I've been working as a lecturer in further education for a little over 3 years now, 4 and a half years if I include the unpaid work I did while I was qualifying for the job. When I first started, I enjoyed it immensely. It's true what they say about a job you like not feeling like work, it never did. There were bad days, tiring days, and it could be physically and mentally demanding, but it was a pleasure getting up in a morning and going in to teach.
It was about a year and a half ago that it started to change, and not just for me. I think if I'd been the only one having problems, then I would have worried about my attitude, that there was no problem other than what I was creating for myself. I know that wasn't the case however, too many people suffered alongside me.
It all changed with the introduction of a new manager to our department. Our previous manager had left as part of a restructure. She was wonderful to work under. Friendly, understanding...the sort of person you felt comfortable going to with any problems, not just as a boss, but as a friend. She understood the area we worked in, what the students could be like and what problems we faced on a daily basis. She tried her best to make things easy for us and was always apologetic when she couldn't. Our new boss turned out to be the complete opposite.
It wasn't that people didn't give her a chance, we kept an open mind, but it wasn't long before she started showing her true colours. She didn't teach and had no idea about our area, having come from managing something else entirely. Despite this, she refused to listen to anything that was raised to her. Concerns were pushed aside, staff threatened and blamed for things outside of their control. We were constantly told that we poor at our jobs and that she was going to turn this around.
I don't believe for one moment that we had a bad team who couldn't do their jobs well. There was the odd part time member of staff who could have pulled their weight more and done a better job, but, on the whole, we were a good department who knew what they were doing and did it well. The thing is, when you're consistently told something, you eventually start to believe it or, at the very least, start to have doubts. Eventually, during a meeting between us (with union backing) and her, we raised this issue and suggested that it would be beneficial to all if she focused more on the good things we were doing, rather than constantly criticise us. She laughed.
In the last year pretty much all of the original team have left because of her. Some were off sick with stress first, having been pushed too far, others managed to find employment elsewhere. Unfortunately, I got stuck and had to stay. I've put up with a lot in this time. Demands on me that are outside of my job description, threats to my professional standing and the constant criticisms to my performance. I've raised concerns only to be told to keep them quiet, I've asked for support only to have it ignored. I've had enough.
I no longer feel I can go back there. Just the thought of having to go into work makes me break down in tears and when that is happening on a daily basis, something is seriously wrong. I don't believe it will get any better either. From things I've heard while I've been off, it's just going to get a lot worse and I feel being there would put my health under a huge strain at a time when I need to avoid such things.
I'd rather be working than sat at home however. I need to feel active, but I don't even feel comfortable leaving the house. My front door is clearly visible from one of the college sites, the site which houses the managers. Anyone outside the building can see me come and go with clarity. I feel like a prisoner. I feel my only option now is to find a new job, but I'm having no luck. My mood doesn't help, I'm sure it comes across in applications and it certainly doesn't motivate me to spend hours searching the papers and web sites for something new.
I'm considering just handing in my notice and filing for constructive dismissal. I feel I've done everything I could to avoid this, but every attempt to explain my situation and get support from them has fallen on deaf ears. I'm hoping at the moment that my visit to the doctors tomorrow will result in a lengthy sick note. that will give me time to make my decisions and, hopefully, put something in action to get out of there once and for all.
It was about a year and a half ago that it started to change, and not just for me. I think if I'd been the only one having problems, then I would have worried about my attitude, that there was no problem other than what I was creating for myself. I know that wasn't the case however, too many people suffered alongside me.
It all changed with the introduction of a new manager to our department. Our previous manager had left as part of a restructure. She was wonderful to work under. Friendly, understanding...the sort of person you felt comfortable going to with any problems, not just as a boss, but as a friend. She understood the area we worked in, what the students could be like and what problems we faced on a daily basis. She tried her best to make things easy for us and was always apologetic when she couldn't. Our new boss turned out to be the complete opposite.
It wasn't that people didn't give her a chance, we kept an open mind, but it wasn't long before she started showing her true colours. She didn't teach and had no idea about our area, having come from managing something else entirely. Despite this, she refused to listen to anything that was raised to her. Concerns were pushed aside, staff threatened and blamed for things outside of their control. We were constantly told that we poor at our jobs and that she was going to turn this around.
I don't believe for one moment that we had a bad team who couldn't do their jobs well. There was the odd part time member of staff who could have pulled their weight more and done a better job, but, on the whole, we were a good department who knew what they were doing and did it well. The thing is, when you're consistently told something, you eventually start to believe it or, at the very least, start to have doubts. Eventually, during a meeting between us (with union backing) and her, we raised this issue and suggested that it would be beneficial to all if she focused more on the good things we were doing, rather than constantly criticise us. She laughed.
In the last year pretty much all of the original team have left because of her. Some were off sick with stress first, having been pushed too far, others managed to find employment elsewhere. Unfortunately, I got stuck and had to stay. I've put up with a lot in this time. Demands on me that are outside of my job description, threats to my professional standing and the constant criticisms to my performance. I've raised concerns only to be told to keep them quiet, I've asked for support only to have it ignored. I've had enough.
I no longer feel I can go back there. Just the thought of having to go into work makes me break down in tears and when that is happening on a daily basis, something is seriously wrong. I don't believe it will get any better either. From things I've heard while I've been off, it's just going to get a lot worse and I feel being there would put my health under a huge strain at a time when I need to avoid such things.
I'd rather be working than sat at home however. I need to feel active, but I don't even feel comfortable leaving the house. My front door is clearly visible from one of the college sites, the site which houses the managers. Anyone outside the building can see me come and go with clarity. I feel like a prisoner. I feel my only option now is to find a new job, but I'm having no luck. My mood doesn't help, I'm sure it comes across in applications and it certainly doesn't motivate me to spend hours searching the papers and web sites for something new.
I'm considering just handing in my notice and filing for constructive dismissal. I feel I've done everything I could to avoid this, but every attempt to explain my situation and get support from them has fallen on deaf ears. I'm hoping at the moment that my visit to the doctors tomorrow will result in a lengthy sick note. that will give me time to make my decisions and, hopefully, put something in action to get out of there once and for all.
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