Harsh working conditions in run-up to redundancy date

SapphireFlames

Myself and several other members of my team are due to be made redundant in April. Ever since this re-structure was announced, the working conditions have been gradually getting more and more stressful.

Even when I first started this job last year, I thought there weren't enough staff to cope with the workload, but I could live with it. Then in the summer, it was announced that there would be a restructure in mid-2010, and a couple of staff resigned shortly afterwards, as they'd found jobs elsewhere. Additionally, 2 other people moved to another team and there was already one other person on maternity leave. Of these 5 "missing" employees, only 2 were ever replaced.

The team manager did want to replace all 5 employees (on a temporary basis of course), but the directors wouldn't let him. He is aware of how stressed out we are, and I think he feels stressed himself, but his hands are tied and he can do nothing.

So, we are now left with just 7 employees (including the manager). Even when all 7 employees are at work, we are working at full stretch and people often have to forgo their breaks and work late and it is a real struggle to meet deadlines and targets.

If just one person goes off sick or goes on holiday, it becomes hell for the rest of us. On days like that, I barely have time to even go to the toilet or go for lunch and on top of that I have to work late. Additionally, the systems and processes that we have to use are really outdated and cumbersome, and the training is really poor, which means that errors occur frequently and we have to keep re-doing things until they are correct. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to apologise to customers for things outside my control, and it makes me feel stupid. This is definitely the most disorganised and overstretched department I've ever worked in.

I'm aware there is a law saying that employers have to provide 20 minutes break for every 6 hours worked. When we're really busy, we don't even get that. No-one actually tells us we can't leave our desks (we can get up anytime with no questions asked), it's just that we feel compelled to carry on working in case we miss our targets. We can either take a break and receive complaints from customers for not meeting deadlines, which leads to stress, or not take a break at all, and feel stressed anyway. Not being able to take breaks makes me feel stressed and prone to making silly mistakes. Sometimes when I leave off in the evening I feel really tensed up and tearful.

On top of all this, I have to spend most of my evenings/weekends applying for new jobs and preparing for interviews, which only makes me more stressed. Sometimes I think that my stressful job stops me from being my best at interviews, as it means I'm more tensed-up, especially if I'm going to an interview straight from work.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this in the run-up to their redundancy date? Does anyone have any tips on how I can cope with this better?

ceridwen

Well....as you (+ various other colleagues) know you are going to be made redundant anyway soon - then I am rather puzzled as to why you are putting yourself out for this firm in the circumstances

You are in a bad situation anyway - and I think it would be by far the best thing for those of you in this to take care of yourselves and make sure you only work at a reasonable pace (not a backbreaking one) and take your breaks etc. You have a lot to cope with anyway - knowing you are soon going to be redundant - without taking on board the companys problems as well. You deal with your problems - and leave them to deal with theirs.

Take care.

SapphireFlames

Well....as you (+ various other colleagues) know you are going to be made redundant anyway soon - then I am rather puzzled as to why you are putting yourself out for this firm in the circumstances

I guess a lot of it is to do with me having a really strong work ethic. I hate getting complaints - getting a complaint via email is bad enough, but if someone complains face-to-face or over the phone I get really nervous. I am very much a perfectionist. So that's why I'm desperate not to miss deadlines or to make a mistake. Some of the internal customers that we have to deal with are very pushy - most of them understand if we can't meet a deadline, as long as we let them know well in advance and manage their expectations, but some others get quite stroppy about it. I also want to make sure that I get a good reference for when I apply for other jobs.

Other people in the team don't appear quite as stressed out as I do, but maybe they're better at masking it than me. I've noticed that other members of the team work even longer hours than I do - sometimes they are there before me and they're still there when I'm leaving off. I've also noticed that they don't always go for lunch or they eat their lunch at their desks. I guess I'm lucky in that I don't have any children or dependants to look after - if I did, I probably would've had a nervous breakdown by now!

phoebe03cat

I'm helping dh to search for jobs too as he is due for redundancy in Feb so I know the stress only too well. I'm also having to go for early retirement myself as I got stressed up exactly like you in a demanding teaching job too many times and ended up having a seizure and suspected tia about it. FGS give yourself a break..see your GP..get signed off for a couple of weeks..it doesn't have to be written down that's its for stress they will help you out here. Spend the time looking for jobs,getting a game plan and getting your head sorted out. Work cant give you a bad reference because you're signed off can they. I was a perfectionist like you with a very strong work ethic. All it gets you is exploited in this sort of situation ; what will they do..keep you on to thank you, I think not. Think about what's right for you, not compare yourself to other people and what they do/have to do. Most importantly discuss how you feel with your GP in confidence...I never thought it would happen to me either, I could always cope and did so for many years. My perfectionist attitude made me my own worst enemy...I can recognise it in your post. My GP and the support of the surgery councellor finally gave me a positive change of viewpoint and put work and work colleagues in perspective. I've been taught to step back and meditate and relaxation techniques. Please don't wait until you fall over to do it and whatever you do don't feel you can't talk to the GP because it makes you feel a failure, like I did. Far from it...it puts you back in control...and gives you a far better quality of life. Very best wishes...

luvpump

IMO this is more a refelction of your personality, & i dont mean that in a negative sence as I used to be similar a few years back, I can only guess that you might be a little susceptible to bullies, & it's the fear of being shouted at / confronted etc etc that drives you to these lengths, but i may be wrong ofcourse, under the circumstances you simply have to take a step back, you wont even be working for them in 4 months !... What are they going to do ? sack you ? hardly ..
Look after number one in this situation, your health, both mental & physical comes first & although the jobs market is tight, i am sure a conscientious person like you will get one sooner rather than later .. Easy to say, but drop the pace a little, & take a leaf out of your colleagues books by the sound of things ..

