distressed and depressed - could be rambling

[blackdog]

It's Wednesday again and I couldn't wake up and can't stop crying.

I have been doing my job since the end of May, after being out of the workforce for 8 years. I applied for a retail position, but was offered a Receptionist job instead. I was so thrilled at being offered a job at all (and not having to attend any more horrendous interviews) that I accepted immediately, with the thought that I could always move to another position in the same company.

Well, as it turns out, their full time "Receptionist" who has been there for many years has basically been doing two jobs. You know what it's like, they slowly build up your workload etc. Anyway, I only work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday doing actual Reception duties, to free her up to do her other work. This means that on Wednesday she is cranky as anything from doing everything Monday and Tuesday and there is heaps of work because she has been struggling to do everything for two days.

Apart from that, I had kind of forgotten why Reception sux. You never get to go to any meetings, so you are out of the loop. It is almost impossible to talk anyone into minding the switch so you can go to the loo and the people rostered on to mind the switch so you can have lunch resent you. Then there's the customers who abuse you when the people they don't want to talk to don't pick up their phone (for whatever reason) and the workers who get cranky when you put too many calls through to them. The company also has a program of doing "fun stuff" during work hours, none of which I get to attend. I also don't get to do any training. The store trainer has given up on trying to talk them into letting me away from the phone to do training, because no one else is willing to do it. I wonder why?

Also, it has become apparent that I will never be allowed holidays, and I am just at the end of my tether! In order to have the day off I have to have a sickie, so I have no sick days left, but heaps of annual leave, but they will never approve my leave requests.

Also, because it is a business where people work in shifts, I never get to see my Manager, and even when he is there, I can't get away from the switch to talk to him, so I have to leave little notes, which he usually can't reply to for weeks.

And...the actual sound of the telephone ringing is now making me physically ill.

Sorry this is so long, but I am a bit beside myself. Time to get the kids ready for school and pull myself together.

[Lastcenturymum]

Oh that sounds painful. You HAVE to be allowed holidays and I'd draw up a roster for fill ins for your breaks and just go have your break..they will soon learn...I was the fill in lackie in my first job a million years ago..I know the stress, especially in a big company.

Do you get reviews? If not, ask for one. If you don't have a union, I'm sure some other girls here will know exactly who to tell you to go to for your rights.

My last job I was office manager and reception, but I loved it, but it was different, patients who came in to feel better and not high pressured.

And the darn school fete you have to deal with as well:hugs:

[aquarius]

you poor thing it's horrible when you dread going to work every day isn't it :(

does your company have a HR section? i would make them your first port of call. if not then maybe do a google search as i'm sure there will be some government-funded information hotline thing you can call where you can get info on your rights to annual leave.

i agree with asking your boss for a review, if that doesn't work then i'd invite your boss to have lunch with you one day and say that you wanted to have a face-to-face meeting with him over lunch just to discuss how you are going with work and there are a few issues you wanted to talk to him about, that way you know you'll definitely be able to get away from the switch if it's lunchtime. i think you gotta raise these issues with him otherwise nothing will get done, also if you go directly to HR over his head he might get annoyed. he shouldn't take so long to answer your notes either, that's not fair, probably a case of 'out of sight out of mind' - becoz he never sees you he doesn't feel your needs are important which is not fair so it would be good if you can arrange a meeting with him. even if he's really busy surely he can spare 15 minutes to chat with you?

i agree with lastcentury mum, draw up a roster for your fill-ins and maybe write 'thank you for your help' at the bottom but then every day just go for your breaks with a no-nonsense and no-apologies attitude - LCM's right, they will soon learn that it's part of their job to relieve you on breaks just like it's your job to answer the phone for them. i know it's horrible when your coworkers act like they resent you for it, we all want to be liked by everyone in the workplace, but you gotta remember you're entitled to your break.

and i know what you mean about coming in on wednesday and finding that the other receptionist is cranky from all the work she's had to do on mon and tues - i was in that exact same situation as my last job. lucky my coworker would be more cheerful by fri but i hated coming in on wed as she was so cranky she wouldn't talk to me and was all stressed and flinging stuff around and i hated asking her questions coz she was so cranky... but you can't change other people's behaviour unfortunately :( if she's really rude to you and takes her stress out on you and that's part of the reason you hate going to work then you might want to talk to her about it or raise it with your manager, but dunno if you feel comfortable with that.

good luck, i hope it gets better for you, we've all been there :hugs:

[sunnyflower]

Wow.

Your work place sound really awful with really nasty people.

I don't see why people are resentful that you need a lunch break...

They have their lunch break right?

They sound really selfish.

And every employer deserves holidays...

Frankly i think you need to look for a new job...

Where they treat you nicely.

Why don't you start looking to see what is available.

