Too much work, feeling stressed!

[HotChocolateLover]

We’re understaffed by approx 6 people, soon to be 7. This is out of a team of what should be 20, so quite a large percentage. I’m finding that i’m Just getting more and more stuff to do and I just literally don’t have the time to do everything. Whilst I love being busy, I can’t fit 50-60 hours of work into 37.5 hours 😂🤦‍♀️People are getting really stressed with me and it’s making me so anxious

I’m now applying for other jobs purely because of their apathy towards the staffing situation. I just think that if you won’t pay me two people’s salaries then why should I do two people’s jobs?!!

Has anyone else left just through feeling overworked?

Take it up with your manager everytime. What would you like me to prioritise today? I have xyz to do and only 8 hours. Make it their problem. When you do the extra you hide the extent of the problem.

@redexpat Thanks. I’ve tried to speak to my line manager. She’s lovely but maybe not the strongest manager so to speak. For example, I was supposed to not be doing a certain type of work to allow me to catch up and someone more senior to her asked me to. The more senior one was stood to my left and I said ‘unfortunately, i’m Not doing that at the moment due to time constraints, isn’t that right?’ My manager just said I needed to do it! It took 4 hours 😢🤦‍♀️ I know I sound like i’m Moaning but it’s typical public sector .

Next time say “ok boss, that’ll means I’ll only have time to do abc, but not xyz” red is right, make it their problem, Every Single Time.

I’ll do that then. I can’t and won’t work for free, why should I?!! I think i’m Still going to apply elsewhere though as the starting salary is £6k more than i’m on now and goes up from there 👍

I had a similar situation except it was a brand new company and a brand new job, for me each task was my line but ridiculous amount of work for 1 person. In the end I looked at job description, looked at day to day responsibilities and time taken to complete. By this point, I was working 50 hour a week, but paid for 37.5 hours and woefully behind. Following discussion with my partner, we agreed that things needed to change as i was hardly eating, chain smoking and sleeping only 3 hours a night trying to prioritise my workload accordingly and leaving was the most viable option.

So I collected lots of information to demonstrate how the job was not viable for 1 person. My employers took on board what I said, they rewrote my job description and recruited 4 other full timers. But I needed to demonstrate the issue and follow thru with my resignation.

Good luck

Yep I certainly have. I was in a care home environment however, so it was different for me. We had about 50 residents and only 4 members of staff most of the time! Team Leaders should be counted in (2) but they only did meds, then they went back to their office and chilled out while the rest of us ran around like headless chickens, trying to get everyone up, showered, dressed, fed, watered, some of them needed 2x carers, some needed turning, some was very demanding and wanting something right here and right now.

However it still wasn't good enough for the management or team leaders because we didn't do our paperwork on time! Or we forgot to do the cups of teas, or Z hasn't been shaved today, even because a couple of residents' beds haven't been changed! Whether we're severely short staffed or not, we, as carers, was also allocated to change beds as well!

It was honestly the worse place I've ever worked in. The management knew all of this was happening but turned a blind eye to it. I decided care was no longer for me because that was the second home I worked in and they are all the same in terms of staffing, so I religiously kept finding another job because the thought of going into work was making me feel sick! Thankfully one did come up, I got the job and I enjoyed working the last 4 weeks notice, knowing I will no longer be there in a months' time. If it is making you ill, stressed and you are overworked and underpaid, then time to leave!

I'm in the same boat at the moment, what was a team of 4 a couple of months ago is now a team of 1 (me). I'm sure at some point they will have to employ at least one other person but for the moment I'm on my own.

At the end of the day, I have got 1 pair of hands and can only do what I can do. It isn't my fault that they haven't replaced my colleagues yet so if deadlines get missed or work doesn't get done - tough. I refuse to get stressed about it.