Pressure to return to work

[KevinWebster]

I have been off work with stress since 24th Jan, so 8 working days in total. Medical note is for 3 months but it's open, so I can return when I'm ready. On Friday, HR asked me for my availability to come in for a meeting to discuss a phased return. They said that my medical note states I may be available for work (which it does) and want to discuss a phased return with me.
I don't know how I feel about this, I am in a workplace that I love but a job that I hate. I offered to do 2 weeks in a different department over a year ago and have had so many meetings to return to my role but I just get swept aside with promises that it will get better.
I would like a meeting but where do I stand if nothing still changes. I don't want to go back to work and feel under stress again because I'm still in the same position. I feel the only way to change it is to leave but I really don't want to do that either.
Am I able to say I'm not ready for a meeting yet? I know that I won't get answers if I don't have a meeting but I feel sick about what the outcome of the meeting will be. I don't know what to do for the best.

Ask to be referred to Occupational Health.

What is it that would need to change to make you feel less stressed about your current role?

Has your Dr ticked the unfit for work box or the may be fit with following advice box?

If it the former then you're not yet fit and you should remain off sick until well enough.

If it's the latter then what advice did GP put on the note? The idea is this opens a dialogue to discuss adjustments required for you to return to work. This would sound like what HR are offering here. You need to explain which aspects of work are making you ill and what would help. Get all discussions and agreements put in writing with timescales and reviews.

Good luck

I'm a bit confused by the comment about "returning to my role" - do you mean the two week temporary placement or your substantive role?

I do agree with the pp who suggested an occupational health referral. But if you won't look for another job, if you hate your job and won't go back to it, and if you sit on the sick refusing everything, then the end result of this is very likely to be dismissal. The normal strategy if you hate your job is to get another job. Not wait for others to fix it for you. So what are your strategies to resolve this impasse?

As others said, you need to sit down with HR and discuss what the cause of stress is. Otherwise how will they know how to fix the situation?!

Did you take the placement but never return to your previous role? What has triggered the stress and what might help you?

Re- reading your OP I think it actually says that over a year ago you volunteered to do another job, and you want moving back to your previous role. If so, after a year you have really only this job. You can ask to be moved back but that may not be possible, and they don't have to agree either. Unfortunately the job you hate is now your job. So if a move back isn't likely then it's really time to look for another job.

What is going to change if you wait 3 weeks or 3 months? It sounds like the job isn’t working for you anymore. You need to find a way to keep your head down and do the minimum at the current job and put all your energy into getting a new job.

You can’t stay off with stress long term just because work isn’t making you happy. 3 months is a hell of a long time. People take less time off for major surgery.

Thank you for your replies, it seems I've been a little naive. I think I know I need to leave as I'm so unhappy in this current job and it doesn't look like I'll get near the role I was doing before.
The whole department I'm currently in is a shambles with a very high turnover of staff, yet I have remained loyal and I suppose I was hoping for some of that back but the workplace has changed from when I first started working there.
I think the best I could hope from the meeting would be to ask for less time in that department. I think this should be possible.
I should add that I have also been diagnosed with a condition that causes fatigue, which I think has exacerbated the stress. I have made the HR team, my line manager and department aware of this.

If you have a condition that’s causing fatigue even more reason to ask to be referred to occ health. I would advise anyone going off with stress tk have one as early as possible to look at what the issues are and how they can be resolved.
By all means have the chat, they may come up with some suitable options for you to consider but do t be forced into returning if you’re not ready.
Have they offered a stress risk assessment? If they don’t have their own look on the health and safety executive website for their template and guidance to open up a discussion on the causes of the stress and putting a plan in place to support you.
i would be mindful that the longer you’re off, the harder you may find it going back ie daunting so discussion the issues early on is good but if you’re not ready then you need to take the time you need.

I agree with a pp an OH referral may help.

Another tool is the HSE stress guidance. https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/

In particular this return to work assessment https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/assets/docs/returntowork.pdf it helps you to show what your employer needs to address and agreed actions.

It’s pretty unusual to be signed off for 3 months straight off the bat so as your employer I’d want to discuss that with you. You can say it feels too soon for a meeting, and ask for an OH referral with a meeting to discuss your return nearer the time.

If you’re thinking you’ll stay off unless/until they give you a return to your substantive post, I’d be very careful - if there isn’t a job there for you you could effectively manage yourself out of a job. If there are adjustments they could make in your current role it’s worth discussing that early, even if you don’t feel ready to go back quite yet because they can start to plan for your return. If you really feel you can’t have that discussion just now I’d explain that.

Id also be speaking to your union.