You know what they say,it is always easier to get a job when you already have a job

Good luck:hugs:

[blackdog]

There is already a roster for departments to cover my lunch break, but nobody likes being on the switch :no:

The people are not nasty, they are all just really busy and stressed, and this is actually the best place I have worked with regards to management. At least I get paid properly and am not actually bullied or verbally abused (except by customers, of course)

Sunnyflower must have lived a charmed life ;)

I am looking for a new job, but the problem is that I want to get away from Reception, so it could prove difficult, as everyone wants you to have "experience in a similar role" etc and knowledge of software I am not familiar with. It's also hard to get family friendly hours, so I suppose it's a bit of a trade off. The hours I am doing are workable, so I have to put up with the other stuff.

I'm feeling a bit suicidal today. I really need a holiday (what a woos!)

[aquarius]

what type of work do you want to do? like if you moved away from reception work, what would you like to do instead? what kind of skills (e.g. software) would you need to know to do the job?

could you get training for this, either by correspondence course or night school? then when you go for a new job it might help you get a foot in the door, even tho you dont have any actual on-the-job experience?

[blackdog]

I've been looking at ads for payroll jobs, and they all seem to have different software they want you to already be versed in.:confused:

[aquarius]

yeah i think in payroll they often want someone who can hit the ground running coz it's always so busy, but there's ways round that if you can impress them enough at interview with your bright capable personality and willingness to learn! if they need Quicken, MYOB etc software there are lots of courses on offer thru correspondence or night school, i know it's hard when you got kids and a full time job already, but might be the best way to move on from reception? the good thing is once you are experienced in payroll you can get a job anywhere, payroll people are hugely in demand!

[jaq]

Hang in there, Blackdog. No job is worth letting you run yourself into the ground like this. You need to talk to them asap and demand your rights.

It sounds to me as if you are cutting them too much slack because they ARE a good company, and you feel sorry for the people relieving you.

STOP. Putting yourself at the bottom of the pile will not resolve this, and if you have a meltdown, they are the ones that will lose out.

Be cruel to be kind. Stop worrying about how other people feel, and make SURE you take your breaks and your full lunchhour. If anyone gives you grief, smile serenely and tell them "well, if I leave you might end up doing it full time."

Demand an in-hours meeting with your HR department head. He or she needs to know how under pressure you feel, and that if things don't change, you WILL leave. You have a right to attend meetings with your superiors IN office hours, and someone needs to cover you during that time, too.

If the company isn't agreeable to all this, they are not meeting their legal obligations. Inform them of this, and demand change. You deserve it, and if they truly want to treat their employees well, so do they.

The only one deserving of any special consideration is your fellow receptionist who is so overloaded. Maybe tell her really nicely you feel bad she works so hard, but it would make things easier for BOTH of you if she could be a bit nicer and help you help her.

It must be hard to be strong when you feel so depressed, but you can do it. You need to do it to make things change. :hugs:

[blackdog]

Well, I have had a week of holidays approved for January - the week before school goes back, so at least I can get the kids ready for school.

I used to think the way you do, jaq, but real world experience has taught me that if you rock the boat, they will find a way of getting rid of you.

[jaq]

But if you don't rock the boat, they will realign their organisations on the basis of two people doing the job of three etc.

I have done a lot of boat rocking in my time, and while it doesn't always have EXACTLY the desired result, it always has a result. An intermediate solution, for example, is better than no solution at all.

I think the secret is thinking about the worst thing that might happen, and deciding whether it is would be endurable. If they get rid of you, can you survive financially until you find something else?

At least the holidays will give you something to hold out for ... but I really hope things will improve for you before then.

Are you feeling a bit better in yourself now, or as things still very difficult?

[NibbleCurlynBub]

Wow.

Your work place sound really awful with really nasty people.

I don't see why people are resentful that you need a lunch break...

They have their lunch break right?

They sound really selfish.

And every employer deserves holidays...

Frankly i think you need to look for a new job...

Where they treat you nicely.

Why don't you start looking to see what is available.

You know what they say,it is always easier to get a job when you already have a job

Good luck:hugs:
:iagree:

I don't see the people changing.. Maybe it is time for a different job.

:hugs: :hugs:

[blackdog]

Are you feeling a bit better in yourself now, or as things still very difficult?

well,I broke my arm at the weekend :eek: so I have had this week off...without pay, of course, so we are going to be really broke, I can't wash my hair or clean the house :laughing: but I actually do feel better!

I can't afford to be 'gotten rid of' from this job, as it is the first paying job I have had since being a f/t sahm.

I've decided I'm going to get myself some anti-depressants and look for an MYOB course and look into temping in the local area. I could see how it goes while still doing my three days at my current job. I am also looking into "virtual assistant" kind of things.

thanks to everyone for their input:)

[aquarius]

owwww blackdog sorry to hear about your arm! you poor thing.

good on you for taking steps to improve your life and get where you want to go - i hope it all goes well for you. good luck and pm me if you want to chat anytime

[lizzymcfizzy]

hi Its a bit late but I just wanted to say I feel your pain! I'm a receptionist and understand your problems exactly. Now I'm back I rememeber why I was hanging out to go have my baby! I'm still here but once I've had my 2nd I'll be looking for something different to get into. Either admin or something completely different if I get motivated enough to study.

hang in there!