First day and unsure

[Cluelessness]

First day at Probation Services. It’s an admin role, minimum wage. The offices were very dark and dilapidated but worse was the staff who were all so miserable and saying how stressed they are. Line manager said there’s flexibility in hours but I can’t see how when there’s always so much work to do? She also said everyone works extra hours for free to ensure they don’t fail targets but she can’t give overtime, so people build up TOIL but can only take it when they’re not busy?
I only did today and I’ve left feeling exhausted and with a headache!
im not desperate for the job but did want to do something whilst youngest is in nursery but for £30 a day (after nursery fees) I’m unsure it’s worth it?!

Well that's a crap induction.

If you can, I'd stick with it for a while, even if it's just to strengthen your CV to move elsewhere. I don't know if you can apply to other civil service roles/departments from within PS, but if that's an option it would also be worth sticking around for - just treat it as a foot in the door for a better civil service job.

@passiveconstellation yes, you’re absolutely right it was crap! I’d have been more organised and welcoming to a new starter/colleague on their first day.

You’re advise is wise to stick it out for a stepping stone. I’m just feeling ‘the night before dread’ which is ridiculous considering it’s only day 2 tomorrow.

Yeh that's not a great way to be feeling early on Spinning that another way, crap start and welcome so the only way left to go is up!

That's sounds awful especially with miserable stressed staff. Working extra so you don't fail targets doesn't sound great either.
Did you leave another job to start this one ?
If you don't need the money I'd consider leaving ASAP - they're telling you straight how it is - it's unlikely to improve.

I’d start looking for something else…..

sounds similar to my job. 2 years in still rubbish and I keep talking myself into staying for the cv. I’m more fed up than I was to start with. Most miserable place I’ve ever worked.

If you’re actively looking for other stuff then it softens the blow of being there I find x

I was going to leave a negative comment but sounds terrible
You get a feel for this stuff from the physical environment including lighting, furnishings etc
and it's not right to work your arse off for essentially no pay. I have been a senior colleague in team of 3 where my line manager used to try these tricks which was against the general culture
The 3rd person who was normally a temp of senior age who knew the score hated it and I would smooth it over because they didn't want toil.
My last job was 5.5 years and my manager against the general culture used to be very weird about flexi. In the other team the manager congratulated his new starter on two hours saved even though she hadn't even started being productive compared to my weird response after 5 years
Anyway she started questioning me on how I accrued it. Considering I was doing her job unofficially and managing her employee while she wfh, and managing the warehouse temp everytime his colleague went off sick while assisting the new projects and reporting on her work to accounts of I had accrued it while on the internet after work I would have been more than justified .
Anyway I left after 6 months of that. Time off was sold to me as a perk to get me to sign my contract but I was always made to feel weird about it.
On top of that my workload had grown so much from 25 to 60% of company revenue that i did 9 hours most days, left late and still got close to nmw
Start looking elsewhere and don't think you have to stick it out