SapphireFlames

It's funny you should mention about getting signed off sick as even that worries me because some potential employers might check up on their job applicants. I remember seeing on an application form once a few years ago: "How many sick days have you had in the last 12 months, and what were they for?" I haven't seen it on any recent application forms though - maybe they're not allowed to ask that any more? It's a bit worrying that some employers might use that as a reason not to offer someone an interview, even if they are qualified for the job. I am normally a healthy person and I haven't been off sick for 9 months. I took 2 weeks holiday at Christmas though and I felt more relaxed then.

SapphireFlames

I can only guess that you might be a little susceptible to bullies, & it's the fear of being shouted at / confronted etc etc that drives you to these lengths,

You are exactly right there! Being shouted at/confronted is one of my worst fears and I am nervous of anything damaging my reputation. I was bullied at school (mainly in primary school) so I suppose that must have given me a low tolerance towards bullying. So now I try to please people so that they won't have any excuse to bully me.

teabelly

They're making you redundant. Their targets can go to hell!! Don't get signed off sick. Prospective employers won't touch you with a 20 foot pole. I found this out to my cost. Take your breaks. Stop working over time. If there aren't enough people then too bad. If customers complain tell them it is because the department is understaffed and the directors have chosen not to staff it properly. (make sure that isn't considered misconduct before you do though) 99% of people will forgive your mistakes under such conditions. The other 1% aren't worth bothering about!

The simple answer is to stop caring so much. Your employers don't care about your health and well being. If they did, they'd make sure staffing levels were adequate.

Focus getting another job. That's more important than worrying about your current job. Don't fall for the emotional blackmail either of staying at your desk as much as everyone else. They want to bust a gut and end up frazzled that is their choice. You don't have to follow them.

I used to care and have the work ethic. All that happens is that you get dumped on and your workload is continually increased as you always cope and you never say no as you want to be seen as a hardworking employee. Most of the time you don't even get a thank you so why bother going that extra mile and make sure you look busy all the time so you don't get more work. If you don't do everything then you don't get so much! Let it pile up and let some other sucker do it. Employers that treat people like yours is treating you don't deserve the best of your efforts frankly.

grey_lady

Sorry harsh working conditions? are you serious - you have a desk and presumably warmth and no-one is handcuffing you to it. Try working nights in a food factory that is constantly kept below freezing and then complain about harsh conditions. I've had colleagues recently work more than 24 hours straight on more than once occasion.

Your problem is not harsh working conditions it's stress, because redundancy is incredibly stressful - employers have to allow you time off to find a new job so i suggest you spend more time doing that and concentrating on working for your best interests and not theirs.

ceridwen

grey_lady wrote: »

Sorry harsh working conditions? are you serious - you have a desk and presumably warmth and no-one is handcuffing you to it. Try working nights in a food factory that is constantly kept below freezing and then complain about harsh conditions. I've had colleagues recently work more than 24 hours straight on more than once occasion.

Your problem is not harsh working conditions it's stress, because redundancy is incredibly stressful - employers have to allow you time off to find a new job so i suggest you spend more time doing that and concentrating on working for your best interests and not theirs.

Whilst obviously seeing the point there - I would actually be puzzled about why the Union in that factory hadnt got straight onto the matter of illegally low temperatures and illegally long workhours. We each have to "fight our own corner" and make sure our own particular workplace complies with the law. The laws ARE there - so use them.

You've certainly also made a good case for people always making sure they have a bit of "s*d them" money stashed away - so they have the ability to stand up to employers like this and can tell themselves "oh well...if they end up sacking me for it I'm not desperate....I've got enough savings to cater for the several weeks the DWP is likely to make me wait before benefit payments start up and wont be wondering how I'm going to eat next month if there IS a delay in that".

grey_lady

There actually isnt a law for a minimum working temp, health and safety just say it should be reasonable (usually 16 degrees). However they recognise that sometimes that's impractical because of hot or cold processes and in those cases suggest suitable protective clothing
and task rotation - if practical, to ensure that the length of time for which individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures is limied, they don't suggest anything else is needed to work in zero degree environements.

The long hours I refered to was in a different company and office based.

To be fair to the OP going through a redundancy is awful and stressful, but that's not the same thing as harsh working conditions.

You are allowed to look for and apply for new jobs during your working hours, that's recognised in law and worth taking up with your HR dept (not your line manager). They might agree to give you a day or a half day off a week to do this - worth asking.

You may feel compelled to skip breaks, but why? it's not going to be your problem in a few weeks, so take your breaks and let your manager deal with any complaints.

Employers (like banks) are not your friend.