Page 2 | 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.

mrsbyers · 08/06/2023 22:12

I was in a very similar situation a couple of years ago and had a small stroke , now I just do the minimum to get my job done to a decent standard - no crazy hours , no team to manage after moving to a different Gov Dept , I knew something was coming and the last message o sent to my then boss was around workload and getting a G7 to support as I was also doing a huge recruitment exercise , I told him I felt like my head was going to explode and around 4 hours later it did

ArnoldBee · 08/06/2023 22:16

Why are you not requesting a stress risk assessment?

Aintnosupermum · 08/06/2023 22:17

2 roles report to you and aren’t filled. You email your manager and let them know you are following up with HR to fill those spots.

Expect to update job descriptions etc but get the roles filled. Lead and if your manager pushes back, stand down and look for another job.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 22:24

coxesorangepippin · 08/06/2023 22:08

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

🤷

I’m trying to think of an example that won’t out me but the backlog is stuff like a big event / meeting being scheduled but nothing put in place to prepare for it. So there’s a huge amount to catch up on but it can’t be postponed any longer or the event will be a total disaster.

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motherofkevinnotperry · 08/06/2023 22:25

Also civil service and same issues. Be struck on your time. Continually mention you need help or the work will just build up. Apply for other jobs and make it known you're open to moving.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 22:25

mrsbyers · 08/06/2023 22:12

I was in a very similar situation a couple of years ago and had a small stroke , now I just do the minimum to get my job done to a decent standard - no crazy hours , no team to manage after moving to a different Gov Dept , I knew something was coming and the last message o sent to my then boss was around workload and getting a G7 to support as I was also doing a huge recruitment exercise , I told him I felt like my head was going to explode and around 4 hours later it did

Wow that sounds awful I’m so sorry. I hope you’ve fully recovered now. Are you a G6?

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Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 22:26

ArnoldBee · 08/06/2023 22:16

Why are you not requesting a stress risk assessment?

I didn’t know such a thing existed!

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TheaBrandt · 08/06/2023 22:27

Listen to Mrs Byers. 40 something man at my old job dropped dead suddenly of a heart attack. He had massive work stress and a young family slightly overweight and unhealthy lifestyle but no worse than lots of others. Very sad.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 22:29

motherofkevinnotperry · 08/06/2023 22:25

Also civil service and same issues. Be struck on your time. Continually mention you need help or the work will just build up. Apply for other jobs and make it known you're open to moving.

It seems so common now. I read posts on here about the CS being so great for work/life balance, part-time working etc and I just think….ummm what?

This current role is by far the worst it’s ever been though.

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Harryyourenogoodalone · 08/06/2023 22:32

I was you. Was a CS role at same level as you. I left after 8 months.
Absolutely love my new job and feel like a totally different person.

Ginflinger · 08/06/2023 22:43

Was in the same position as you. Hung in for too long and the stress nearly flattened me. Left CS. Took me a while to deal with the guilt and sense of failure - it's almost like they gaslight you, with a job description that's so far from the reality of the resource you have to actually do the job. Really feel for you. Good luck with your decision.

Whatyoutalkingabouteh · 08/06/2023 22:46

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 22:26

I didn’t know such a thing existed!

Show quote history

If your Dept doesn’t have one on their intranet go to the health and safety executive website and search stress risk assessment/stress In the workplace. This is the one occ health refer managers to.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 23:07

Harryyourenogoodalone · 08/06/2023 22:32

I was you. Was a CS role at same level as you. I left after 8 months.
Absolutely love my new job and feel like a totally different person.

Did you leave the CS altogether?

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Original poster

popularpopcorn · 08/06/2023 23:09

Ginflinger · 08/06/2023 22:43

Was in the same position as you. Hung in for too long and the stress nearly flattened me. Left CS. Took me a while to deal with the guilt and sense of failure - it's almost like they gaslight you, with a job description that's so far from the reality of the resource you have to actually do the job. Really feel for you. Good luck with your decision.

Thank you and I’m sorry for your experience. Gaslighting is a good way of describing it.

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Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 08/06/2023 23:18

Erk. Was literally just being seduced by a CS vacancy- this is making me think twice as I currently work in local government and these are some of the issues I want to get away from!

Is it the same across the CS or are some departments better/worse than others? Does anyone feel comfortable PMing me the department you are/were in?

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 09/06/2023 07:01

Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 08/06/2023 23:18

Erk. Was literally just being seduced by a CS vacancy- this is making me think twice as I currently work in local government and these are some of the issues I want to get away from!

