Need advice on how to deal with work

[Ffalabalam]

I'm an SEO in the Civil Service. I'm going to be deliberately vague about department because it would be outing. I've been in this post for around a year.

When I started things weren't too bad. I dealt mostly with my line manager (G7) and two G6s, one who was more technical and one who worked more around the government business aspects. The G7 is lovely, but not a natural manager and mostly leaves me to my own devices to get on with work.

The government business G6 left in the summer for another post. He has not been replaced, in fact his role has not yet been advertised. Given the current budget constraints it seems likely that it won't be in the immediate future. Technical G6 has taken over the majority of government business G6's role, with some tasks passed to various G7s. This has upped everyone's workload, and the accompanying stress. Several other members of the team (HEO, SEO and G7) have also left, either permanently or on secondment. None of these roles have been replaced.

Everyone in the team is stressed. The G6 is not particularly supportive - he's quite old fashioned and not really someone who worries about wellbeing etc. He's putting a lot of pressure on people, although so far I have avoided any run ins with him. My line manager and several people on my team have however had run ins with him, including one which has been referred to HR. The director backs the G6 at all times, so a run in with the G6 becomes a run in with him too.

The stress is making everyone suspicious of each other. My line manager G7 is suspicious of the fact that the G6 doesn't pick on me and seems to think I'm cosy with him, which I'm not. I assume that he doesn't pick on me because I keep my head down and get the work done, also I'm relatively new so there's no history of conflict. Some of the team have been in post for a decade, and have had run ins with him before. But I'm constantly nervous that I will be next.

All of this is having a huge impact on my mental health. I'm anxious and can't switch off from work in the evening or at weekends. I'm not sleeping well. I have a fortnight of leave over Christmas, which I'm hoping will help, but I need to work out a way of dealing with the situation better in the new year. The best case scenario would be a move to another post, but with the budget constraints it seems unlikely that there will be many opportunities.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you cope?

Just start looking for another job, honestly it's not going to get any better. It sounds like your G6 is very happy to pass the stress/work downwards rather than flagging the lack of resource up the chain and getting some more, as well as enjoying the power combined with being a bit of an old school arse.

Guarantee you will have a turn to have a "run in" with the G6. You can't win with these types and it's best just to get away from them.

It's unlikely to change unless the Director leaves. How do you feel about finding work away from the CS?

Make an exit plan. Even if it takes time to put into action, knowing you're working on an exit can make situations much more bearable.

What's your routine in the evenings? There might be strategies that will help you to switch off a bit more and sleep better. See the "tips for managing stress" section partway down this page: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/managing-stress-and-building-resilience/

This is what is making the stress worse, I can't imagine I'll avoid the G6's criticism forever, it's just a matter of when. Every time I present a piece of work I'm anxious that this will be the thing that draws his attention.

I'm really hoping to stay in the CS, but find a different team. I'm part of a profession and the opportunities are better in the CS than outside, both in terms of career development and salary.

Thank you, this is really useful. Currently it feels as though I do nothing except work and worry about work. It's getting to the point where my family are suffering because of it too.

This week things have been even worse. Two more people within the team have told me that they have interviews for other jobs, one outside the CS. I'm now being ignored by the G6 and director - three fairly important emails sent in the last 10 days have had no reply. This is how it began with the colleagues who have subsequently been bullied by the G6. So I can only assume it is now my turn.