Work Related Stress

[Scafell]

Hello,

New to the forum. Needed somewhere to turn and found this place!

I've suffered with depression for a number of years, fluctuated, and last June was bad time but started seeing counsellor and things have picked up. However the last 4-6 months problems at work have escalated to the point where I'm now beyond stressed and it's impacting on my health. The anxiety and depression have returned and I'm low again.

I've been at my place for 7 years. Had a new manager start last year and she likes to control everything. I'm a supervisor and even I don't have a say on how I can run the bits I'm responsible for. Very demoralising and demotivating. I've had meetings with her, even told her I feel micromanaged. Also have had difficulties with my workload but nothing gets done. She always takes on new tasks for the dept without considering the impact on resource. I know other members of the team feel the same, we have had high turnover in last year, where before she joined not one person left.

I've already made the decision I can no longer work with her. I'm looking for another job which devastates me after 7 years with the company. I've spoken to one of our directors who used to be my line manager in earlier days and I have a good relationship with. There may be opportunities in other depts coming up in a few months time but their hands are tied with what they can do right now.

In the meantime I feel trapped and stressed and miserable. Hard to improve your depression when it's something external you can't change right away that's making you feel that way.

Going to call in sick tomorrow and try see doctor, although I don't want to go back on meds. Only going so I can at least tell work I've been and then I can also make it more official with work that is work related stress. I just hate it cos im hardly ever off sick and not someone to take advantage but it's got to to the stage where it's exhausting me, I'm crying a lot and can't get work from my mind.

Scafell xx

[Ezel]

Hope all goes well for you tomorrow.  It wont hurt to look for other work but in the meantime you can get help ie the doctor as you don't have to rush into another job.

[lost rolex]

Let me guess,


she is a bit of a bully, say's one thing then does another, never give's praise, well sometimes only to take it back, appears out of the blue,demands things that she knows can not be done with out going over the whole thing again, she control's questions everything, get's on with a core few others. she 's a breath of spring air when higher management are about, she gets people on there own and singles them out.



i am i close

LR 

[Zaf]

hope all goes well, I had my first breakdown because of work related stress, at least you're tackling it early :)

[Scafell]

Let me guess,


she is a bit of a bully, say's one thing then does another, never give's praise, well sometimes only to take it back, appears out of the blue,demands things that she knows can not be done with out going over the whole thing again, she control's questions everything, get's on with a core few others. she 's a breath of spring air when higher management are about, she gets people on there own and singles them out.



i am i close



LR 

Spot on! She's your classic micromanager. Every article I've read about micromanaging has her down to a tee. (and the negative impact it has on the team follows exactly too)

Thanks for the replies. I just called in and she was as nice as pie. Another interesting trait about her is she normally emails everything. Yet if I email her about work issues (cos I want it in writing) she never replies just makes a comment, and tells me I shouldn't be emailing her but having a chat with her. Had I done that though I wouldn't have all the 'evidence' to show that I've been to her a number of times about the problems I'm having, which is gonna come in useful when I go back.

Anyone been in a similar situation? Not sure how to handle it next cos I can't feel I can have another conversation with her on my own about all of this, so now its gonna have to be escalated really which is stressful in itself.

Sxx

[Scafell]

Well I saw the doctor yesterday and he agreed that going back on meds is not the solution because it's a stressful situation which life brings sometimes and I'm generally ok in other areas of my life. We agreed the best option was to sign me off so I have something in writing from the doctor which I can use as leverage at work, plus it gives me a week to try with some stress relief techniques.

Found out someone else is off sick today, that's 10 out of 14 of the team off sick in three weeks!!! Ridiculous. Hopefully senior management will question that.

My next step will need to be a meeting when I go back. Don't think I can have it with my manager on my own but not sure how to suggest having someone else in the meeting? Any advice?

[Zaf]

It is your right to have someone else present Scafell, I'll have a think about how to suggest it, or perhaps someone else will come up with a good idea xx

[Scafell]

It's whether I bypass her and make a formal complaint as I have a history of emails and meetings about my workload, nothing has been done and now I'm signed off work ill. But I know that will be stressful in itself.

I guess I have to though because I don't want this to send me into an overall depression, it's what I'm trying my hardest to avoid.

Grrr it annoys me because i see it's all down to one person!! Never had any of this with my previous boss who had her faults but was generally wonderful xx

[Zaf]

its a tricky situation, have you spoken to anyone at the CAB, they might know what to advise?

[lost rolex]

Well I saw the doctor yesterday and he agreed that going back on meds is not the solution because it's a stressful situation which life brings sometimes and I'm generally ok in other areas of my life. We agreed the best option was to sign me off so I have something in writing from the doctor which I can use as leverage at work, plus it gives me a week to try with some stress relief techniques.

Found out someone else is off sick today, that's 10 out of 14 of the team off sick in three weeks!!! Ridiculous. Hopefully senior management will question that.

My next step will need to be a meeting when I go back. Don't think I can have it with my manager on my own but not sure how to suggest having someone else in the meeting? Any advice?

just be aware look and read here http://undercoverlawyer.hubpages.com/hub/Hostile-Work-Environment----Why-HR-Doesnt-Care-About-You


bare this in Mind when making your decisions






LR

[Scafell]

Thanks for the link, but my situation is different.

I know I can't make a formal complaint about her management style, which is effectively what the article was about. but I can make a complaint about my workload which is different. I have been there over 7 years now, been a supervisor for over four, always been able to work efficiently with a busy workload and I have history of emails and meetings from the last few months about my workload, also created a full list of responsibilities with how long it takes each day to do each task and it fully proves there are not physically enough hours in the day. They have also given me a large chunk of credit control which isn't even part of my job description.

If they then try to turn it round on me and my performance then I'll have them, because my manager has never raised an issue with my performance before so to do it after I've made a complaint is bullying tactics in itself. I have good relationships with my employers and am no one to cause issues so I think they will take me seriously. I've done all the right steps so far so it's not like I'm just running to HR without speaking to my manager first either.

My health comes first, work is affecting my health so I'm not going to sit back and just let it carry on.

[Jae]

My health comes first

It absolutely does, Scafell. 

Best wishes, and good luck.