My job is awful - how do you cope in this situation?

popularpopcorn · 2023-06-08T17:35:16+00:00

I shouldn’t complain because I applied for it and thought I wanted it. It’s a mid-senior Civil Service role. I report in to someone very senior who has no time to talk anything through. I inherited a ridiculous backlog of work from my predecessor. I had no handover. I am meant to have a team of three but two roles are vacant so I’m having to pick up their work too. I was told it would be flexible around school pick ups etc which was nonsense. I routinely have to log on at evenings and weekends. Basically I hate it and it’s taken over my life. Anyone been here and what do I do about it. It’s been six months so far.

MaterDei · 08/06/2023 18:36

Personally, I would be job hunting...

Itsanotherhreatday · 08/06/2023 18:37

Well they won’t fill the roles if you’re doing it for free!

Work your hours do the school run and get some balance back

Oblomov23 · 08/06/2023 18:38

Stop doing any extra. Only do your contracted hours. Just stop.

Dacadactyl · 08/06/2023 18:39

Have you raised it with your boss? I'd send an email to the boss saying "what's the plan for recruiting to the empty posts? I have no work life balance and I'm unhappy at present, it's affecting my MH etc" Leave the ball in their court and start job hunting in meantime.

TeaKitten · 08/06/2023 18:40

Stop doing the extra, if the work is getting done they won’t fill the other roles.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 18:43

I am recruiting to the vacant roles but that’s extra work in itself because of everything that needs to be done (I have to manage all the recruitment process myself, there is no separate HR/recruitment team who will do it).

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Teacoaster · 08/06/2023 18:45

Hello @popularpopcorn are you me?

I'm currently going through this right now. I applied for a role I thought I wanted, but I also had no handover, no one showed me how to do the main part of my job, we're really understaffed and my workload has seen me working until 3/4 in the morning. I've been there since August last year.

I'm handing my notice in next week. I'm giving them more notice than is required so I don't completely leave them high and dry (and also because I feel guilty). Guilty that I said I wanted the job, guilty that I said I could handle pressure but obviously can't, but mostly I feel guilty because I've been not very nice to live with since working there because I'm tired, and stressed and worried about not doing a good job.

To throw some clichés out there... You only regret what you don't do. Life is too short. Do what makes you happy. Etc etc.

I've been in my role 6 months and there's no further support anyone can give me because everyone else is stretched thinly. I decided I wasn't going to mask their lack of resources by putting myself at risk of burning out.

It's better to walk away now then stay in a job that leaves you unhappy.

Have you started looking for something else?

EyelessArseFace · 08/06/2023 18:45

Blimey. Are they expecting you to stick a broom up your backside and sweep the floor as you go along as well?

aveline161 · 08/06/2023 18:46

Sometimes the cracks have to show before action is taken. Keep repeating your issues at every opportunity and what needs to happen to fix them (ie what is happening with the recruitment for the other roles). Been in a similar situation but luckily with support. Agree do not do excessive overtime (maybe just enough to clear one item a week or similar but SHOUT loudly about the fact you are doing this…I only condone this because you have the capacity to do it)

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 18:46

Dacadactyl · 08/06/2023 18:39

Have you raised it with your boss? I'd send an email to the boss saying "what's the plan for recruiting to the empty posts? I have no work life balance and I'm unhappy at present, it's affecting my MH etc" Leave the ball in their court and start job hunting in meantime.

Yes I have and she did take me seriously but she had no real suggestions for what to do about it. She’s so much more senior than me that she doesn’t really understand what my job involves (sees the outputs but doesn’t know what it takes to get to that point).

I’m going to request payment for all the extra hours worked and see if she’ll approve that, if not at least it’s a way of surfacing the issue.

OP posts:

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 18:49

Teacoaster · 08/06/2023 18:45

Hello @popularpopcorn are you me?

I'm currently going through this right now. I applied for a role I thought I wanted, but I also had no handover, no one showed me how to do the main part of my job, we're really understaffed and my workload has seen me working until 3/4 in the morning. I've been there since August last year.

I'm handing my notice in next week. I'm giving them more notice than is required so I don't completely leave them high and dry (and also because I feel guilty). Guilty that I said I wanted the job, guilty that I said I could handle pressure but obviously can't, but mostly I feel guilty because I've been not very nice to live with since working there because I'm tired, and stressed and worried about not doing a good job.

To throw some clichés out there... You only regret what you don't do. Life is too short. Do what makes you happy. Etc etc.

I've been in my role 6 months and there's no further support anyone can give me because everyone else is stretched thinly. I decided I wasn't going to mask their lack of resources by putting myself at risk of burning out.

