Did I sell myself short? Can you help?

[latteandtoastie]

Hi everyone - first time poster here, I hope you can help.

Short back story; I had been HR Manager since 2018 at my company (after being promoted from Senior HR Officer) in a full-time capacity until had my first baby April 2020. I went back to work after the year but part-time in the HR Manager role. I really struggled fitting five days work into three days and it was a hard slog for a year with lots of overtime etc.

I became pregnant with my second in child and I took the decision to request to step down when I returned (not due to return until Summer 2023) to either a Senior HR officer or a HR Officer, which, to cut a long story short, was agreed for me to go back as a HR Officer. I didn't push to go back to my original role as the senior as I was more keen on getting them to say yes to me stepping down (I tend to not always put myself first!) This was all signed and sealed in July last year as it enable my company to go ahead an appoint a permanent HR Manager to replace me when I went on maternity leave. At the time, this felt like the right decision and to some extent still does, I could not carry out that high level position on just three days per week.

However, fast forward to now and I have been having regrets that I didn't push to go back to the Senior HR role. Not for the money (although last year things were substantially easier finance wise), but because of the fact that I worked extremely hard to get the promotion in the first place and I still want to be involved in more complex HR issues (amongst other things). I was just a bit too eager to get them to say yes to me stepping down.

I would like to ask if they would be able to reconsider me returning as the senior. Has anyone got any advice on how I should (or even if I should?!) approach this with my boss? They are generally a very accommodating company but like all, trying to save money where they can.

Thanks in advance.

Is there actually a vacancy and would they be creating a role for you?

How long have you been back as a HR officer?

You struggled last time

now you have a second child

so why do you think you wouldn’t struggle this time?

If I had an employee who did this, I would be thinking to myself “so we accommodate your request because you felt you struggled but now you are asking to revert back but there’s been no change to your personal situation aside from another child”

The OP isn't asking to go back to HR manager, she's asking to go back to Senior HR which is the step below and the one she was doing directly before becoming HR Manager. She's now the step below Senior.

Yes but it would seem there isn’t a vacancy

and I don’t know whether the op has actually given the Hr officer a chance yet

added to which, she suggested senior hr or hr officer and they decided HR officer

took the decision to request to step down when I returned (not due to return until Summer 2023) to either a Senior HR officer or a HR Officer, which, to cut a long story short, was agreed for me to go back as a HR Officer. I didn't push to go back to my original role as the senior as I was more keen on getting them to say yes to me stepping down

they have made their position whether they want you as an Hr officer or a senior Hr officer quite clear

Yes that's her entire question. Nowhere does it say she struggled as Senior HR which is what your post seemed to imply.

i went back to work part-time in the HR Manager role. I really struggled fitting five days work into three days

This was the problem - you should never have been trying to fit 5 days into 3 if you were part-time. It should have been a job share or the work reorganised so you could do a part time job in part time hours.

It's normal to feel sad and to get I to "what if" spirals when something ends. That doesn't mean it was the wrong decision, it just means you're a human having a normal reaction to change.

Presumably there was a reason they wanted you as HR officer rather than senior officer? What's changed in that regard other than that you're experiencing difficult emotions about it?

Can anyone confirm whether the Op means she’s actually been in the HR officer or she’s about to start?

I did also think this.

Doing 5 days' work in 3 days is compressed hours, and pay remains the same.

Taking a paycut to only work 3 days means someone else should be picking up some of the work in some way. There are different ways to manage that, but that ship seems to have sailed.

To clear up some confusion.

I was a Senior HR Officer and they promoted me to HR Manager, they never backfilled my role and I did a good job as HR Manager until I returned after maternity leave when I tried to squeeze it all into three days.

There currently isn't a Senior HR Officer - they never replaced me.

I struggled as HR Manager, I can do the HR Officer role easily with my experience.

I haven't returned yet, due to return in the Summer, but I am going in soon and I would like to have discussed my feelings with by boss prior to my actual return.

They likely decided HR officer because it is cheaper for them, I am sure that if I said I wanted to go back to my senior role they would have let me.

All I am trying to do is keep a hold on my career and not to have to let it slip because I chose to become a mother too.

I'm sorry but I honestly think you are being very unreasonable here. The employer has gone out of their way to accommodate what you asked for, you wanted to give up the responsibility and now you want the responsibility back, just not all of it.

I think that you need to decide what your priorities are here - career or parenting. There is absolutely no reason that a parent shouldn't also have a career, but you seem to want them to design a job around your wants with the priority being parenting - but on your terms. Perhaps they are accommodating. But I think you may be pushing it now.

You need an honest conversation with them, for which you need to prep very well.

You have reflected on the difficulties you had as PT HR Manager because you were trying to fit 5 days work into 3 which should never have been the case. This caused you to doubt your capability, which isn't in doubt - you've evidenced 2 years of good performance in the HR manager role when it was full time.

Now you are ready to go back to work and you understand that the HR Manager position has been filled so can't reverse that decision (although if it's been a year you might make it clear that you would like first refusal when the role becomes vacant and would also be interested in job share for the Manager role.)
It would be more appropriate use of your skills and experience to have you in at least the senior HR office role. What are their thoughts.

Also speak to your union.

The employer absolutely hasn't gone out of their way at all. This whole situation has arisen because they agreed the OP could go part time as HR Manager but did nothing to either reduce their workload to part time capacity or sort a job share for the other 2 days per week.

So you currently aren't working? I would wait and see how you get on when you return to be honest. I believe your company would be more likely to consider your request if they can see that you are coping well when you're back.

I went down a grade for various health reasons when DS was young. It gave me breathing space when I needed it and when I went back up again I was absolutely ready for it. I didn't see it as putting myself last, I saw it as giving myself the luxury of headspace to cope with everything.

I would wait and see how you get on when you return to be honest.

Don't do this - the junior role will become the default and you'll find it harder to argue for an upgrade.

I don't want them to design a job around my needs - I also think them having a senior could work in their favour - I am also thinking about their needs. I think they also may have been short sighted and been eager just to save money.

All I want to do is discuss it with them - I would not be sad if they said no, but if it's how I am feeling, I should talk to them surely?

Why "should"?

Sorry I posted before your update.
As your role is 2 grades below your previous one I now see your point, so yes it is worth discussing and asking what they see you doing in the role.

Do you have a good relationship with them?

how long have you been at the company?

They likely decided HR officer because it is cheaper for them, I am sure that if I said I wanted to go back to my senior role they would have let me.

so likely this will still stand re cost savings

I'm saying discuss it with them sooner rather than later. Don't wait until you've started doing the junior role.

Of course you should talk to them. You have nothing to lose.

However you asked - did you sell yourself short? Hell yes. Why in earth did you accept coming back to the same role, the same workload and responsibilities but only being paid for three days a week? That was your downfall. And I hate to be the one to say it - but you're in HR - surely you of all people should know that it is completely unreasonable to expect someone to do a five day job while being paid for three days?

Come on - if someone junior in the company wanted the same - what would your advice to their line manager be? If 'yes of course it's fine for Sarah to work and be paid for three days a week. No it won't be a problem if we don't reduce her workload, she can just do 14 hours of unpaid overtime each week' - then frankly going back to being a junior is probably a good thing!