To make a complaint to employer about not having enough support to do my job

[Mumontherocks1]

Just that really. When I got my job ten years ago I had a full time assistant. Due to changes my assistant was moved to a different department and wasnt replaced. I had no support and after really struggling I went on stress leave. OH intervened and told my boss that I was not coming back until support was put in place.

I finally got an assistant and I went back to work. Unfortunately the appointee's work was of a very poor standard and ended up causing me more problems. Our line manager put him on performance management but screwed it up so badly that the assistant took a bullying and harassment case against me. The case wasn't upheld but I was back to square one with no support.

I have spoken to my boss about the lack of support and have emailed him several times and nothing has happened. I most recently spoke to him after the Christmas break and he said I could get support from a clerical officer. She doesn't know how to do the job and has her own job to do.

I was so far behind that I am starting to get complaints. Last week he took me to task over it. I'm back to square one again! I've reported it to HR and have set up a meeting. I will speak to OH again.

I can't take much more sick leave as I was on an extended period of stress with a close relative who was terminally ill and subsequently died.

I would love to hear if anyone has ever been in a similar situation and has any advice. Needless to say it is the civil service. Thank you very much for reading.

MumOnTheRocks It's great that they are diverting some of your work to two other people, however it might be worth bearing in mind that they are putting in place 'informal performance support', which if there are further performance issues can mean they can go straight into formal performance procedures.

Don't want to make you paranoid, but perhaps the support they are giving may not be as altruistic as it seems. The other thing is that your boss will be getting in the neck for not managing properly and the target being missed, so it is in his interest to try to paint a picture where you are at fault.

I think you are right to follow up with the e-mail, and I would be inclined to state that you didn't feel you got an opportunity to explain properly as your boss kept speaking over you.

It's tricky because compared to ten years ago the amount of work an individual is required to do is double or three times what it was. With all clerical support removed.
And the expectation is that there is no give in the system, therefore if someone is off sick or is on holiday the work simply sits there.

It is difficult when you have been in a job along time and see it changing around you to something you don't want to do.

Ultimately you have to decide whether the job as it stands is one you want to do or not.