Sense check- would this make you feel like resigning?

[HeleenaHandcart]

I’ve worked in a casual role for 5 years. Professional, local authority. It’s casual but in practice assignments have stretched over the whole 5 year period and do not have an end date. I also do additional work on this base agreement of set work. In the last few years I’ve straddled between the central team and the casual pool, doing internal work.

Communication isn’t great internally higher up (great with service users, and also good relationships with the team).

Most recently I took on a piece of work with more hours, knowing it was fixed term but not with clear dates- I knew this. I found out though the role had been recruited and my work was ending the following week via an all staff communication, they would’ve known this a month or two before sharing this with all staff. It’s got under my skin not to even get a direct ‘thanks for the support, xxx starts on…’. I had to email and ask for the actual end date for my work (the following week).

It’s in a wider context of being approached about a permanent role 3/4 times this year- in response to vacancies. I respond, they don’t reply. Next gap, they ask again, go quiet again.

I’ve been flexible , put other work on hold to be the go to person. Plugged gaps when things were stretched. Sometimes worked full-time for periods. I turned down a job offer elsewhere once because I could start a role in the next week or so apparently. They suddenly ghosted

My question- am I being hot headed about feeling unvalued? Or would you just plod on with the good relationships and ignore it? For context, I could replace the hours next week easily, it’s shortage work (hence the gap plugging). I’m pretty cool at work, factual, but it just feels crap and I feel like leaving (instead of the requested handover support). I’d miss working with some clients and I don’t want to impact them negatively. However, I feel I’m in a bit of loop of being the go to person for support- the one who can be used flexibly and conveniently who everyone has forgot to communicate with as an equal human. Just there and useful, no need to worry

Suggest you raise it with your manager and explain how you are feeling

Yes, in the circumstances you describe I would also be feeling a bit taken for granted.

I asked for a conversation last week about the handover and was asked to put it in an email. They are available to ask you things, but if there’s a complex decision or it’s me asking they just ghost. I’ve accepted that tbh.

It is what it is, I’m just wondering if I’m generally depressed/ in autumn blues or it’s reasonable to have become depressed about this iyswim? Would others plod on with base hours only? Or move out of the environment as it’s something that would also get to them? It’s hard to judge when you are down

I say this as someone who has been in similar shoes, working as a locum for a local authority. Basically, a temp. I learnt the worse thing a temp can do is forget they’re a temp and assume they have same status as the permanent staff. Your role is to slip into the organisation, be useful and go when you’re not needed. I use to complain, privately, that the temp staff were the do do on the manager’s shoe shoe. I feel your pain.

That said, take a step back and make strategic decisions which are best for you.

That’s sound. I think I haven’t forgotten- it’s the communication I guess. All I’d hope for is ‘hey, the end date is….’.

If anything I feel it’s their side that’s shifted, for example there’s an area where I’m the sole person working- I can’t get cover because there’s no one. It is the expectation of flexibility from me, but they except fixed commitments. I work for another LA and it’s tidy, the team pool work and I can easily cover or be covered as casual work allows. It’s a proper locum way of working- and when they ask for fixed periods they just ask, they don’t promise it’s linked to a permanent job every time!
Purely selfishly and strategically, I can look at cover lists and start better hours on Monday without notice. Probably that would be burning bridges though! Small world too. It would also stall work development half way through where I’m the only lead working between departments.

If you like the people you're working with and the clients / service users (if not the management), is it worth one last shot of approaching your manager and setting out your stall, so to speak? i.e. that you want to stay working in the team but [x/y/z] needs to change? Outline the things you do that couldn't be covered easily if you left, and say you would like to explore [whatever new working arrangement]. And if you were to stay on, benefits to the team would be [a/b/c].

Then you 100% know where you stand, and if they say "sorry we can't do anything", they can't say they weren't at warned and it might assuage your guilt about leaving. It's a bit of an ultimatum, so you would need to be sure of your backup option in case they do say no...

I had a big long chat with good friends and decided to send a resignation. They work in the same field, occasionally with the same council, and we discussed and explored all the things that led up.
It’s a more complicated mix of long term gap plugging and switching around that also impacts service users and relationships we discussed. You end up sticking to things as problem solver with guilt but really acting as a holding pen whilst nothing is really solvable in a wider way. Also, you never had access to all the resources you need etc not being officially part of the team. Part of the grind and feeling is this, as much as my feelings linked to work.
I think a cheery goodbye linked to an explanation regarding other work expanding burns the least bridges in a field where people know each other and cross paths a lot with young people moving areas/ joint working. I’ve offered notice to reduce the impact, though I’m casual.