Had a mini-stroke due to work related stress and long hours - where do I go from here?

[ohworkconundrum]

Hello all, need some advice please. I am fit and healthy 40y woman with no underlying health issues. I work for a large multi-national corporation. I've been with the company for 19 years and worked in various roles & departments. Earlier this year I moved internally to a different team. There used to be 8 people, 5 left, I was the only replacement. The work is challenging and busy all the time but has extremely busy periods when multiple large clients renew their annual contracts. My contract is for 35h a week (7h a day). I don't mind doing some extra hours (not paid) when required as it is expected and a norm within the company (did so in the previous roles but it wasn't overwhelming). In this role, due to enormous amounts of workload, this soon escalated to working 12-14h every day. The whole team is overwhelmed, people make mistakes, it's relentless. I complained to my immediate boss that this was totally not normal working conditions, and I had never experienced this amount of stress, excessive workload for such a long period of time. On top of this, I have young kids who have been really abandoned (after coming home from school) and left to do their own things since I started this new job. I haven't had any time to exercise or rest in the evenings for the last 10 weeks. The boss said they were looking to get an extra person but he/she would be headhunted so it's not a quick process as most people at that level have 6 months notice period anyway.

Last week (whilst working from home) out of a blue I suffered a mini-stroke. I had full-blown stroke symptoms which subsided over the next 24h. This is most likely caused by excessive stress and exhaustion due to work. I am currently on sick leave.

My question is - where do I go from here? Where does the company stand in terms of duty of care to their employees? What procedures need to change? Do I make a formal complaint to HR? My boss likes working long hours (a bit like "look how much we achieve and how profitable we are with such a small team") but can I refuse to work past my contracted 35h? Can they sack me for not pulling my weight? It's not quite in the team spirit when the rest of the colleagues are still online and working at 11pm at night. I don't want to fall out with my boss or my colleagues but I have to put myself and my family first. Other than one text message saying "hope you feel better soon" no one from the team or HR contacted me.
I have never experienced this in any other departments and no employees were run into the ground to get the job done. It's a nice company, I enjoy working there, but this unhealthy environment in this particular department cannot continue. When I am back, I'd like to talk to my boss/HR but I want to be prepared and know what employment rights are there to protect me (and my colleagues) from this. Employing one extra person is not going to solve the issue and I don't believe the boss's attitude about working hours is going to change.

Thank you for reading this, appreciate it a lot!

Christ! I don't know where you stand legally but from a personal point of view I'd be looking to move jobs! That TIA was a warning shot. Health happiness and family should all be prioritised over the job. I'd try and negotiate terms or get out ASAP. And don't rush back. I hope your GP has signed you off for a month at least. Good luck.

I am not able to comment on your rights or give advice OP but didn't want to read and scroll by. Sorry to hear what has happened to you, your story will resonate with many I am sure and also perhaps serve as a reminder to all of us regarding work related stress. I am in a similar situation which has been compounded by WFH where I feel it is a daily battle to just switch off when work is always at home. I also feel like employers have lost the true sense of work/ home and where to draw the line in terms of expectations and many companies went into the pandemic situation in crisis muddle through mode this has become the norm and expectation. OP hope you feel better and that someone on here can help.

Do you have occupational health at work? I had something similar happen due to work stress and a lazy manager whose job I ended up doing because she didn't do it. I speaking to occupational health before I go back to work and they are going to make a plan for how I can reduce stress at work. I haven't had the appointment yet so not quite sure how it works but could you ask your HR dept if they have something similar?

I think the first thing to do would get anything supporting this in writing and speaking to OH first.

I think trying to prove they were the cause with a complaint, would be very difficult to prove. But you can raise the working conditions with OH. If you need to reduce your workload, you need to reduce it. How they do that, could vary.

Ask your manager for an occupational health referral. They are very very likely to recommend that you work only your contracted hours. Discuss with your boss which work you will be dropping to accommodate this. If it isn't a productive conversation, you decide how to shape your workload to fit a 35hr week and drop your boss an email to explain which work you will no longer be able to accommodate.

