Public Sector - job offer - any advice please?

[whatever1980]

Just want to vent really.

work in public sector

not had direct line manager for 3 years since they were made redundant.

restructure took place 3 years ago and new version of my old manager's role is in new structure.

New role hasn't however been advertised in last 3 years or moved forward.

kept being told it will be advertised and needs to be filled (as it is in new structure) but hasn't happened in last 3 years.

no reason given for delay.

other posts in new structure filled during this time.

I've basically covered my old manager's role during this time - no extra pay asked for or 'acting up' title and haven't asked for it. i work really hard and im really committed. I found out recently other people during this time have been acting up and given payment for it. There's another woman in same position as me been treated same as me.

Kept being told new post will be advertised. was also told my current role not in new structure so not sure what that meant for me.

applied for another post in different public sector body. more money and promotion.

I got it. it's not my perfect role as further from home.

Told my boss i've been offered a new post.

They've told me not to accept new post but they left the organisation yesterday. That they will get the new post advertised asap and although no guarantees i'll get it they hope i will and have a good chance. Not seen a JD or know the salary of the new post to be advertised.

CEO also contacted me to tell me not to leave.

Really annoyed. i love where i work, it's not perfect and can be toxic at times in the organisation but works for my kids as close by.

Annoyed that job not advertised for 3 years - no reason given for delay. now being told they'll advertise this role in next couple of weeks but not sure believe them and seen nothing in writing.

they said it'll be an internal trawl but who knows.

not seen a JD or salary.

So being asked to not accept new post ive been offered and instead wait for this role which could be for a much lower salary and no guarantees i'd get it or when.

I see other people in the organisation matched into roles they dont fit or given jobs they didn't apply for. new roles created on an interim basis and just given to people. i feel really messed around. get offered a new job somewhere else and suddenly the CEO is contacting me telling me not to leave, really value me and weren't aware of delay for new post or why.

I'm in a union but i haven't wanted to go to them as I knew it would sour relations with my colleagues but this has hindered me. i feel its my fault too - im too accommodating. i get given more work and responsibility (no extra pay) and i just get on with with no complaints or issues caused. i see other don't. perhaps that's my fault.

Any advice please?

Take the new job. Congratulations 🎉

Oh god why wouldn't you take the new job? If you don't and the new job at your current place never materialises (why would it, if you've been doing it for free for the last 3 years!) then you've missed out on the other opportunity.

I would leave and be clear about why

Take the new job. They’re just messing you around. Maybe your resignation might focus them

100% take the new job or they’ll just keep taking the piss out of you!

Just go. They’ve been no help to you in the past. Fuck em and move on.

Just go and take the new job. If they really wanted you they'd have put you into an acting up position.

They take you for granted - the new place might not !

Thanks everyone!

I feel torn - new job means working further away from kids and more late nights. The new job is with a body with lots of internal issues (or that is the perception) lots of strike action recently. So better job better prospects but worse more stress place to work away from young kids. Probably back in office full time too when hybrid at moment. I think position could however open up more opportunities.

I guess I'm also annoyed that - what if I leave and then 2 months down the line my current employer advertises the role I wanted - internally (which means I can't apply) and it's down the road from kids hybrid and a good salary and I've missed out. There is someone else who could potentially step into the role if it's not me.I'll really resent that too.

But yes, they've well and truly taken the piss out of me and I've let them.

Do I get unions in now and fight for this post or just leave and potentially worse work/balance?

Or I turn this role down and the other role never happens.

Is there any way I can salvage this?

If you want to stay where you are…

This is your opportunity to negotiate. They clearly want you to stay. They’ve been taking advantage of your good nature and desire to be accommodating. Put a stop to that. If they value you this much, then they need to show it.

Tell them that you like the work and the workplace. But you are taking a risk staying if they don’t advertise this role.

Tell them you’ll consider staying on, IF they appoint you to the manager role on an interim/acting up basis, with salary to match.

Get cheeky/assertive. Given you’re giving up a guaranteed role for an uncertain one, they need to sweeten the deal a bit. Ask them to back date it. You’re unlikely to get the whole 3 years, but I’d at least push for back dates pay uplift from April (start of new financial year). Ideally more (6 months?).

Don’t rely on any more assurances about advertising the new job “soon”. Soooo many things go wrong in the process of getting roles signed off in the public sector. Get yourself it as a proper interim/acting up role.

If you find being assertive in negotiations hard, get a friend or supportive colleague to help you eg with wording emails etc

Good luck!

Do I get unions in now and fight for this post or just leave and potentially worse work/balance?

This sort of thing isn't just a public sector thing - it's a workplace thing. I have seen the same happen in the private and third sectors. Basically, if you have a mug who will do the job for less money, what's the rush.

But - and genuine question here - wtf do you think the union can do about this? Because this is, as you say, the public sector. That means that the job will be advertised at least internally, and there is no guarantee that you will get it. In fact, getting the union involved may just guarantee that you don't.

I think your choice has to be to accept the other role, or to accept that you are taking a risk by staying and try to minimise that risk. The latter might (and probably should) mean being a bit more assertive, but equally you must be prepared to suck up the fact that in a couple of months they could advertise and appoint somebody else. How will you feel then? Because, many eons ago, I was in that position, and it meant I had to get out and get out fast. I did and I could - can you?

Thanks so much @Daffidale and @Quveas

Re the unions. I've recently seen first hand in my place how policies aren't adhered to when the employee has got a union involved - people are put in roles that weren't advertised internally or externally or were advertised and the employee didn't even apply for it (or did apply for it but didn't pass the pass mark) but they raised a grievance and unions hold so much sway at my place they dictate what happens. It's a trade off. You give our union member the post and we'll get your policy through.

Thanks re seeing if can be put in post in interim. Talk is cheap - very cheap. I've been a mug.

I think I'm probably going to have to take this new post. I built the department I'm in from scratch and shaped it and it'll be tough handing it over to someone else.

Thanks again everyone

@whatever1980 Pretty shameful if that is happening, because that is maybe nice for a few people, but it is corruption. I'm a union rep myself, and I know for a fact that we would insist on it being advertised (even if internally, because that's currently our policy). We do that even if we know that management have already made their pick, and what the result will be. Our view would be that if you are the best candidate, then you will be appointed. That may be a little naive at times, but we know that it is.

That said, our policy is also that nobody can act up without compensatory payment, and that nobody can act up for more than 14 months. If a post is held vacant for 14 months it is deleted. Oddly we find that deletion of posts is a real incentive to get on with advertising vacancies where the post is needed.

Thanks @Quveas i completely agree. I always assumed that everything was done according to the book and I've always followed the rules - but I've had my eyes opened massively very recently and it's left me feeling uncomfortable.