Work related stress following redeployment

[wantmorenow]

Just had a GP referred assessment with a mental health nurse. She was fab and seemed to have understood my situation. Her assessment is being sent to the GP and I have to arrange an appt for a follow up. Her verdict - extreme work related stress. Her recommendations are antidepressants, stress management course, seek union support, give up my red wine as I'm drinking too much and ask GP for blood tests as I'm actually experiencing significant hair loss.

I started my new role Sept last year following redeployment after raising a grievance, which concluded the workplace bullying I suffered was actually a clash of personalities it really wasn't. What do I do to protect myself regarding my role, performance and job? I have been transferred into a role that is much less favourably paid, less leave etc than I am on. Think qualified teacher working in a 'support' role but still getting terms and conditions of a teacher whilst everyone else isn't. The particular skills I bring to the role for a particular group of learners won't be needed after December so they may try and make me redundant then too.

I'm drowning, miserable, tearful, stressed and depressed. They concocted a capability against me and a colleague post redeployment which I have been taken off, colleague fought back and theirs 'disappeared', I was too scared to fight it. Getting another post with this on my record is impossible. Trapped and anxious doesn't even come close to what I feel every day.

How can I stop being so passive about this unfair treatment, colleagues asked to contribute evidence in my support in relation to capability and grievance and were refused an input. HR woman has even got me on an unofficial 'asbo' so I can't access certain sites without prior notification as it may upset the bully colleague. Is this even lawful? Won't put it in writing but all the managers know.

I feel for you, you sound so unhappy. Have you been taken off a capability plan, is the grievance all over now too. Do you think it would be better to leave and find something else, is it worth staying there if it causes so much anxiety. Would you be happy to speak to your GP and ask to be signed off sick.

Thank you. I am unhappy, it's not the job, it's the feeling of being watched by managers and that they are looking for evidence of my failing. I was off capability within 5 weeks. There really was no problem with any of my work. It was stuff I had been told not to do (verifiy work of the person I had put a grievance against and work that had not yet been written by colleagues). Was a farce. Had it verbally confirmed everything was okay but nothing official other than an informal email from HR. That was almost a year ago.

GP would sign me off I'm sure but I want to maintain my good sickness record and until I get capability off my record by getting it timed out then moving isn't an option. There has only been one suitable job in my field in the last 12 months, I had an interview but didn't get it. May have been a poor reference or maybe I just wasn't what they wanted. No idea.

Feel so powerless.

I am unhappy, it's not the job, it's the feeling of being watched by managers and that they are looking for evidence of my failing.

But you're not failing. You say there's no problem with your work. So stop being a doormat and show these people how good you are!!

And next time (if there's ever a next time), fight back. If you'd stood up for yourself, this might well have all disappeared. You should have appealed the decision against you, especially when you had colleagues willing to support you. I'm assuming it's too late for that now. So it seems like you either make the best of a bad situation or you go off sick. You know you're capable of doing a good job so prove it to everyone! You can do this.

I'm not unsympathetic to your situation - having been so miserable at work that lots of my hair fell out due to stress, twice - but I think it might be time for some tough love for you. You tried rolling over and that hasn't worked out. So try standing up for yourself and fighting back!

I and my union tried to challenge the capability process - there was no right of appeal. It was an internal policy and suited them, I kept pointing out they hadn't followed policy and was completely ignored. The whole thing was concluded within 5 days. No documents prior to meeting for me to even consider in advance. Was completely blindsided and my rep said if they wanted me out then they could just easily up it and make my position completely untenable. She even said that a significant personality clash could be grounds for dismissal. She's an ex lawyer and when I phoned local full time office they would not get involved. The whole thing happened so fast and I was fobbed off.

Thanks for taking time to post though.