Is it the same across the CS or are some departments better/worse than others? Does anyone feel comfortable PMing me the department you are/were in?

I do hear about these issues a lot but I don’t think it’s the same everywhere. Probably helps if being assertive and setting clear boundaries are amongst your strengths.

Not really having a line manager is one of the main issues in my current situation (was meant to have one but they left and weren’t replaced which is why I report to someone so senior) and I’ll never put myself in this situation again if I can help it.

Also the grade you go in at can make a huge difference.

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Toomuchmarking · 09/06/2023 07:17

Ask for a referral to Occupational Health because of the level of work related stress you are experiencing. They will issue advice on what can/should be done to support you. It may or may not change anything but at least you have it recorded and you have evidence to escalate things. Also, it is sometimes possible for the Civil Service to do internal redeployment on health grounds without you having to apply for anything. If it's not possible to alleviate stress in your current job then ask OH if they can recommend this.

Hecate01 · 09/06/2023 07:24

This happened to me but I'm in the private sector. It did get easier when we filled the vacancies and now I enjoy my job. It's a nightmare trying to recruit, then train staff plus still doing everything else but it does get easier in the long run. Fingers crossed for you that you recruit and you have others to pick up the workload.

Daisymay2 · 09/06/2023 07:34

Asking for a OH assessment doesn’t help. DS asked, oH said to restrict his workload if possible. LM decided it wasn’t after about 2 weeks. DS ended up being signed off for 6 weeks. However the words work based stress on his certificate seemed to make a difference. But he is struggling to get another job because of his sickness absence.

ecuse · 09/06/2023 08:01

Toomuchmarking · 09/06/2023 07:17

Ask for a referral to Occupational Health because of the level of work related stress you are experiencing. They will issue advice on what can/should be done to support you. It may or may not change anything but at least you have it recorded and you have evidence to escalate things. Also, it is sometimes possible for the Civil Service to do internal redeployment on health grounds without you having to apply for anything. If it's not possible to alleviate stress in your current job then ask OH if they can recommend this.

I think this is a really good idea ... I am no longer is CS but have been, and the situation you describe sounds very familiar to me... Inc being too busy to recruit someone that would help and the sense that it's just feels impossible to allow things not to be done.

I think it will be hard for them to say no to internal redeployment on health grounds, it's pretty easily do-able in CS and it might mean you don't have to wait as long as it would take to apply for other roles.

Original poster

popularpopcorn · 09/06/2023 12:14

I think they’d be quite confused if I asked for an OH assessment / stress risk assessment! I don’t get the impression that sort of thing is done here.

I’ve never had any health issues, anxiety / depression etc. It’s all just about the ridiculous demands of the job.

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Whatyoutalkingabouteh · 09/06/2023 12:29

If the job is causing you work related stress then it’s absolutely relevant and they need to pull their finger out and support you.

dubyalass · 10/06/2023 07:18

I'm a few grades below you but I and others in my organisation could have written your post. A colleague is on heart meds for the rest of his life after a particularly stressful project, and the one we're working on currently is even worse. We have raised the lack of resource so many times but nothing really changes - it's a lack of staff and piss-poor management. I am looking for other jobs - I don't mind a stressful job if I feel supported. But in this one I don't.

loveandpoprockz · 12/06/2023 01:49

I could have written your post myself as I’m going through exactly the same thing. I am covering at least 4 posts including my own. A colleague at the same level and role as me in a different department has whole team of staff reporting to her. I have been expected to meet the same deadlines as the other team. I am getting some additional resource but it will take time to recruit and train them and I barely have enough time to get anything done as it is. I’m awake in the early hours because I’m stressed about the situation. I’m the main earner in my household and feel trapped. I would apply for another job but my confidence is shot to pieces.

Dorrmouse · 12/06/2023 02:33

I could have written your post pretty much word for word, I have never known things so bad in the public sector (in my case having a vain and inexperienced boss whose world revolves around sucking up to senior fok while neglecting ordinary level service users who are unlikely to contribute to boss's personal glory quest doesn't help).

The organisation I currently work in is the most toxic and delusional I've experienced since I joined the workforce over 30 years ago. They just don't care a hoot about their staff and workloads are impossible.

I'm now actively job hunting, though I'm not expecting a quick escape at my age, and also working on building up my professional networks (something boss has actively tried to prevent, possibly as the couple of times I have managed it I have discovered things about them that aren't exactly flattering).

If I make it to September in one piece I should get an increment which is much needed as I'm currently the only breadwinner, but after that I am really going to job hunt in earnest. I know from bitter past experience this won't get any better.