To not like this set up?

[NCDec1990]

Names have been changed.

I started a new job recently within the public sector.

When I joined I was told my line manager would be Lisa. I would be working in Lisa’s team but also doing some work for Jane’s team. (The teams are slightly linked within the wider department). Not a problem at all to me!

A couple of days after I started I was told that Lisa would no longer be my line manager and it is changing to Helen. Not a problem.

I have just had 2 weeks signed off sickness due to a minor surgery.

What I don’t like is, and I didn’t realise this would happen:

• I need to report to Helen in terms of sending in my time sheets, requesting special leave and contact her if I need to call in sick and have 1:1s with.
• Jane is present at my 1:1’s and Return to Work meetings with Helen. Which I get, because I am doing work for he team but I find it uncomfortable speaking about personal health issues to 2 people at once.
• When I request annual leave on the system it needs to be approved and signed off by Lisa. (I have been told this will not be changed over to Helen).

In the grand scheme of things it’s no big deal at all. But just find it quite disjointed with 3 people being involved in the corporate/procedures side of my role. Obviously I just need to grin and bear it and I’ll get used to the set up - but would anyone else not like this?

Seems a bit convoluted but I can’t say it would bother me much

It wouldn't bother me.

What has Lisa got to do with anything now?
Surely it’s Helen now as you report to her and she needs to check you can take leave with the day to day running of things?
Could Helen share the paperwork with Jane after meeting if you’d be more comfortable with that?

This

Lisa is classed as my direct line manager on the system. So only she has access to my profile to approve my annual leave and update sick days.

I have to check with Helen wether I can take certain days, but then when I request them it has to be Lisa to approve it on the system.

Yes that’s a good idea to suggest they share the paperwork after a meeting.

If you're doing a significant amount of work for Jane, it will help her to be at the return to work / one to ones. Otherwise you'll end up with a lot of back and forth about timings, priorities etc. But if your circumstances are quite sensitive I'd find it reasonable to ask for just your line manager.

It will create more work for them that way, but you will know if the circumstances justify that.

I line manage a few people whose leave has to be approved by someone else - systems issue - and it is a pain, but we get on with it.

So I would leave that issue out - everyone would like more efficient systems but time to sympathise with each other on that point is finite. Think about how you want to handle the return to work and 1:1s and stick with that in discussions.