Employee reassigned to the front desk ‘temporarily’ discovers their manager is interviewing candidates for both their current role and their original position: ‘She dodges the question every time’

Author image for Cata Holmes
Cata Holmes • Writer
Jun 29, 2026 2:30 PM EDT

Is there any worse feeling than realizing you're being replaced before anyone has the decency to tell you?

I'm going to be honest: reading this story made me uncomfortable, and not because the outcome seems surprising. In fact, it's almost the opposite. The most frustrating part is that everyone involved appears to know what's happening except for the employee. When your manager starts posting job ads that closely resemble your own responsibilities and refuses to give straight answers about your future, it's hard not to assume the writing is already on the wall.

What makes the situation even more frustrating is that the employee didn't start at the front desk. They were hired for a completely different role, one that involved client interaction, conferences, and opportunities to travel. Then, after a staffing change, they were asked to cover reception duties "temporarily." Most people would be willing to help out in that situation, especially if they were told a replacement would be hired soon. The problem is that "temporary" has a funny way of becoming permanent when management finds a setup that works for them.

I wouldn't even know how to feel if every time you ask your manager, they avoid the questions as if they were actually hiding something. And the worst part of all is that the OP knows exactly that she's going to be laid off: they're only waiting for the replacement to come. She has been trying to get clarity for months and, instead of receiving a straightforward answer, they've been met with more uncertainty every step of the way. At some point, the lack of communication starts to feel like an answer in itself, even if nobody is willing to say it out loud.

Also, I want to mention that it's worth noting that managers often underestimate how much employees can pick up from tone, body language, and indirect comments. By the time someone says things like "maybe this isn't the right fit" or "we're not on the same page," most people have already figured out that something is wrong. The uncertainty becomes more stressful than the actual answer.

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  • Businesswoman taking a moment to reflect while managing workplace stress at her desk.
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    Businesswoman taking a moment to reflect while being at work.

  • I've been working at the company for a little over a year, and my job has been a mix of administrative support, member/customer service, and helping organize events and conferences. I was hired for a specific role in a specific department and did that for a while. During that time, I traveled to an out-of-state conference with the company, and everything went really well.
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  • Right after I got back, the person who was handling the front desk left, and my manager basically told me I'd be handling reception too, on top of the job I was hired for, "temporarily."
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  • She said they would bring someone in within a short period of time, but that was in March. Since then, I've been asking every so often because I'm trying to get back to work that involves more client interaction and more travel for events, and I never get a clear answer. Her whole attitude toward me changed as soon as I started asking about it.
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  • I went to another conference weeks ago, and it went better than expected. When I got back to the office, I saw that they had posted ads for both: the reception/front desk role and the original role I was hired for. I asked my manager what that meant for me, and she only said: "I need you focused on the front desk." And when I asked her whether there would be client work for me after they hire the two new people, she didn't give me any clear answer.
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  • I spoke to HR at the beginning of this month and got basically the same vague response. Then I had a face-to-face meeting with my manager yesterday, and she started saying things like "maybe this isn't the right fit," and "I don't feel confident giving you more responsibility," and "I'm not sure you understand what we need."
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  • Honestly, it really hurt, because I know I'm capable, and I've done well in jobs that were much harder than this one. I honestly feel like it's become personal.
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  • I ended the meeting by saying that I like the job and want a chance to prove myself and make her and the team happy, but based on her tone of voice, the fact that she didn't reassure me, and her body language, I'm almost certain my time here is coming to an end. She even said, "It's clear we're not on the same page."
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  • Is there anything I can do if I'm 95% sure I'm going to be laid off soon? The conversation was really bad, and it seems like things are getting worse with her. After what happened yesterday, I feel like there's no hope for me to have a future at this company.
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  • Professional employee reviewing digital documents and project plans in a modern office environment.
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    Professional employee reviewing things on her computer.

  • ILuvManatees8527 Read you last paragraph again. I think it sounds more like 99.9% than 95%. Your best bet is to update your resume/CV and start looking for a new position. Better to be proactive than to wait until the axe does fall.
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  • Mediocre-Let-4697 Start looking for another job. You may like the job but it sounds as though they don't see it that way for whatever reason. That doesn't mean you're not good at what you do, you're just not what they had in mind. Best of luck.
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  • Andrew-Cohen Keep doing your job to the best of your ability, try to get a referral from someone else (junior manager?) and if you can't find another job, file for unemployment if you have to (saying don't quit, she might be pushing you to do that so they don't have to pay unemployment).
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  • Careless_Remove5478 they're trying to find a way to get someone to take on all the responsibilities at once. i suggest you don't say anything else and just start applying for new jobs. simply because they want to cut costs.
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  • PtZamboat Don't quit, let them let you go. You can file for unemployment while you search for another job
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  • Office professional enjoying a coffee break while taking an important phone call.
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

    Office professional enjoying a coffee break while taking an important phone call.

  • bambam007rocket S ks since you're doing two people's jobs.
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  • Chipchop666 Start a paper trail. Send emails asking the same questions. If you get fired, it will help you get unemployment and possibly get the company in trouble
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  • MalarkeyPaoli Don't give this job another thought. Focus on getting another job. Perhaps you've made contacts at these conferences? You need a new job.
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  • AutomaticTap310 Make them push you out for the unemployment, unless you find another job sooner and can quit without notice.
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