WE116 - When torn between Job and Family, what will you choose?

I just seated at my working table when I heard the message alert from my service phone. It's not yet eight in the morning, so I am not expecting any chat from branch staff or our clients. Thus, I chose to pick it up and saw a message from our Department head.
" Les, I read your message late yesterday, and the HR head already approved the fieldwork you requested from our team at the Branch. Send me your proposed itinerary".

Ms. Lea ( our group head) was indeed a workaholic, especially if she was working at home. It seemed she no longer had boundaries in working hours as she sent the message at early as six in the morning. Though almost half an hour left before our working time, I chose to open my desktop and work on what she needed. Yesterday, one of my team at the branch informed me of the alleged unauthorized withdrawal of our client's funds from one of the store outlets. Our work schedule remains skeletal, unlike before the pandemic when we must conduct spot audits in all stores. Now, we need approval from HR for a workforce request and budget.
After I was done, I sent the proposal, thankful it took only an hour, and was approved.

"Hello, Ms. Belle, your fieldwork was already approved, and I sent the itinerary in your email. Please check it now, and I will discuss it with you." I chose to inform via call as that is the fastest way of communication rather than talking via email.

The spot audit went well as she kept updating me through chat messages. Yet I find it hard to analyze as the CEO has wanted to check their transactions since last year. Good thing IT provided the data I needed.

Microsoft Excel was a big help, too; all I needed to do was arrange the extracted data and add the findings during the audit. Insert pivot, and I am done. As I was staring at my report, it turned out that from actual documents found, no material amount of the client's money was lost, BUT the standard process was not applied as they forged the clients signatures. Funds withdrawn were also transferred to our another branch. Yet there is still non-compliance.
I was glad I finished my report, as today is Friday. We don't have work on the weekend, and besides, I need to go home as it is my parent wedding anniversary. No grand party; it was just a family dinner.

_{Image by Content Pixie from Unsplash.}

After I hit the sent button, I informed Ms. Lea so we could discuss in any case she still had questions before sending it to the CEO. After a few revisions, I punched off and went home directly to our dorm as I would be traveling early in the morning the next day to our hometown outside the city.

I talked with my sisters in our group chat, and they kept giving me updates for tomorrow's event. It seemed my parents, especially my Father, were excited as it seldom happened that all of us paid them a visit together.

Just when I was about to sleep, I was surprised when my phone rang, and it was Ms. Lea calling. She is the type of lead that respects your time outside work, so when she calls at this hour, it is urgent.
"Lhes, Boss read your report, yet he is not satisfied with it. He mentioned that someone told him there were missing funds in that store outlet. Now, he wanted to reach out to all clients whose documents were not found during the audit for confirmation if they were the ones who processed the withdrawals. He also wanted the report to receive an update tomorrow before the day ends".

I can't help but feel frustrated after hearing. I badly need to go home tomorrow, but knowing BOSS, he is the type of person who would remember your mistakes and things you weren't able to accomplish rather than what you contributed. Then you will be branded, and once that happens, it will be hard for you to market yourself for promotion.
That's the sad part of being an employee, and not all employers are considerable. Somehow I understand why Boss is worried as the company sales kept decreasing since the pandemic, and losing some funds was a big deal. I don't have a choice as I am in Risk Management; it is my job. Currently, I don't have a reliever. I can't ask Ms. Lea to do it for Ms. Belle as she is assigned only at the branch. She had already done her part.

As I opened my file, I felt frustrated seeing a long queue of clients I needed to call one by one. I know it will take almost a day before I am done as I need to be careful fishing for information. I was estimating the time to be consumed but received a chat message from M. Lea saying I needed to present the report to the CEO afterward.
It seemed I could no longer attend my parent's anniversary. Our place was five hours away and for sure if I went home after the meeting the party would be over.

_{Image by Elisa Ventur from Unsplash.}

With a heavy heart, I informed my sisters that I could not make it. I know FAMILY should be the top priority, but at this time, that pandemic is not yet over, and plus inflation, I need to work harder for them. One of my sisters lost her job, and the other is still unemployed. Our youngest is still studying; I can't afford to mess up this time as I was eyeing promotion this year. How can I help them if my income is only enough for me as I was also starting to build my own family? I need to be practical this time, just a little sacrifice. I maybe not be able to attend the exact day, but I can still organize the following events in the future.

Hello Hivers, this is my entry in WE116 of Sir @galenkp with this concept;

Weekend deadline
You're behind on a project at work and it could seriously affect your career but you can make up the time on the weekend. The problem is you committed to a family function and cannot do both. Which do you do and why? Remember, doing both is not an option.

Happy Weekend.

Date published: 08/28/2022

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Image source : Unsplash