Watching with interest as I don't feel in far behind you, op. Just switched off the laptop from my Mon-Fri 9-5:30 job. Everyone in my industry are on their knees and the promised recruitment never happens. If I were to listen to my own advice I wouldn't be switching back on tomorrow.

I think put something in writing now and send it to your manager and copy in HR and whoever's is next up the line from your manager. No need to be accusatory (although you have every right!) But just state the facts and that the current circumstances are not viable. I wouldn't worry too much about legalities... it's often a grey area anyway and it's common sense that the current situation is untenable. Make sure if your boss is being useless that you take it further up the chain.

Thank you all! There is no occupational health in my organization (work in the private sector), the company overall has a reasonable attitude towards good work/life balance (hence why I stayed there so long), the issue is more with the current department/team and I am now realizing that they have a chronic problem (not a one-off super busy period). The immediate boss is suffering and overwhelmed too but the one above (the decision-maker, big partner in the firm) just thinks we should grin and bear it.

There will be an occupational health advisor in a large multi national company. The role might be outsourced, but they will exist. Speak to HR about how to get a referral.

@ohworkconundrum

Hello all, need some advice please. I am fit and healthy 40y woman with no underlying health issues. I work for a large multi-national corporation. I've been with the company for 19 years and worked in various roles & departments. Earlier this year I moved internally to a different team. There used to be 8 people, 5 left, I was the only replacement. The work is challenging and busy all the time but has extremely busy periods when multiple large clients renew their annual contracts. My contract is for 35h a week (7h a day). I don't mind doing some extra hours (not paid) when required as it is expected and a norm within the company (did so in the previous roles but it wasn't overwhelming). In this role, due to enormous amounts of workload, this soon escalated to working 12-14h every day. The whole team is overwhelmed, people make mistakes, it's relentless. I complained to my immediate boss that this was totally not normal working conditions, and I had never experienced this amount of stress, excessive workload for such a long period of time. On top of this, I have young kids who have been really abandoned (after coming home from school) and left to do their own things since I started this new job. I haven't had any time to exercise or rest in the evenings for the last 10 weeks. The boss said they were looking to get an extra person but he/she would be headhunted so it's not a quick process as most people at that level have 6 months notice period anyway.

Last week (whilst working from home) out of a blue I suffered a mini-stroke. I had full-blown stroke symptoms which subsided over the next 24h. This is most likely caused by excessive stress and exhaustion due to work. I am currently on sick leave.

My question is - where do I go from here? Where does the company stand in terms of duty of care to their employees? What procedures need to change? Do I make a formal complaint to HR? My boss likes working long hours (a bit like "look how much we achieve and how profitable we are with such a small team") but can I refuse to work past my contracted 35h? Can they sack me for not pulling my weight? It's not quite in the team spirit when the rest of the colleagues are still online and working at 11pm at night. I don't want to fall out with my boss or my colleagues but I have to put myself and my family first. Other than one text message saying "hope you feel better soon" no one from the team or HR contacted me.
I have never experienced this in any other departments and no employees were run into the ground to get the job done. It's a nice company, I enjoy working there, but this unhealthy environment in this particular department cannot continue. When I am back, I'd like to talk to my boss/HR but I want to be prepared and know what employment rights are there to protect me (and my colleagues) from this. Employing one extra person is not going to solve the issue and I don't believe the boss's attitude about working hours is going to change.

Thank you for reading this, appreciate it a lot!

Sounds awful. I would look for a different role/job. Your team will not respond kindly to you dropping down to 35hrs a week- presumably they will have to work even harder - either way - you will become someone they blame - unless you can pull them in with you on changing the work culture in the team - if you can't work will be shit for you for other reasons. Recruitment is the solution but for skilled people it takes bloody ages - even with the best will in the world.

Agree that there will be occupational health for any large company and it is usually outsourced. Ask HR. In the meantime, discuss with your GP who will say the same thing - after a mini stroke you need to take it easy and stick to core hours. I also agree with another poster who says just move on, if you can find another job, do.

