Hand hold and vent - stressful job. Any advice?

[LimaLemur]

Name-changed as potentially outing. Looking for a hand-hold and a place to vent - hope that’s okay.

I work in the Civil Service in a junior role in a small team. I really like my colleagues and really get on with them, but the job we do is incredibly fast-paced and extremely demanding.

The problem now is that we’re understaffed by a couple of people and this is making the job even more stressful. We’re recruiting for new members at the moment but interviews won’t be held until next month and pre-employment checks will then need to be done for the job offer holders, so they won’t start until at least two months’ time.

I work very good hours (have an eight-hour day, at most), but within those hours, the pace is incredibly intense, as all of the work has to get done.

Some colleagues are better at handling the stress than others but we all get quite stressed. It’s starting to piss me off and make me irritable. I used to really enjoy coming into work, but now it all feels a bit shit.

The pressure is insane, and now with recess cancelled, we don’t have a breather for a while until the next recess. I’m off for a couple of days this week as I’d already booked time off before recess and was granted it, but I feel guilty for leaving my colleagues and also really in need of a break. It just feels so fucking relentless.

I know the recruiting of new team members is out of my hands completely, but the relentless pace and high stress is starting to get me down.

Any advice please?

Bump.

You sound like a really nice person to work with but remember you are just one person and you can only do your best. It sounds like you desperately need a break - and by taking one hopefully you will come back with renewed strength to support yourself and, if you can, your colleagues

Is there someone (in a more senior role) who you could sit down with and talk this all through? It sounds like there need to be some decisions made about what does and doesn't get done whilst you're so understaffed

Hi OP

Being in such a stressful working environment is bound to take a toll on anybody, it’s sounds like you are struggling with your work life balance. I can imagine it’s difficult to switch off when at home? Although you say they are actively recruiting which is great, have you actually spoken to you line manager about current workload? Hiring can take a significant amount of time and then as you say employment checks etc.

Your manager should be looking at alternative measures for some relief to you and your colleagues. As this situation screams work related stress soon. Is there anyone internal who could transfer over maybe to help with workload? I’d definitely speak to your line manager they either know your ‘fire fighting’ and ignoring it or honestly thinks you are all coping well.

Do take them days to recharge - your colleagues would do the same. You need to take some you time.

Keep repeating this “I will do as much as I can, to the best of my ability, in the given time. Past that, not my problem “. And as others have said, make sure your manager knows about your rising stress level in the role.

I think you should view this as a learning opp. It’s about boundary setting for me.

Stress is largely of our own making - I realised this after years of managing some very indifferent people who were unmoved by what I would consider highly pressurised and stressful situations. 😂

I also perhaps feel I wasted a lot of my 20s “caring” ie breaking my back for things that bluntly just don’t matter now.

I still care about what I do but much more about how my performance is received within the organisation (ie things that translate to cash rewards for me) as I’ve cone to the conclusion that the reality is most jobs just aren’t that important.

Any chance you can get a temp or contractor for the time being? Borrow people from other departments? Have u raised it with your manager?

Sometimes things get tough at work though. If you're still keeping within an 8 hour day, I think you may just have to grin and bear it for a while. At least there is an end in sight.