Name changed for obvious reasons.
I’m a G7 civil servant and neurodivergent (autism + ADHD). I’ve recently been signed off long-term sick with burnout after several months of intense workplace instability.
From November my manager’s behaviour changed: constant priority switching, unclear instructions, last-minute deadlines, being pulled into meetings mid-task, and no clear containment about what was provisional vs confirmed. I repeatedly flagged overload and asked for structure, but the pattern continued and I eventually crashed.
I’ve done everything “by the book”: GP fit note, workplace adjustments passport update, Civil Service Workplace Adjustments Service referral, Occupational Health assessment pending. I’ve also documented everything carefully - with screenshots).
The problem now is that while I’m trying to recover, there is still uncertainty, slow responses, and a tendency from management to frame this as “just how fast-paced the area is” rather than acknowledging unsustainable working practices.
I’m worried about:
- being pushed back to the same team before safeguards are in place
- my sick leave being eaten up while waiting for procedures
- whether redeployment as a reasonable adjustment is realistic
- and whether I’m being subtly managed out.
Has anyone been through something similar in the Civil Service or large organisations? What actually helped? What should I watch out for?