I have name changed for this - just incase!
Anybody help with this? It’s a bit longwinded so bare with me!
So I returned to work following Maternity leave in August 2017, I was previously full time and retuned as 3 days a week to a diff role as the role I was in previously is based on the road and away from home Mon-Friday. I was offered an office based job doing similar to what I was before (training) with some other bits added in.
The role did not turn out to be what was offered, no training and minimal client contact. I was given a project to finish which another colleague had started – this was probably enough work for 1 day a week. I constantly asked for more.
Then in the Oct/Nov I spoke to my line manager saying that I needed more work, had loads of capacity to do more & needed more challenging….his response was “well I am not sure what to do with you…what can you do?” I was a bit…erm?! As I had told the Director when I came back that, I was happy to still go out on the road training however 3 days a week if needed. Role on December and as much as I had tried to pad out the project it was well and truly finished and had been asking colleagues if they needed any help with anything. I was told to sit and chill till Jan when we were due back….
In January, I asked to speak to the Director (my line manager’s boss) and I was advised that the project I had completed was being scrapped as they had decided to go down another route. They then asked again what I could do (in terms of being on the road) I reiterated what I had said all along. I then got offered some more work, but again not enough for 3 days a week – despite me constantly asking for more work this wasn’t happening and they seemed happy for me to sit there doing nothing – however I am not that kind of person I need to be busy (or at home with my DD if they don’t want me!).
They then advertised a full time Project Manager role which would be the natural progression for me from the previous full time role. I spoke to DH and we agreed I should apply for it as we could manage the childcare between parents, nursery & us & it was a role they knew I was working towards before maternity leave. Mentioned I was going to apply and most managers said "but what about childcare?" surely that irrelevant to them?! Applied and got down to the last 4 for interview. Now there is a bit of a culture here where if your face fits you are fine…..so I kinda knew all along I wouldn’t get it as my colleague also applied who was full time and still doing the role I was in before maternity.
I didn’t get the role (shock) and said colleague did, I was told that it was because I didn’t have enough experience…..however I was then asked if I would help out doing the same job but on 4 days a week – Project Co-ordinator rather than Project Manager (looking after smaller projects, and not required to go out and see clients etc of the PM role). I was a bit confused and said I would think about it. Before I left the room they said it was to cover a colleague who is currently off on maternity till August. I was shocked as another person was already doing that role on a 6 month contract.
I accepted the role as I wanted to show how I was willing and hopefully it would progress to a full time PM role.
It has since transpired that the colleague employed as the original mat cover is now a Project Manager as well. Another role has been ‘created’ it seems. They don’t have any experience and have never worked in his industry. I have been asked to go out on Project meetings with this person as they ‘dont have the knowledge yet’.
Today in my 1/2/1 I asked my manager when the role they are doing was advertised as I don’t remember seeing it (was always told there was just one role as a PM left). He stumbled on his words and said there was always two roles and infact the role this person is now doing is to cover for another colleague who is on long term sick….I said I was surprised that the role hadn’t been advertised internally as I would have applied…he just got a bit arsey with me and said that the role I applied for had been for the sick colleagues….I asked him to clarify as all the emails I have from HR state it was for the person who left….he just got increasingly flustered and said look we have promoted (mat cover person) and that’s that so there….
He then said I was doing an excellent job and if I carried on like this then maybe that wouldn’t be the case anymore…..I was so shocked and he then said let’s take this off line and go to HR I said OK then I think that’s best….and that was that!
I am just shocked at his reaction – can they do this as in not advertise this ‘other role’? Where do I stand? Clearly I wasn’t the right ‘fit’ for the role in their eyes and I will now face a meeting with HR!
Any suggestions?!