New civil service role

[Lightupunicorn]

I joined the civil service as a G7 10 weeks ago from a very senior level role in a fast-paced public sector environment that I had been in for 10 years and the private sector before that. I have over 20 years experience in my field of work. I’ve never worked in the civil service before, but have worked with departments with success. This role is not as senior as my previous but is the same salary and I was looking for a change.

I am based in a hub location in the north west, and the rest of the team is in London.

Eight days in the job I started getting negative and confrontational feedback over not understanding their ways of working. This negativity has continued week on week despite my best efforts and I am going to be put on an informal action plan now ten weeks in - with flimsy rationale as to why. I’ve been warned if I don’t meet the plan it will be formal and I might not pass my probation. I am yet to see the plan as she hasn’t done it yet, so I have to have another meeting about it. I’ve never been so anxious and scared about failing.

The other G7 in the team is getting involved in my work and giving contradictory advice to the SEOs in the office - unbeknownst to me - and I’m getting put on an action plan because I’m apparently causing confusion and I’m not assertive enough. Mistakes made by others are being attributed to me.

I’m kept out of the loop on discussions happening in the London office and the G6 doesn’t give clear direction from the outset. If I haven’t executed something exactly how she has it in her mind, or how she would do something - I’m getting criticised.

I could look at this objectively apart from the intense micromanagement from the G6 on a scale I have never experienced before which has me in a constant state of flux. The SEOs are demotivated and have told me themselves about the micromanagement leaving them frustrated and wanting to leave. People don’t seem to stay, other than the other G7 who has little experience other than this role and benefits from keeping a close relationship with the G6.

We have to have basic emails checked before we send them, and they are rewritten, but based on personal style rather than inaccuracies.

We have to check our thinking before we start something and then she is questioning me on every step and criticising the most basic pieces of work in a patronising way and verbally questioning my skill set overall. She says to keep asking questions, but if I ask the wrong ones and she thinks I don’t get it she takes the work off me. She also speaks in a derogatory way about the SEOs behind close doors.

The G6 sees things over and over again with changes to changes and then criticism if you haven’t executed something to the letter or what she has in her mind. The goalposts are often moved and there is no consistency, she forgets what she’s changed and what she has seen because a basic piece of work has been looked at for weeks on end.

She’s on calls I’m on to listen in, wrapped up as ‘there for support’ but I’m getting judged and getting negative feedback depending on what I say . I’ve been told she doesn’t want new ideas. I’m also getting cut out of the loop and I’m so concerned about the narrative that is being built and the sword of Damocles hanging over me that my anxiety is through the roof.

Ive never experienced this before, never had a performance issue in over 20 years - quite the opposite. I feel as if im being sickened off because im in a regional north west location. I’ve tried to explain my concerns to the G6, but I get ostracised if I don’t tow her line so I don’t say anything.

I’m only a few weeks in, is this the civil service? Can anyone offer advice.

Oh my gosh, I don't have any advice (beyond looking for another job) but that sounds absolutely dreadful. I'm so sorry.

The civil service seems to differ so much from department to department and team to team, based on what friends who work in it say. You could have just got very unlucky.

"We have to have basic emails checked before we send them, and they are rewritten, but based on personal style rather than inaccuracies." - I had this in my first 'proper' job and I found it deeply frustrating then, absolutely could not put up with it 20 years into a career!

I've never experienced this in the civil service. It sounds horrendous.

I'm afraid I don't have any constructive advice apart from to keep records of absolutely everything. And join the union if you aren't already a member. Good luck.

Sounds like another G6 I know near Southport - drove everyone mad and then had to be moved. As a G7 you're expected to be assertive and be able to explain the strategic vision to your teams. And yes the Civil Service can have strange practices!

There is nothing worst than micromanagement in combination with lack of clarity. What is the point in doing anything when you know it will most probably be judged wrong.

I'm been in a similar position following an internal move. I started to look for a new job right away and lined up an internal move pretty fast.

Have you any contacts, even a notice board of vacancies ? Good luck

You need to talk to your SCS1.

Ways of working can be a culture shock for some people when joining the CS, but from what you have said this is much more than that.

I assume you are on probation, there will be a policy that sets out the process to be followed. Get a copy and make sure your manager follows it. It should also set out how your objectives should be defined on the action plan, typically SMART.
If your G6 hasn’t come up with an action plan be proactive (upwards management) draft it yourself, there will be templates & examples. Look at Performance management, poor performance/capability policies and procedures for examples. Each time you meet with G6 use the action plan to structure the meeting. Get feedback and after the meeting email your understanding of what was agreed. This is your evidence and again upwardly manages the G6. So you can say no we agreed xyz as per email. Document mistakes attributed to you and keep evidence of where the issue is.

If your whole team and mgmt chain are in London who in your hub has been allocated as your Buddy? They should be able to help with ways of working etc. you really need an experienced G7.

If the other G7 is giving contradictory advice, talk to them and try to understand why they are giving different advice. This could be because of CS rules, policies etc you are not aware of. I would also suggest you and the G7 agree to copy each other in to emails to the SEOs, position it as being based on the hub it’s the best way to ensure a consistent approach for the SEOs.

re-writing emails based on personal style, so so common at all levels in CS, as is reviewing documents. There are two reasons a)CS style - you need to learn it b) personal preference - don’t sweat it, if you can, learn to write in their style.

There is a possible red flag in terms of the G6 not wanting your ideas/contributions on calls. With your background she may be threatened, you may not have all the background, you think quicker than her and it puts her off balance.

Communications - yep, welcome to the CS. Make sure you are on circulation lists etc. The SEOs and your SCS1s PA can help here.

Micro managing - there are some and it’s very difficult to know what to do.

Ask for a 1:2:1 with your SCS1, say 3 months in good idea to chat the countersigning officer. Explain you are finding the micro management difficult and would appreciate advise on what you can do to work better with the G6 given that you are based in different locations. You can drop in a Buddy for ways of working, ask if any guides/policies that help you understand CS ways of working. You could also ask for a mentor - really useful for career development and for judging if G6 is typical or not.

Sorry for war and peace. HTH

Thank you so much for your replies they are really helpful. I’ll make sure I document everything and strategise in terms of how to deal with the issue going forward.

Need to get myself out of flight mode and try and get on the front foot. I’ve not been assigned a buddy so I’ll ask for one. I don’t think they’ve been geared up to have someone in a hub location.

How often are you spending time in the London office and is the G6 travelling up to spend time with you? If not, I would try to make the effort to spend time with the team while you get established. Join a union now, before problems escalate - FDA, Prospect or PCS depending on your role and trade union reps. Try to get a mentor outside your management structure - suggest DD level. Take steps to look after your well-being and connect with other people in your location, maybe there are staff networks you could join. Good luck.