HELP!!! ADVICE WITH MY JOB - WHAT CAN I DO?

[Benji1998]

Started a new job a year ago.

Part of my job role is to cover for sickness when a colleague is off and also cancel appointments / rearrange clinics if another colleague is off.

My main job role is doing IT.

The covering aspect of the role is really starting to get me down. I am constantly checking my emails in the morning to make sure no one is off sick so I can plan my day, if someone is off sick that’s my whole day that I’ve planned out the window. I’m finding it hard being pulled in 3 different directions. I just want a job where I can go in, do MY job and go home and not have to worry about whether someone is going to be off or not.

I have asked if this aspect of my role can be changed and if I can just focus on IT full time but I’ve been told that it’s not an option. It’s really affecting my MH and I don’t enjoy going to work anymore.

Is there anything I can do other than look for different jobs? I’m attempted to ask my old employer for my job back, I was there for 6 years but left to try something different.

many advice appreciated.

How often are people off? Is coverage happening a lot? If its once or twice in a month that's not exactly a lot.

Can others take their turn. Why is it only you doing the covering duties?

Surely there is not that much sickness in your organisation.

Anyway, it sounds like this is part of your job? 🤷‍♀️

Well if they've said it's not an option to drop those duties, then you have to find another job.

I would hate the position you are in as well - it's one thing to cover for someone in a similar job role i.e. IT, another to be doing something quite different.

It’s for annual leave and sickness so it can be up to two weeks at a time, I’ve recently just finished covering for someone who’s been off sick for 10 days whilst trying to do my IT role. I just find it stressful having to worry about other people not being in before I can get on with my ‘own job’

Is there no-one that you can delegate stuff to? It seems madness that you end up doing other people's work instead of your own.

Do you have any say in approving holiday/time off? That might help you to be able to plan things better.

What you can do about it probably depends on how the job was advertised and/or the formal job description. If the role always entailed providing occasional cover, then there is probably no solution apart from applying for another job.

I imagine the only way to challenge it in those circumstances would be if the role is impossible. For example if cover you provide actively prevents you from completing your work or forces you to work many more hours than you are contracted to work to do your own job, you could certainly raise it and see if there are other solutions. I can’t see them saying you never have to provide cover, but they may recognise you can’t cover everyone and find a way to spread the load better.

No I don’t have anyone, just me. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was one person I was covering for but it is 3 altogether. I have to make sure before I leave the house every morning that no one has called in sick.

The annual leave I am allowed off is also determined by what the other person has booked off. I’ve already had dates through for next year that I am unable to have now as I will have to be in for cover purposes.

This is pretty much standard in most organisations and roles. It has to be built in to ensure resilience and so business needs are met even in times of absence.
I cover for Managers in my service area when sick or on leave. I don't worry about it as I only cover emergency queries but it does give me extra work . Im happy to do it as part of a team as they cover me if I'm off.
Depends I suppose on how much it takes away from you completing your own role.

Surely the others cover as well ?

It sounds like a pile of shit. Look for another job....?

My mum had a job like this when I was at school - contracted for 2 days but expected to cover 5 or 6 others who worked more hours. Just before the school summer holiday she was given a rota showing her on duty 6 days a week for 7 weeks even though she had 4 children. No one else expected to provide any cover.
Following a fruitless discussion she had to resign.