You might find this useful

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/basic-rights-and-contracts/if-youre-working-too-many-hours/

Essentially they can't legally make you work more than 48 hours per week unless you formally opt out so if use this as the starting point for discussions with your boss

Were you hospitalised?
Was it definitely a mini stroke? Who diagnosed it?
Have you had your BP checked, and checked for diabetes (huge risk factor).

I often wonder how many businesses or professions would cope if people just actually worked their normal working hours.

Not doubting you at all btw, just wondering if the medical side of things is being addressed.

@SilverGlitterBaubles

I often wonder how many businesses or professions would cope if people just actually worked their normal working hours.

I know in our business if they did they’d be paid less - not sure if that’s preferable for them!

join a union, even if your organisation doesn't recognise one, join one. You might need their legal assistance at some point.

Send a formal grievance to HR, outlining what has happened and why. Ask for reasonable adjustments at work and an OH referral.

@Hairymoohead I think that's the case in many businesses but doesn't it seem wrong that people are being paid to work 9-5 hours for example but the unwritten expectation is that they work far more than this. Or how many organisations are understaffed so those remaining fill in the gaps as the OP is doing, which is meant to be a temporary situation that goes on and becomes the norm.

I agree with pp about OH and also gathering together all evidence that links your long hours etc. to your TIA.

In this case I would also use Health and Safety and an employer duty of care to make your case to HR and senior managers. You need advice e.g. HSE or ACAS but if you van make a direct link from work to your TIA then you may be able to lodge a claim for compensation.

On a pragmatic note, the most important thing is your health and looking for another job may be the best option. Trying to secure a 35 hour week and all that comes with it may just exacerbate the impact on you.

Glad you are OK after the TIA.

[quote SilverGlitterBaubles]@Hairymoohead I think that's the case in many businesses but doesn't it seem wrong that people are being paid to work 9-5 hours for example but the unwritten expectation is that they work far more than this. Or how many organisations are understaffed so those remaining fill in the gaps as the OP is doing, which is meant to be a temporary situation that goes on and becomes the norm. [/quote]
Depending on the industry 12 hours a day can be typical - usually because it offers the promise of huge financial rewards - not really typical 9-5 salaries. It's not for everyone but the expectations are not a secret - you enter one of these industries and you really should know what's expected of you.

@Hairymoohead I agree in some instances it is the norm and people enter into these professions knowing this and are financially rewarded. My issue is in many cases they are not, the situation arises due to lack of staff such as on the OPs team and employers expect people to muddle through. When WFH there is the danger that employers are not seeing the true extent of what is involved as long as they are getting results everything's going fine. Then it's expected that this will continue and it's not fair or feasible long term.

Some companies are shit to work for - people need to vote with their feet and find somewhere else to work.

Thank you all. Yes, I was diagnosed in A&E. No health issues beforehand, no high BP, no diabetes, no family history.
Yes, working long hours is an unwritten expectation of the job (I've been with the company in various departments for nearly 2 decades, 10 working-hours days are normal, but not 12-14h). The salaries are average, the only perk of long hours is a discretionary annual bonus (different for senior executives who hold the main contact power with the clients). The company talks about looking after your mental health, arrange all sorts of lunchtime pilates etc but it's empty words as the actual working environment is not really conducive to taking breaks or switching off from work. I feel really sorry for my young kids, they heard the ambulance come, saw me looking like death when I returned home and I've been feeling really wiped out ever since.

You will feel wiped out for some time...your brain needs to heal and your central nervous system ..pls be kind to yourself..this happened to me few years ago and thought i had a TIA but i was left with a balance problem on the side of body which was affected and confirmed as a mild stroke...take care and hope your employment issues have been resolved!

If you contact HR, they can tell you if they use a private occupational health provider, and can tell you what steps to take to access this service.

Get your GP to put restrictions on your return to work fit note, stating that you work no more than your contracted hours, and must be able to take your breaks. This will reduce your work stress load, but may also affect whether or not your work will try to get rid of you because you cannot perform your normal duties, including extended hours, because of your health condition. (But I wonder whether they'd be able to argue that working an extra 7 hrs a day, on TOP of your full time 'normal' hours, could actually be termed as 'reasonable' , when a working week of over 48 hrs is NOT termed as 'reasonable' in the UK?)