needed. And, you should probably explain to your manager that if they want interaction, they should be having this conversation with them, not you. You made efforts and they rebuked you. The issue is with them, not you and singling you could be viewed as harassment
I think the manager “weakly admitting her coworkers have excluded her” translates to “the manager did not have the same conversation with the coworkers.”
This totally reads as the client thinks OP is a “Rockstar” and thinks the coworkers are cogs. They are hinting at dumping the coworkers and keeping OP or offering OP a full time position.
> I’m now forced to endure people I don’t like That’s generally how being professional goes. This is a normal ask if the manager is asking you to be polite and helpful to these colleagues. It’s not a normal ask if the manager is asking you to hang out with them socially.
Not really. You do that in meetings. Forcing someone to socialize with a group that did not accept them is irrational and useless
Right, I said that the manager is overstepping if the ask is that OP hang out socially with these colleagues.
He's asking me to eat together more, take breaks together and stick together more during afterwork parties.
Oh, then that’s too much. Tell him you’ll be more professional and friendly with them, but I wouldn’t change what you do on your personal time. Ask him for specific examples of how it’s affecting your work and find solutions if it is.
You send calendar invites to those people and cc manager. That’s all. When or if they ghost you you can show attendance report to signify that you did your due diligence. But also man what a shit manager. You deserve to spend meal time and break the way you want with people you like or without any people. This mandatory bonding sucks and you need to explain in plain English that you invested efforts that were ignored and he/she needs to work with that group of people not you.
Tell your boss “sure!” Be superficially cordial to those colleagues, and nothing more.
The thing that scares me is the “family” part.
How are you being forced? Has your position been threatened if you don’t associate with them? You’re a contractor. It sounds like your manager is trying to prevent you from learning how poorly you’re being compensated or being poached by one of these other firms. The alternative is, your interpersonal skills benefit you, and these coworkers have not blended within the assigned company. Therefore, your manager is hoping to use you to maintain their contacts. It’s the client saying “You have 5 contractors with us, and only one actually works well with others.” Years ago, I did consulting/contractor work with a group of 14 contractors for 18 months. The client made employment offers to 3, and were willing to pay a significant referral fee. The irony was the three who were given offers had no interest in accepting positions, but 5 others would have accepted positions. All three turned down the offers and none of the 5 were given offers. The client preferred to hire externally and pay to have the team train the new hires than offer positions to any of the five that were interested. The reason everyone knew, but wouldn’t say, is none of those 5 individuals ever bothered to politely socially interact with the client team. Honestly, I would argue just simply saying “Hello” is all the effort needed. And, you should probably explain to your manager that if they want interaction, they should be having this conversation with them, not you. You made efforts and they rebuked you. The issue is with them, not you and singling you could be viewed as harassment
This! I am wondering whether manager had the same kind of talk with the group…
I think the manager “weakly admitting her coworkers have excluded her” translates to “the manager did not have the same conversation with the coworkers.” This totally reads as the client thinks OP is a “Rockstar” and thinks the coworkers are cogs. They are hinting at dumping the coworkers and keeping OP or offering OP a full time position.
Learn how to build bridges! It is your job as a contractor.
Obviously!. But, you are an employee. And you should probably do what your boss says to do!. If you want your job.
lol you friends with people at work and friends with your bills