Either improve things if you can or get another job. If your soul is being destroyed before your probation then it's not going to get much better. What a shame.

If one of the options is to leave anyway then I think you’ve got nothing to lose by being completely honest right now. Eg If they give you an unrealistic deadline then refuse it. Explain what you will be able to achieve and stick to that. Explain what you‘ll be able to achieve as soon as your IT problems are sorted and dont do it until they are. Tell them that you’d really like to excel in this job but that some things need to be in place for you to be able to do that and until that happens you’re just treading water.

What charity is it? So I know to avoid...
After years in the charity sector I don't care much about the cause anymore, just want a decent employer - they're hard to find.

I worked in the charity sector for a year and I can honestly say… never again. It was meetings for meeting with no real work, it really burst my “help the community” bubble.

I say try and stick it out in the meantime but start to look for a roll in your next location so you have something to take the focus from your current position.

lol they seem worse than the councils I worked for, meeting after meeting

OP, look it at like this - it suits your needs and more importantly you can complete the task and get paid for it and no one is bullying or belittling you there - massive plus point IMHO

God the meetings and the meetings of the meetings to discuss the previous meetings.
If the public had any idea about how their donations were being spent !

How much influence does your role have? For example can you go through the meetings that you are expected to attend and identify things that are really just information points only and could be circulated by email, or make suggestions about how to make meetings shorter and more focused or better chaired if that's the issue, or identify meetings that you think there isn't really any benefit in you attending. If you could get rid of the meetings would that leave you with more time to do actual work, accepting that there is also the issue of short termism that you need to deal with?That doesn't seem an unreasonable thing to bring up with your manager on the basis that you want to do the best job possible.

The four day a week thing as well is a possibility, if you can resolve the other problems, there's plenty of research at the moment around productivity being pretty similar and even improved in some cases on a four day week, and I do actually think that it is partly an age thing, there's lots of us in our early 50s who are struggling with health issues or menopause or caring for elderly parents as well as having teenagers at home that perhaps makes our lives quite tiring and full-time work pretty hard. Not everyone of course, lots of people in their early 50s are absolutely fine, but so many women leave the workplace or step down at this age, when research has shown that older women are the group most likely to have the skills needed for transformational leadership.

I'd probably stick it out until I moved then if it hasn't improved look for something else then.

Excepting the meetings (which sound terrible) will it be something which gets better as you gain more experience in the role? I started a new job earlier this year and for the first three months it was keeping me awake at night. A few more months in and I'm now feeling fairly comfortable in the role and am happy I made the change

>The reason for taking this full-time role is because it is a remote role...

This is WFH? I think that is challenging in a new job if there is no anchor of a location and tangible people etc. at all. If the meetings are Zoom or similar I could see myself crawling up the wall.

My temptation would be to either stop asap or give it a year. If you can't see yourself making it to a year, start towards the exit.

CIWF?

I'm a similar age and not enjoying where I work but scared to make the jump at my age. Hardly past it and still with 20 years work in me, but anxious to make the move for many of the reasons you've listed.

It sounds really frustrating and if you're anything like me you knew from day one it wouldn't work. If you have nothing to lose speak up at your probation meeting. If you desperately need the job don't. As someone who's done HR in the past, if an employee was asking about working part time in a full time role at probation it would be red flags to me.

I think the difference from part to full time is under estimated. I'd give my right arm to be part time but simply can't afford it.

Whatever you decide good luck.

You sound like you think 52 is bordering on elderly! Most folk that age work full time, that's the norm. It sounds like you're in the wrong job for you, and also that you've got used to working part time and are struggling with the demands of a full time job. You'll get used to the latter, but if I were you I'd ditch the employer and work somewhere else.

I once joined an absolutely chaotic department of a large blue chip as a financial controller- this department was notorious within the company for its utter disorganisation and incompetency. As an example, I joined mid year and they hadn’t used a single purchase orders so I had no way of knowing what they’d spent until invoices showed up out of the blue- that bad. I had no induction as my predecessor just walked out 2 months previously. First few weeks I was lying awake at night stressing. My inbox was making me cry. Then I realised that I was just going to compartmentalise all the shit that happened before me as “not my problem- I will try to sort it out but I’m not taking responsibility for it happening in the first place” and just focus on going forward. I held meetings with all the key stakeholders to listen to their rants about this dept and I had to push back a lot - I was only 25 at the time so I can’t believe I actually did it now but I did.

anyway, my point is, it was so bad that I basically took the view that I had nothing to lose. Either I was going to fix it or they’d fire me for being a stroppy bitch and forcing them to use actual processes. And I discovered that once you start just being task focused and efficient, people stop obstructing you.

worth a try?

ps some years later I also switched into the charity sector so I understand your issues.

You sound like you think 52 is bordering on elderly! Most folk that age work full time, that's the norm

I'm not sure that's correct, where do you get that from?

I think the move to fully remote working has probably contributed tbh. A lot of companies seem to have switched to this as a cost saving move without considering how communications and processes need to change/ how people will be managed and without the necessary IT infrastructure

I've worked in a role that sounds similar and if you can bear it just try to chill out a bit about productivity and lower your standards a little. This will make holding onto it a lot easier. In the similar role I did I was totally stressed out initially and drowning in work then I slowly realised they nobody was on top of their workload and that 70 emails a day were unmanageable by anyone and I started to be strict about only attending 2-3hrs of meetings a day. I never felt at peace in that job but I completed the contract and got it extended and they gave me great feedback when I felt I was achieving nothing!! If you can make it work until you're settled in your new location it may make life easier. Good luck X

If I were you, I would just get on with it for now. Changing job is stressful and I think a lot of people hate the change for the first period. I hated my job when I started for the first year or so, now I am happy there. I know a lot of people who have felt the same about their new jobs. Decide that you are going to make the best of it for six months, and revisit that decision after that. If you still hate it, then think about what next.

Of course it’s correct? Are you having a laugh?

I do sympathise. I've worked freelance for over two decades - project based work - and I know from the colleagues who I get to work with in these companies/charities that their days are clogged with meetings. I would hate it. I find most meetings utterly pointless and just a way for permanent staff to justify their position.

But - you could look at it as a chance to bring value - you could be a catalyst for change. And if you are thinking of leaving, you have nothing to lose by trying that out - pushing a much more efficient agenda etc

I don't think it's an age thing , the downsides you've mentioned would put anyone off .

I'm in my 50's and thought I'd retired but got bored so rejoined the workforce and love my job , it's full time hybrid working and suits me fine .
In your shoes and I would look for something in the area you want to relocate to . Get the job , rent a place and then once settled buy a property

Yes. About 18 months I moved into what I thought was my dream role. I’d literally dreamed of doing it for 10 years and it finally happened. I hated it from the moment I started and was gone in less than 6 months with around a month of sick leave during the time I worked there. Plus about 2 weeks annual leave, oh and they gave me two weeks gardening leave! I think they also knew it was a bad fit. Now I’m doing something I much prefer and have just got a promotion, starting in 3 weeks. Stick at this job until you’ve got your mortgage/rental and then start looking for a new job.