Stress related illness & time off work...
Discussion
I'll try to make this brief - I'm in a bit of a bad situation at the moment, various issues at home and work are mounting and, for the first time ever, I am feeling very stressed out.
This is now starting to make me feel physically ill (tightness across chest / nausea etc.) and I think I need some time off. At the same time, I'm also now looking to leave my current employer (one of root causes of my stress).
If I was to take some time off due to stress, how is this likely to reflect if / when I come to seek employment elsewhere? Is this something that could come up if a reference was sought?
Any thoughts appreciated.
This is now starting to make me feel physically ill (tightness across chest / nausea etc.) and I think I need some time off. At the same time, I'm also now looking to leave my current employer (one of root causes of my stress).
If I was to take some time off due to stress, how is this likely to reflect if / when I come to seek employment elsewhere? Is this something that could come up if a reference was sought?
Any thoughts appreciated.
anothernameitist said:
More than likely to be a question asked at reference stage
Ok thank you.Jasandjules said:
Is there anything your company can do to reduce your stress? Have you asked them?
What about taking a few months off as a sabbatical?
It's a difficult time at the company for commercial reasons and we're all having to muck in a bit. For me that has meant taking on something that has more than doubled the length of my commute and is outside of my normal area of expertise. What about taking a few months off as a sabbatical?
On top of that, the people that could help me navigate through this are all on leave for the next few weeks so I'm floundering. This is what is causing me the most anxiety - I hate being the guy that's parachuted in to do something but can't!
In isolation, neither of these issues would cause me any grief but in combination (along with some personal stresses) it's all getting on top of me - which is not something I thought I would ever find myself saying.
In terms of alleviation - I'm not sure what can be done until a few people are back from leave. I am feeling a little better today as I've had some help / input from a couple of people.
Things also seem to be moving in the right direction in my hunt for a new job. With this in mind - I think I will just ride it out for now, raise my concerns with people from leave are back and keep on the hunt for something new in the meantime.
indeep said:
I'm also now looking to leave my current employer (one of root causes of my stress).
To clarify, it's not looking for a new job that's causing me stress - it's my current situation at the existing employer. Ah, so essentially you have been dropped in it and abandoned?
I'd suggest you make a list of the things on which you need guidance and email it up the management chain - that will have the effect of:
a) Making you feel better, as you have clarified exactly what you don't know - rather than it being an amorphous "I am lost" blob
b) Covering you against any recriminations
c) Might even actually get you some help
I would also keep in mind that the worst that can happen is you get laid off. And have to find a new job. So not the biggest deal in the world since that is already your plan.
If you have been put in front of customers and told to lie (e.g. pretend you are the expert in something you have no skill with; make out there are loads of resources when it's actually just you trying to keep all the plates spinning) then you need to decide if your loyalty lies with your employer or your customers (and yourself). Together with your ethics. You may well catch plenty of grief from "upstairs" if you front up to the customer that you don't have the answers, however, from experience you will feel a lot better about it and it's tremendously difficult for a firm to fire you for not knowing something you never claimed to know and they never taught you ...
I'd suggest you make a list of the things on which you need guidance and email it up the management chain - that will have the effect of:
a) Making you feel better, as you have clarified exactly what you don't know - rather than it being an amorphous "I am lost" blob
b) Covering you against any recriminations
c) Might even actually get you some help
I would also keep in mind that the worst that can happen is you get laid off. And have to find a new job. So not the biggest deal in the world since that is already your plan.
If you have been put in front of customers and told to lie (e.g. pretend you are the expert in something you have no skill with; make out there are loads of resources when it's actually just you trying to keep all the plates spinning) then you need to decide if your loyalty lies with your employer or your customers (and yourself). Together with your ethics. You may well catch plenty of grief from "upstairs" if you front up to the customer that you don't have the answers, however, from experience you will feel a lot better about it and it's tremendously difficult for a firm to fire you for not knowing something you never claimed to know and they never taught you ...
sort of been there. Explain to your employer that you are under stress. They will then HAVE to do something, as soon as the stress word is mentioned they practically "Sh@t" themselves as it can lead to a whole host of issues. seen it in my workplace. Get a doctors assessment.
All the best and don't let it get you down, look after you first.
All the best and don't let it get you down, look after you first.
I spoke to my line manager (who is now on leave) and he suggested that there's nothing that can be done immediately and I'll have to suck it up for the time being. Have spoken, unofficially, to HR. Again, pretty useless chat, they gave me the number for the Employee Assistance Programme or whatever it is (basically a counselling service of sorts).
