To feel so completely under valued at work?

[Chestnutta]

I’ve worked all through this pandemic in a frontline child protection role. I’m deputy team manager.

I stepped up to cover my boss’s - team manager’s - job when she went off sick for months (for only a small amount of extra pay, nothing like what she was earning).

This year, I held a very stressed and worried team together all year - because I’ve got their back, they trust and respect me and vice versa. Designed and implemented a whole raft of changes to the service to meet the needs of service users during the pandemic, which have been massively positively received and put us in a very strong position. Supported a new team manager for the last couple of months while she found her feet, despite her being ‘brought in’ with no fair recruitment process to replace my old boss (meaning I didn’t get a chance to go for the job).

Today I’ve been told they’re restructuring our team and deleting the deputy post. I have effectively been demoted. I was pretty much blatantly told I’ve done such a good job of putting in place new systems that they don’t need more than one manager in the tram now.

I’m exhausted from this year, as I suppose everyone is, and I know I am lucky to still have a job at all. But AIBU to feel so fucking under valued and shat on? I’m usually a really positive person, but I just feel like telling them all to go fuck themselves today.

Sounds shit.It’s hurtful and upsetting but a lesson unfortunately,no organisation ever really gives much of a hoot about their employees.

However hard you work, they will still dispose of you when needed. We are only “human resources” after all.

You can let them know you are very disappointed with their decision and what do they see your career progression is now.

You should be very proud with what you have achieved and no one can take that from you.

Take a step back and take a break.
Up date your CV. Something better is out there for you.
Refer everything up the chain for them to deal with it.
Start looking for that managers job and salary out there, it will come eventually.

I am so sorry they have treated you like this.
Good luck with the future.

Awful. Similar has happened to me. I regularly worked late making sure things were afloat. Went the extra mile. Workplace was reviewed. I was demoted 2 pay grades - nothing personal just the way the cards fell.

Taught me a lesson about how much I give to work. I do my job well but I dont let myself get taken advantage of. Xx

Thank you so much for all you’ve done for the families you’ve worked with - your team and those families are incredibly lucky to have had someone so talented and dedicated on their side. It’s terrible how they’ve treated you, I’d echo the pp saying to express to disappointment and ask managers what they see your career progression as now and start looking for other roles. Experienced And talented managers like you are gold dust in child protection as I’m sure you know and someone will snap you up I’m sure!

Moving jobs is usually the fastest way to progress your career. The experience you have had working above your grade will help you to get a better job somewhere else.

You're not being unreasonable, but please (i speak from experience) don't let the bitterness get to you. Channel it and dial back your discretionary effort at work. Dust off your CV - you know you can do the managerial job now - and go and get what you're worth. Keep smiling.

It’s so shit! I’ve been there, I don’t give an extra ounce now, which is a shame. I’ve stayed put as the hours suit me but I really should move on.
Good luck op!

Some wise advice above. It's too easy to look at jobs as emotional - in terms of what's right, and what you deserve. This is perfectly understandable, but it just creates resentments and disappointment.

Work is fundamentally a transaction for money. It's nice to think it's more than that, but in most situations it comes down to convenience and money. The good news is here is that you have the confidence that you can deliver, and a good reason to go. They can't feel let down by you moving on, and you have the perfect driver to get out there. Don't stay and fester - use this as a fuel. Good luck.

That’s really shit but it sounds like you did a great job, and great managers are notoriously hard to find in child protection so be proud of yourself for achieving everything you have during this pandemic.
This will look great on your CV!

Do you have an hr department ?

I would ask for your thoughts to be put clearly on your record .

And as everyone has said get your cv brushed up. Also making the points of improvements you have made .

Ppt down to experience and a chance to move jobs eventually with renewed confidence in your skills.

You only make progress by moving jobs sadly

It's so shit. I'm sorry!

We are all disposable to our employers. You can't make yourself safe by working hard (alas! Cause I am great at working hard!). You can only negotiate a better deal with leverage. Leverage is the only thing that matters.

Apply for new role as team manager or deputy elsewhere you have recent experience of both and perfect reason for leaving. Are you in a union? Worth speaking to them. Possibly a redundancy situation if role not exist anymore.

Thank you all so much for your kind and wise words .

I know I need to dust myself off and channel my disappointment into job hunting in the new year. I’m not going to have a pity party for myself (well, I’m about to demolish a tub of Haagen Daz, so maybe a mini pity fest this evening!)....it’s just a bit of a wake up call that despite the blood, sweat and tears out in to my work, it really is ‘just a job’.

Onwards and upwards, though, eh!

put in

Sounds like you've done a great job and have gained some great experience. Use it as a launch pad to find a new job where you will be valued.

It's rubbish but these things happen for a reason. Keep looking forward. Also always be careful how much 'above and beyond' you are going. It's rarely appreciated.