Support from employer? Job impacting health

cjc8

Been with the same large finance company for 10+ years managing people;however dealing constantly with people who didnt want to work resulted in me having anxiety issues and I was signed off work for several weeks last year and ended up on anti-depressents. When i returned to work they kindly allowed me to do some admin work then started a secondment to another area - which I love! However now told I must go back to my original role managing people!!!!! this fills me with dread and the thought of this is already having impact on my health.
I have said that I dont want to return but they say its my contracted role and I feel I have no option.
Do the company have a duty of care knowing that this role caused me anxiety issues before and time off work? Impression I have is return to job or leave - which I think is unfair. Should they be trying to support me? I dont want to return to the role and end up having to back to Drs and on drugs again.
Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks in advance

Notmyrealname

They have supported you by a phased return to work. They don't have to bend over backwards and if there is no need for you in the secondment, you have to return to the job or pack it in.

If you can't do the job, hand in your notice.

marybelle01

If you were the manager and your staff didn't want to work, what did you do about it? The performance of your employees is surely your responsibility? Instead of looking at this as a case of them forcing you to go back to your job or quit, what about the option of acting like a manager and dealing with the issues, and asking your employer for support in doing that? Surely that is an option too?

elsien

I would agree that you need to have a conversation with your employer about the issues which are causing the anxiety.
For example do you need further training in order to properly carry out your role; do you need extra support and mentoring in order to carry it out effectively; does the company have a HR dept which could help you in performance managing difficult employees. I would be asking for a formal plan to help you back into your original role.

My understanding (please check, as I could well be wrong) is that they've given you time to get back on your feet via the secondment. With a proper and effective plan in place to give you the information and skills to carry out your contracted role and responsibilities, if you then continue to not cope, they could be looking at capability issues.

I do understand how difficult it is to return to a situation that has been so difficult for you (been there, worn the t-shirt) but with the right support it is possible to regain your confidence and return to a managerial role. After all you did do it for 10 years.

re the secondment, generally they aren't permanent. So what are the reasons you can't stay - is there someone else waiting to go back to a role, are they on different pay scales - there's a number of reasons that it's not possible for you to stay there in the long term.

So I would advise ensuring that you get more training (if you need it) and management support/mentoring and a formal return plan drawn up. Then if it's still not for you, perhaps start looking around for other jobs similar to the one you are enjoying.

Racheldevon

Hi,
I agree that a secondment usually can't be long term. Perhaps it would be helpful to think about the specific elements of people management that added to your anxiety and stress levels.

You have a choice in terms of either you decide that the role isn't worth the anxiety and impact on your health, or you choose to change your approach to how you see your role. You mention that you don't want to go back on medication, but you do have a choice - for example it might be worth considering having some personal therapy/counselling to address any root cause of the anxiety that work may be contributing to. Maybe it's time to consider your work/life balance, and think about what activities you can build into your weekly routine that resources you and keeps you well.

Consider what if anything might help you, that you could propose when you meet/have further discussions with your employer. For example, would further training in management/leadership help? Do the company have some short in-house courses to support you in managing some of the specific issues, e.g. giving feedback, managing challenging behaviour, performance management, etc? Is there someone that can mentor you as part of your return to the role? Do you receive monthly supervision? If not, you can access this independently & externally to any line management relationship - I personally find this hugely beneficial. Are there opportunities to meet with colleagues doing similiar roles for peer support/supervision? If not, is this something you might be able to set up once a month?

Best of luck