Not feeling supported at work now I have a child

Newbuyer88

Hello everyone, 

I have actually joined for some advice. I feel I am very stuck in my position and I’m not sure who to talk to about it. (Sorry if this post is long I just wanted to get in as much detail as possible)

At the end of last year like a lot of people due to the pandemic my job was pulled into question and my company had a huge restructure (I work for a large high street clothing company) 

I went through two consultations and agreed to the terms of my new position (based on the new weekly template of set days they had offered me and the amount of staff we were told we would have)

Template C

Manager 40 hours

Supervisor 28 hours

Flexi key holder 15.5 hours (me)

Sales assistant 10 hours

Sales assistant 4 hours (had to be Saturdays) 

Flexi key holder - 

Required to be flexible across 4 days a week (one of which has to be a Sunday and 3 days must be weekdays) Will generally work three days a week. 

So I agreed to this as this would be fine as I believed we would have enough staff and mentioned to my manager I could do overtime some times if given enough notice for childcare (I had a 3 year old at the time, now 4 and I also meant the odd extra day not 2-3 extra days a week)

However when we reopened we were instructed that we would not be allowed to hire the 4 hour sales assistant due to cost (this was supposed to be our Saturday person)

Now as our staff (of just 4) start to book holidays there is going to be a huge amount of pressure on myself and the others to fill these hours. I am being asked for a 3 week block (so far) to do all weekends as well as my normal shifts and extra Mondays (my days are Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) which  I am finding incredibly difficult to cover. I can just about cover the Mondays but it is almost impossible to do all weekends for more than a week at a time (I did say this)

My husband works as a pub manager and has done all he can changing his days off to fit my normal three days at work (very hard as he works 48+ a week) 

My mother passed away in November and my dad is helping as much as he can but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him asking to babysit all the time. My father in law helps as much as he can but he is also a pub landlord to has little time to help (especially in the summer time) and my mother in law has become a recluse due to the current situation and hasn’t seen my daughter in over 6 months so she is a no go for childcare. We are even having to ask other parents to look after our daughter for a few hours after nursery. (We do not make enough to cover childcare fees and this is why I took on a 15.5 hour contract so I could look after our daughter)

I am terribly worried to admit that when the summer holidays come around (most

likely when other staff will want time off, no one else has school age children) I will most likely not be able to do much overtime as there will be no one to look after my child.

My manager has been very supportive of my situation but is under incredible amounts of pressure from our area manager and above. I plan on having a conversation with her about it but I know she will have little say or impact when everything regarding rotas has been taken out of her hands. I don’t feel comfortable at the moment talking to my area manager about the situation and I feel she will find anyway to terminate my employment and we don’t have a properly formed HR department (if we have a problem we are just told to talk to the area manager)

I have bent over backwards for my team before my daughter was born (I’ve been with them for 6.5 years now) and I am

desperately trying to not add extra stress and pressure on to them but I genuinely feel very overwhelmed with the situation and don’t know what to do for the best. 

I feel I am for filling my contract (as I based it on the information I was given) but am I in my rights to say no to my the extra shifts or will they find I am in breach of my contract? We are told on a daily basis if we don’t make targets that our store will be closed and the word disciplinary is their favour word)  
I really can’t afford to lose my job but I feel there is no understanding that I have a life I need to juggle too. 

My apologies that is post is incredibly long but I am absolutely lost as what to do. 

TELLIT01

To be blunt, childcare issues are for you to resolve.  Other staff should not be expected to change their hours or pick up additional overtime to cover.  What you did in the past is irrelevant.  Other staff probably feel they bent over backwards too.

You are certainly within your rights to refuse additional shifts, as is everybody else, although you say you agreed to do extra hours if given enough time to arrange child care.  If you are being provided with the work schedule for a 3 week block I suspect management believe that should be sufficient time to make the arrangements.

The statement being issued about the store being closed if targets are not met is probably not an empty threat, but a statement of fact.  We can all see High Street shops closing on an almost weekly basis.

I'm not saying I don't have sympathy with the situation you are in, but it really is a very difficult environment at present.  They can't just sack you for refusing to take on extra hours.

Newbuyer88

I understand that childcare is my problem but my personal situation has dramatically change in the last few months (and no I don’t expect this to be a sympathy post) but I signed that contract expecting their to be a 5th member of staff that would cover the one day I knew I would not be able to get childcare for. 

I also understand the state of the high street (believe me I see it everyday I’m at work) but having a constant threat of redundancy does nothing for moral and then gives you no safe space to air any problems you may have as it just feels they will use it against you later on.

oh_really

You should start pushing back, if that threatens consequenses then deal with them if and when. The status quo is unlikely to be fruitful for you, something has to change. The employer will do whats best for them, not for you.

Newbuyer88

oh_really said:

You should start pushing back, if that threatens consequenses then deal with them if and when. The status quo is unlikely to be fruitful for you, something has to change. The employer will do whats best for them, not for you.

Your are right, there does seem to be a feeling at the moment in the entire company that no one wants to say anything against upper management because we know we are so easily replaced (especially at the moment)

oh_really

Newbuyer88 said:

oh_really said:

You should start pushing back, if that threatens consequenses then deal with them if and when. The status quo is unlikely to be fruitful for you, something has to change. The employer will do whats best for them, not for you.

Your are right, there does seem to be a feeling at the moment in the entire company that no one wants to say anything against upper management because we know we are so easily replaced (especially at the moment)

Its not as though your on an £80k salary, if your job goes, which it may regardless, will it be the end of the world? I'm sure you will be able to replace 15.5hrs through and agency or the like.