It's better to walk away now then stay in a job that leaves you unhappy.

Have you started looking for something else?

Oh wow I do think we might be the same person!! Except I haven’t handed in my notice yet, well done for doing that. You’ve summarised it perfectly, I feel so guilty as well and somehow worried that it’s actually all my fault.

I have started looking at other things yes but haven’t applied yet.

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Iwantcakeeveryday · 08/06/2023 18:51

oh I have been there, I agree with others, look and apply for a new job, life is too short for this.

ScarletWitchM · 08/06/2023 18:52

Leave. I’ve had similar situation and thought it was too soon to leave and stayed for another 6 months which massively impacted my mental health and my home life. When I finally started looking actively for new roles I was told by various hirers that nowadays moving roles more frequently isn’t seen as badly as it used to be.
Find something else asap

Thingamebobwotsit · 08/06/2023 18:52

Sadly this is all too common in public services at the moment.

In no particular order:

Job hunt. There are better jobs out there.

Put everything in writing in an email to your boss (see next point). If you get nowhere. Raise with HR. Even if it doesn't change the immediate situation if at a later date you end up off on sick or having to quit with no job to go to you have a log of the issues and the fact your boss didn't address it.

Prioritise ruthlessly. What can you realistically achieve in a week? What are your critical activities? What do you stop/pause doing to free up time to recruit and onboard? Can you delegate to other teams or pull in resources from elsewhere?

I don't know what your personal context is but as a senior leader if my staff were drowning and I couldn't see it (eg due to pressures on me, them burying it etc) I would hope they would flag with me and give me an indication of what their suggested Priorities for handling it would be. I wouldn't expect them to suffer in silence.

Hope that helps

youveturnedupwelldone · 08/06/2023 18:52

Decide what would make it better. If those things aren't going to happen, get yourself on civil service jobs!

TheUndoing · 08/06/2023 19:07

Move role. There are plenty of G7/G6 roles that offer plenty of flexibility.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 19:10

TheUndoing · 08/06/2023 19:07

Move role. There are plenty of G7/G6 roles that offer plenty of flexibility.

I guess I’m worried about moving so soon and how it looks, plus potential hassle of moving departments again etc. Internal move may well be blocked so I think I would have to be an OGD.

But you’re probably right!

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DoYouRememberTheInnMiranda · 08/06/2023 19:15

I feel so similar to this.

Feel guilty that I am not performing as well as I should, but it's so hard. I don't know whether I should ever have gone for this promotion... But I'm making myself stick another 6 months out, and if still feeling like this then, I'll look for something else.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 19:32

DoYouRememberTheInnMiranda · 08/06/2023 19:15

I feel so similar to this.

Feel guilty that I am not performing as well as I should, but it's so hard. I don't know whether I should ever have gone for this promotion... But I'm making myself stick another 6 months out, and if still feeling like this then, I'll look for something else.

Sorry to hear. Why do you think you are giving it another six months?

Im telling myself the same but then I think - hang on, do I actually think it will be better in six months?

Because I don’t think it will!

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lljkk · 08/06/2023 19:37

TeaKitten · 08/06/2023 18:40

Stop doing the extra, if the work is getting done they won’t fill the other roles.

I think that is good advice.
Aren't half your lot on strike a lot of days? Work to rule, woman.

Oblomov23 · 08/06/2023 19:41

I can't believe how passive you are. Considering staying for another 6 months? What! Show some self respect, start looking, tell your boss how you feel, stop doing extra. As others have said this isn't going to get any better!

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 19:41

lljkk · 08/06/2023 19:37

I think that is good advice.
Aren't half your lot on strike a lot of days? Work to rule, woman.

Show quote history

In some areas yes, but unfortunately that’s almost unheard of where I am.

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Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 19:43

Oblomov23 · 08/06/2023 19:41

I can't believe how passive you are. Considering staying for another 6 months? What! Show some self respect, start looking, tell your boss how you feel, stop doing extra. As others have said this isn't going to get any better!

Oh god am I that passive? 🙈 I probably am.

I just barely know which way is up anymore, just trying to keep swimming to keep up with the ridiculous workload and expectations. Not an excuse I know.

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Whatyoutalkingabouteh · 08/06/2023 21:56

Raise with your manager again and put in an email so it’s in writing. How it’s affecting you ie stress and the impact on your work life balance.
the moment she hears stress she should be concerned and referring you to occ health and doing a stress risk assessment.
the fact your manager is very senior doesn’t tKe away that she is still your manager and should be supporting you.

coxesorangepippin · 08/06/2023 22:08

It's not that important if there's tons of backlog? So just do what you can

🤷