Ending secondment early

[TeeNoG]

Hi, does any one have any experience of/advice about leaving a secondment early?

I am on a years secondment, which started in October. I am getting very positive feedback, but am pretty miserable in the role, for various reasons, but mostly because I feel unsupported and spend my working day in extreme anxiety, never quite sure what I am supposed to be doing next. I've raised it, but nothing has changed. I'm willing to accept the fault is maybe with me rather than the job, but that doesn't help how miserable I feel.

After developments last week, I'm 90% decided I want to end the secondment early. I've booked a meeting with my previous manager to discuss the possibility, but am keen to hear any real life experience/advice. Thanks.

I've known this happen a couple of times at work, from the perspective of the area the person was seconded from. Both times, the previous department bit their hands off to get them back and there were no issues releasing them - don't know the ins and outs but no sensible manager is going to want to hang onto someone who is unhappy in role.

I don't think this is a big deal in the grand scheme of things if you go back to what you are happy doing. I doubt you'll ever even need to explain that you left it early in a future interview or anything it shouldn't come really come up you can just be positive and say you learned a lot and then went back to your substantive role.

Thank you @ClariceQuiff and @SparkleSky . I'm expecting that my previous TM will be happy to have me return. I'm just DREADING having to explain that I want to leave to my secondment manager.

I’ve felt a bit like that in my new role, but I have a supportive manager so I’m sorry to hear it’s not working out for you. I’ve been in the position of having one of my team come back early and I was very grateful to have them! Just had to manage the message carefully.

When you have the conversation with your previous manager do you have some good examples of what it is about the role you’re struggling with? So for example lack of clear scope. Do you think it’s an integral part of the role that it would always be like that? Good luck OP

Have you got a contract for your secondment? I did and wanted to leave early, so I just had to give a months notice as stated in my contract. The new bunch were miserable and accepted it and my old team couldn't wait to have me back! Worked out fine in the end - just put it down to life experience, if you hadn't have tried it, you probably would've always wondered...!

@Leftbutcameback Thanks for your comment. I too had a very supportive manager, which is why I've held on - however she has now left for a new role with immediate effect. My new manager is based in England, and I'm in Edinburgh, so I'm very nervous about having much less support. The scope of the job has never been completely clear, though I have made the best of that and they've been happy with the results. A big problem for me is the culture - workload is massive, the department is majorly under resourced. People work ridiculous hours and are massively stretched - I want a much better work/private life balance than that.

Having said all this, I AM grateful for the opportunity and don't want to come across as a whiny idiot - the job just doesn't suit me.

@SheAndHerAreWomen yes, I checked out my contract and I would also need to give a months notice, which in the grand scheme of things is fine. Thank you for sharing your positive experience, it helps. I hate the feeling of running away from something- but I want to be happy. I know in practical terms, this could all be over in a few weeks so I'll hold onto that!