To feel so disheartened about new job

[ForPunnySwan]

I've recently started a new job after having been made redundant from other role in a large hardware company.

We've received minimal training, no contract until nine days into working and so many other issues with IT etc.

I'm finding the work very overwhelming as there is so much to learn and I know so little about plumbing, kitchen products, appliances or the issues around kitchen fitting and design. We have a chat group on Google where we chat about our queries and help each other out. The manager who is supposed to be helping us with support to deal with the issues with customer is very abrasive and unhelpful. Yesterday I asked a question and he responded by saying 'what do you think?' Or they suggest the obvious, which I've already done but for whatever reason hasn't got me the answer.

They said to the most experienced member of the team (20 years working for this company) that she needs to respond with a question rather giving us the answers - to help our 'problem solving skills'

Everything takes so long - investigating etc as like I said I've no idea what causes a dishwasher to stop working, a tap to leak or a toilet to run continuously.

I just feel really disheartened about it all as the role does seem to be leading anywhere in terms of future prospects. I'm being paid an absolute pittance (minimum wage), I lost my bonus as it was related to the store and I no longer work for the store. Apparently there is a bonus at a company level but nothing has been explained re how much, eligibility etc, and they've been very slippy up to yet, so who knows if it'll ever happen.

Sorry its a bit disjointed 😬

It sounds like your bosses don't understand and don't want to learn, they are effectively saying they aren't available. For your sanity it's worth making a plan to leave asap. In the meantime lower your standards and just think about staying off the radar.

Ugh it sounds rubbish OP. I'd be job hunting on the side.

Another vote for finding a new position. Sounds awful the staff morale must be really low.

I've walked out of a job after a short while because it didn't suit me, staying only makes you unhappier that's not good if you can get on in another job somewhere else.

Does anyone know the rules around redundancy in this situation?

I'm sure they said there was a period to review the job and then if it doesn't suit, take the payout.

Yes, this is usually the case if you take an alternative role instead of redundancy, but you will need to check with hr. ACAS say you have 4 weeks to trial the alternative role and they have to pay you your redundancy if you decide it's not for you.

www.acas.org.uk/your-rights-during-redundancy/taking-another-job-with-your-employer

I'd be eligible for an extra year of service in the next month - only really relevantif they wanted to make me redundantin the future. Or the four week review period comes to an end later this week. I'm really stuck now as to what to do.

If the redundancy payment is enough to tide you over until you find another job I'd take it. Unlikely things will get better any time soon in your current role.

Two weeks pay.

I live with my Mum and I know it won't be the end of the world if I'm out of work.

Hmm, not sure I'd take it then if it's so little. I'd probably stick it out at the new job until I could find something else.

I dunno, in my workplace, you’d never be given the answer to a query without first exhausting all efforts to find the answer yourself.

it does take longer initially, but it defo teaches new starters to be self-sufficient a lot sooner.

learning anything new is frustrating and time-consuming, but it’s worth it in the end.

It's only worth it if you want to learn all about kitchens and running toilets. If you are not interested in this line of work then move on. Call some agencies and get your CV out there. I'm sure you can find something better than this. Why would someone want to be given answers from Google when they call a professional company? I would be really annoyed if I was spending money on a kitchen or bathroom and the person on the phone "helping" me was looking up answers on the internet or pulling thoughts from a group chat of people with no more clue than on here!

You definitely want to avoid the blue hardware company then 🤣 😂 🤣

It's absolutely exhausting. I investigate every avenue first including the various look-ups - often the information is held in someones head or on a elusive spreadsheet. But then when I ask for something like an email address for x company - you get a response like 'Did you even look on the website?'

I've tried to phrase things more 'I've done x, y and z ... - can you tell me ...' but the responses are still quite unhelpful at times. It's exhausting having to think constantly and work for every minor win - like emailing the supplier of an item to find out a specific question. I have 63 cases right now and it's a wonder I achieve anything in a day.