Harassed and Threatened by My Manager at work
I’m a graphic designer, and recently my supervisor told me I need to start learning 3D modeling and rendering because the company doesn’t want to hire another person for 3D work. He also told me that if I don’t learn it, I could eventually be replaced.
Honestly, the whole situation makes me feel like he doesn’t respect graphic design as a professional field at all.
The thing is… graphic design and 3D modeling are completely different fields. I was hired as a graphic designer, and 3D work is outside of my current role and expertise.
I was actually really happy when I got this graphic design position in Canada because I finally felt like I found something that matched my skills and passion. So lately it’s been really confusing watching the expectations slowly shift into something completely different…
I told my supervisor honestly that I’m open to learning, but I personally chose graphic design because I’m not very interested in 3D modeling. Then he told me that if I only do graphic design and don’t learn 3D, I could eventually be “replaced” or “pushed out.”
The truth is, he has said things like this multiple times before, but I used to ignore it because I know I work hard and genuinely care about my job. This time, though, it really affected me mentally. It felt more like a threat than support or professional growth.
I cried really hard after I got home from work. My mental health has not been good because I constantly feel threatened and pressured by him
Now I honestly don’t know if this is normal in the design industry anymore or if I’m overreacting. Is it common for graphic designers to suddenly be expected to become 3D artists too without extra pay or role changes?