Don't (try) not to live in fear over this. It'll be alright in the end 

welshmoneylover

I’d start pushing back in this, it’s their problem to cover the shifts .. not yours .

oh_really

welshmoneylover said:

I’d start pushing back in this, it’s their problem to cover the shifts .. not yours .

Is there an echo in here?

Marcon

Newbuyer88 said:

Hello everyone, 

I have actually joined for some advice. I feel I am very stuck in my position and I’m not sure who to talk to about it. (Sorry if this post is long I just wanted to get in as much detail as possible)

At the end of last year like a lot of people due to the pandemic my job was pulled into question and my company had a huge restructure (I work for a large high street clothing company) 

I went through two consultations and agreed to the terms of my new position (based on the new weekly template of set days they had offered me and the amount of staff we were told we would have)

Template C

Manager 40 hours

Supervisor 28 hours

Flexi key holder 15.5 hours (me)

Sales assistant 10 hours

Sales assistant 4 hours (had to be Saturdays) 

Flexi key holder - 

Required to be flexible across 4 days a week (one of which has to be a Sunday and 3 days must be weekdays) Will generally work three days a week. 

So I agreed to this as this would be fine as I believed we would have enough staff and mentioned to my manager I could do overtime some times if given enough notice for childcare (I had a 3 year old at the time, now 4 and I also meant the odd extra day not 2-3 extra days a week)

However when we reopened we were instructed that we would not be allowed to hire the 4 hour sales assistant due to cost (this was supposed to be our Saturday person)

Now as our staff (of just 4) start to book holidays there is going to be a huge amount of pressure on myself and the others to fill these hours. I am being asked for a 3 week block (so far) to do all weekends as well as my normal shifts and extra Mondays (my days are Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) which  I am finding incredibly difficult to cover. I can just about cover the Mondays but it is almost impossible to do all weekends for more than a week at a time (I did say this)

My husband works as a pub manager and has done all he can changing his days off to fit my normal three days at work (very hard as he works 48+ a week) 

My mother passed away in November and my dad is helping as much as he can but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him asking to babysit all the time. My father in law helps as much as he can but he is also a pub landlord to has little time to help (especially in the summer time) and my mother in law has become a recluse due to the current situation and hasn’t seen my daughter in over 6 months so she is a no go for childcare. We are even having to ask other parents to look after our daughter for a few hours after nursery. (We do not make enough to cover childcare fees and this is why I took on a 15.5 hour contract so I could look after our daughter)

I am terribly worried to admit that when the summer holidays come around (most

likely when other staff will want time off, no one else has school age children) I will most likely not be able to do much overtime as there will be no one to look after my child.

My manager has been very supportive of my situation but is under incredible amounts of pressure from our area manager and above. I plan on having a conversation with her about it but I know she will have little say or impact when everything regarding rotas has been taken out of her hands. I don’t feel comfortable at the moment talking to my area manager about the situation and I feel she will find anyway to terminate my employment and we don’t have a properly formed HR department (if we have a problem we are just told to talk to the area manager)

I have bent over backwards for my team before my daughter was born (I’ve been with them for 6.5 years now) and I am

desperately trying to not add extra stress and pressure on to them but I genuinely feel very overwhelmed with the situation and don’t know what to do for the best. 

I feel I am for filling my contract (as I based it on the information I was given) but am I in my rights to say no to my the extra shifts or will they find I am in breach of my contract? We are told on a daily basis if we don’t make targets that our store will be closed and the word disciplinary is their favour word)  
I really can’t afford to lose my job but I feel there is no understanding that I have a life I need to juggle too. 

My apologies that is post is incredibly long but I am absolutely lost as what to do. 

The title of your thread is interesting: 
Not feeling supported at work now I have a child

Your daughter is 4, so that's a long time to feel you were not being 'supported'. What exactly did you expect from your employer, both on your return to work after maternity leave, and since the pandemic struck? It's a point worth pondering, because what you believe you should have in terms of 'support' may simply be impossible for an employer to provide - especially now, and especially a high street clothes retailer.

All this talk of 'pushing back' sounds fine in theory, but before you do anything further, think about exactly what you are prepared to agree to/settle for - and where you'd draw the line, even if it meant a parting of the ways. The clearer you are in your own mind, the stronger your negotiating position; employers can spot a mile off when an employee is bluffing, wavering or offering themselves up as a doormat.

Your employer has no incentive to change their ways if they can cheerily steam ahead and you don't seem to really, seriously object. If you let them take advantage of you, they will. They aren't mind readers, so that common wail of 'they must have known...' or 'surely they must have realised....'.  They are entirely focussed on keeping the business afloat. Make sure you convey to them that you are resolved to play your part, but within limits you and your (clearly very hard working) husband can commit to.

Newbuyer88

Ok yes I did feel supported once i came back from maternity but we were working with a team of 7 at that time. But I’m not talking about that time I’m talking about now.
I understand that the pandemic has hit business hard (but through leaked reliable sources we know the business actually flourished through the lockdowns through online sales) 
But sadly we knew our team would be made smaller, which was fine. 

My main argument that you seem to be missing is I have an a total of over 2 hours worth of consultations, based on my personal circumstances and what I would be able to offer the business as an employee and what they would offer me. They knew full well my mother was very ill at the time and that my husband worked as much as he did, affecting how much extra I could realistically cover yet they were still fine to give me the position. To me they are not keeping up their side of the agreement with not hiring a 5th person (which as I have said before takes the pressure off us a little as an entire team) 
Our nearest store to us takes the same amount as us each week yet has over 140 hours of labour a week where as we are only allowed 97.5. How does that make sense? No there is not more to do in that store and due to us being such a smaller team we have to be far more productive. 

theoretica

Why does it cost less to pay you to work on a Saturday than it would to employ someone else as needed?