Work one - ask for a new line manager?

[Snorkers]

Please tell me what you'd do here

I'm fairly new in post, we all work mainly remotely so it's been quite tough integrating into the team and organisation because I hardly see anyone or have any reason to talk to anyone.

The issue is my line manager. he has a reason why he can't come in to the office, ever, and I've never met him. He's a new manager and only manages me. The problem is I find him really vague, he only gives me info I really need to know, he rarely gets in touch with me to see how i'm doing, ie if I come back from holiday I can go for days without speaking to anyone unless i call them. He's also off a lot, sick mainly, or annul leave.

I am given work to do but often need to ask questions, bounce ideas off someone or even just find out who other people I need to connect with to get a piece of work are, and I either come away from having a convo with him and am not really sure what I've been told, or he's not there to ask. I tried asking his line manager but they are busy, quite snappy and also very protective over my manager so I am told to just wait until he's back.

I'm feeling really isolated and unsupported. I have raised this with my manager's manager but thy don't have time to help me on a day to day basis and possibly one reason they are short with me is I'm not sure they have tons of experience / knowledge in my particular field of work.

I was considering going to our team director and asking if I can get a new line manager who has the skills and is in a position to be around to actually manage me and help me with planning or feedback. I feel like i'm doing a shit job because I don't know what's expected of me.

I am sorry for my manager who is nice, but I don't feel he is cut out for management and even if he got training, he has so many personal problems he doesn't seem to have the headspace to line manage anyone right now.

Any suggestions? AIBU?
Should I just leave or is it worth a chat with someone. I don't want to be a snitch tho or get anyone in trouble.

This sucks, in the short term can you get a mentor or buddy for some of this support. Either way I'd continue to raise it, but if nothing improves they say people leave managers not jobs, if it doesn't get better dust off your CV and see what's about.

The instructions given to you to do your job should be clear and if they are not, it's an issue. Personally, I am thrilled to be working independently with minimal involvement "from upstairs" although my manager is available on request if I get stuck. I also make use of my other colleagues a lot. I have a core group of colleagues with whom I exchange emails on a regular basis. Like you, I work remotely and have done since I started in this post 15 months ago. To date, I met my colleagues once face to face when we had someone's leaving do. We do, however, meet as a team twice a months virtually.
Have you talked to the guy himself and expressed your need for more support? If you have and if you explored all the higher channels then the next step would be speaking to HR.
One potential issue I see is do you actually feel you are qualified to do the job? Because perhaps they don't expect someone to be needing daily supervision and advice in your specific role.

I am in a similar position and I would definitely ask for someone with more experience or more hands on, I hope that helps x

Would the manager meet say in a local cafe if he does not want to travel to the office?

This sounds terrible. I started a job hybrid (but pretty much remote) and we had a team group chat we can ask questions in- some need to go to manager/ supervisor but many can be asked in the group chat. Surely there must be someone doing your job/ someone else who you can link up with.

I wouldn’t frame it negatively to your manager (although he does sound shit) or their manager. Just that you’re keen to learn and do your job and when he’s been on A/L etc you’ve not been able to do things.

Or ask if there’s another place you could find the answers out.

it sounds awful thoigh. Good luck. Hope it turns around for you x