No sign of them s
tting themselves.
Meh. I'll get through next week and then raise it with the PM I am working for and see what can be done. If things get bad I'll have to see a doctor and get checked out. I think it's mainly tiredness (related to the commute) that is doing me in.
No sign of them s
tting themselves.Meh. I'll get through next week and then raise it with the PM I am working for and see what can be done. If things get bad I'll have to see a doctor and get checked out. I think it's mainly tiredness (related to the commute) that is doing me in.
I feel for you, been put in a similar position myself (except in my case management didn't even answer the phone or emails ... 
)
Realistically companies are petrified of being sued over what they put in a reference and if, as I suspect, you work for a large firm then the chances are all any future employer will get is a bare "X worked here from dd/mm/yy to dd/mm/yy as a Y" type letter.
I'd not worry much about the impact, I'd start looking after yourself. They don't sound as if they deserve any effort to be made - you've reached out for help and been told you're on your own, so it's time for them to be on their own instead.
You can take a week off without seeing a doctor, so you have that option if it gets too bad.
Chin up, three weeks to the bank holiday and you can have one of those off sick!
)Realistically companies are petrified of being sued over what they put in a reference and if, as I suspect, you work for a large firm then the chances are all any future employer will get is a bare "X worked here from dd/mm/yy to dd/mm/yy as a Y" type letter.
I'd not worry much about the impact, I'd start looking after yourself. They don't sound as if they deserve any effort to be made - you've reached out for help and been told you're on your own, so it's time for them to be on their own instead.
You can take a week off without seeing a doctor, so you have that option if it gets too bad.
Chin up, three weeks to the bank holiday and you can have one of those off sick!
davepoth said:
Hand in your notice then.
Seriously. If you want to leave, get on with it - no point making yourself ill.
This is a serious consideration at the moment - my wife and I have already discussed it and agree that it is a workable option. However, money is a little tight (but manageable) and I wasn't sure how leaving without having something lined up would look going forward.Seriously. If you want to leave, get on with it - no point making yourself ill.
Could a "void" period in my CV be an issue for a new employer? Anyway, the option is there as a last-resort and we wouldn't end up homeless / hungry as a result.
As I said, there's not any single issue that's kicked all this off, it's been a slow build of a lot of little things and the new role / commute is what has tipped things over for me.
Honestly, I'm not a brain surgeon - I don't hold anyone's life in my hands with the work that I do. So I'm going to do what I can until some key people are back and raise it with them.
mikees said:
An employer will not and cannot mention anything in a reference other than your salary and job title. Can of worms to mention anything else.
Mike
I thought they could mention anything they wanted as long as it was the truth.Mike
Things are starting to look positive on the job hunt though - had someone contact me about a role that sounds right in a location that's good and the company have confirmed they want to get me in for interview. Just waiting on their MD to get back into the office next week to confirm. Every cloud...
anothernameitist said:
More than likely to be a question asked at reference stage
no it won't be ... medical history should only be discussed with occhealth after an initial offer has been made , and line management will only be told of any reasonable adaptations that need to be put in place...
indeep said:
I spoke to my line manager (who is now on leave) and he suggested that there's nothing that can be done immediately and I'll have to suck it up for the time being. Have spoken, unofficially, to HR. Again, pretty useless chat, they gave me the number for the Employee Assistance Programme or whatever it is (basically a counselling service of sorts).
No sign of them stting themselves.
Meh. I'll get through next week and then raise it with the PM I am working for and see what can be done. If things get bad I'll have to see a doctor and get checked out. I think it's mainly tiredness (related to the commute) that is doing me in.
EAP No sign of them s
tting themselves.Meh. I'll get through next week and then raise it with the PM I am working for and see what can be done. If things get bad I'll have to see a doctor and get checked out. I think it's mainly tiredness (related to the commute) that is doing me in.
GP and 'fit note' if necessary
request management referral or self refer to Occ Health
amazing what the mention of the Equality Act can do to wake the idiot factor in management up ...
indeep said:
EAP? Isn't that the Employee Assistance Programme?
That's what the HR lady gave me the number for - it's basically some kind of counselling service AFAIK.
And why would I mention the Equality Act? Am I missing something
do not dismiss the EAP That's what the HR lady gave me the number for - it's basically some kind of counselling service AFAIK.
And why would I mention the Equality Act? Am I missing something
Equality Act may come into play once you have a medical diagnosis...
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff