More work advice needed...

gwen80

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Seems more than reasonable to me. Are you in a union? I remember your last thread but not that detail.

I'd copy that email to someone else as well: his manager, HR, not sure who's best. State that you have tried to speak to him but that you do not feel he has understood your concerns.

As for the holidays, if August's the end of your holiday year they've got a problem!

I am in a Union. I'm thinking about calling them.

I'm thinking about copying OH into the email I send my manager. I'm worried that if I copy in his manager it will really, truly sour the working relationship.

I've said in my email that I have already cancelled one days leave to accomodate the current workload. I've said that I feel unable to take my holiday leave and I feel my health and work performance are suffering.

If it's down on paper, there's evidence isn't there? I've done all I can to avoid being off again and if he continues to choose to ignore the problem then it's all there in writing.

Savvy_Sue

Yes, I would copy OH or someone else in, and if you don't want it to be his manager, fair enough.

However, is there anything you can think of which would help the situation? So that rather than being a 'woe is me' email it includes constructive suggestions? eg "If Mr X could be brought back to our site for the next X weeks, and Mr Y's work for the other depot could be delayed, then it should be possible to meet the deadlines for the work you have recently passed on to us. Alternatively if Mr A could delay the training for the other team until after the holiday period, we could accomplish 60% of what you have asked for without difficulty. It is however impossible for the team to complete this work when there is only Mr Z (who is still training and unable to work independently), Mr M and Mr N available to do it."

You do need to give a teensy bit of thought to who's on leave when, and for how long, but you do also need to get your holiday sorted! I'd be phoning HR about what would happen if you're unable to take your leave in August because of the pressure of work.

getmore4less

Don't fall into the trap of not taking holiday if they have to be taken by the end of Aug(is that the holiday year) them book them now

The employer can change your choice of dates but can't take them off you.

I would also cut back on how much get done, you can't do it all, so just ask who is going to fill in for the guy who hs been taken off for 3 weeks or are they going to have hm do it as overtime, don't take the work on yourself.

smileylondongal

I echo the others' thoughts about holidays - you have a right to take them and yes, if others are off your manager does have to think about the workloads and keeping the team going, but there are two sides to the story. If you ask and have no joy, contact HR for a bit of advice.

If you recognise your depression, I would visit your GP. Do you have private medical insurance with work? the GP may or may not put you on antidepressants but either way, you probably need someone to talk to and counselling is truly amazing! If you do have PMI through work, your GP can refer you and you can contact the provider for contact names local to you - then you can go for appointments at times suitable to you. Otherwise, the NHS also offers counselling services for short bursts, usually 6-12 sessions.

I can understand that your manager and team probably have an awful lot of pressure from up on high and as much as they prob need and want an extra resource, there prob now is no funding for it. I've been restructured a number of times in my previous role and asked to 'step up' which basically meant that whilst I was a good performer, the role changed so that I was more junior but had more work! It's not right but it's happening more and more these days. What your manager should do is take into consideration any depression however it needs to be diagnosed, with medical back up, and treated. You can always involve HR/your union in this.

Sambucus_Nigra

gwen80 wrote: »

Now, knowing all of the above, on Tuesday my boss has given us even more work. Then today, he's told one of my (useful) colleagues that he has to train somebody else on something unrelated to our team for the next three weeks. We were struggling with our exisiting workload and now there's more to do and even less resource. I've tried to speak to him previously and he only seems to hear what he wants to hear.

Gwen. When he gives you more work you need to ask him what work you are going to drop in order to do this other work. There are only so many hours in the day. If you keep doing more and more then it's you that suffers not him.

I'd book an appt with him at the start of every week with a list of tasks with your estimate of the length of time each is going to take. Then if it adds up to more time than you are employed [and take days off if you have booked them or are due them] HE needs to decide which is priority.

Make sure you are taking lunches and leaving on time. Don't fall into the trap of holding the whole dept together - that's his job.

ohreally

gwen80 wrote: »

I am in a Union. I'm thinking about calling them

Don't think about it, do it today. You need support to work through this and to try and do this alone may engulf you.

Re your previous absenses...how many are related to the obscene act you endured and what support mechanisms have your employer introduced since?

theoretica

If you have to take your holiday by the end of August I would suggest booking it, taking it and leaving them to muddle along without you. You sound like you need a holiday and hopefully they will really feel your absence and appreciate you properly when you are back.

Mischa8

Just an add on to this.

Re: holiday - yes, ensure that you take them before end of August.

But, I'm also wondering how much leave you have to take and why didn't you book it before now? I assume there's a yearly holiday planner, I really would make the most of this. Book holidays as soon as you know about them etc or plan them.

I'm only wondering because I was caught out slightly last year when I didn't use all my holidays and then had to ask my boss for holiday/pay - which he didn't have to give me (as our leave year had finished by December last year) but luckily I got that money paid to me.

Just that - in future - I would book leave AND TAKE IT. No messing around. Even if it's just one day or 2 weeks, don't let a manager boss you around. It's not their fault if they can't sort out staffing quotas and who's covering.

If you have departmental meetings it may be worth you and anyone else affected bringing the *cover* for work up - I did this in a previous company and it worked well, they either had to pay us more in an especially busy tax month where we had to work overtime and were NOT allowed to take A/L in that month or find temps to help cover.