Hello, just looking for some opinions on a work issue that has happened. I work in the welding trade and had to weld some material that was a little out of my experience. I was asking a coworker about some tips for a second opinion. All of a sudden my “supervisor” type coworker starts insulting me about being uneducated and “this is work not school” do your job.. so I was in a bad mood and rushed and put out some welds I know are highly prone to failure. Personally I would have ground them out and redid them but I asked the “supervisor” type coworker and he didn’t say anything about redoing them. I just feel bad about the quality of work I sent out knowing there’s a higher likelihood of it cracking and possibly popping off.. how do you navigate doing bad work that you can’t feel good about? Thanks for your input
I think the most important thing right now is clearing your own conscience. A few verses come to mind, Colossians 3:23, which reminds us to work as unto the Lord, and James 4:17, which says that if we know the right thing to do and don’t do it, it’s sin. There are also other passages that talk about how violating our conscience is serious in God’s eyes. From what you’ve shared, it’s clear you’re wrestling with your conscience here, and that speaks well of your character.
Let me also say this: your supervisor’s attitude toward your question was wrong. Asking for help isn’t weakness, it’s a mark of responsibility and care. I doubt your company would be thrilled to hear that a supervisor discouraged learning or allowed substandard work without concern. Still, I’d encourage you to approach him with a spirit of grace and forgiveness. There could be struggles behind the scenes that are affecting his behavior, but the issue still needs to be addressed.
If I were in your shoes, I’d ask to speak with him during a downtime and calmly explain how the situation affected you. If he’s dismissive or hostile, then it’s time to bring the concern to his supervisor. Maybe the company doesn’t require high-spec welds for that particular job, or maybe they’ll agree with you and start enforcing higher standards. Either way, you’ll have cleared your conscience by doing the right thing.
If you’re still uneasy after that, if their expectations don’t align with your standards or convictions, it may be time to seek employment elsewhere. And if you do, be sure to mention this experience during interviews, it shows that you have values and aren’t willing to cut corners.
Lastly, I just want to commend you for opening up about this. The fact that you’re asking these questions shows not only your commitment to excellence, but also your desire to honor God in your work. That’s rare, and it’s the kind of integrity the world needs more of.
