Not coping at work - HR process?

[FireflyXX]

Hi,
I've worked as a nurse at a public hospital for 30 Years. Struggling with treatment resistant depression the last couple of years. Motivation finally improving but not coping well at work. Have a supportive, but junior manager who has made some temporary accommodations for me but management are saying to continue to do so would be unfair on the other staff and I'm supposed to be finding a position "more suitable". I applied recently for a job in a less challenging area of the hospital but was unsuccessful. A very stressful situation at work last week resulted in a worsening of my condition and I'm now taking some (more) sick leave. My question is, do I now ask for a formal HR process to assist ("manage" me)? I havent done so untill now as my psychiatrist advised strongly me against it, saying they would "F*&*k me up", deliberately put me in a position I hate in order to get rid of me. I know this does happen. His advice was to actively seek other employment myself . I'm at the point of needing (small) doses of a sedative at work to calm my thinking which really is dangerous and untenable. Taking leave has not been of any benefit work-wise and I need some more permanent changes. I am planning to see a psychologist to assist with coping strategies. What are people's experience with HR processes at work? Should I push for a more formal process? I know I'm within my rights.

[blondguy]

Hello FireflyXX

Welcome to the forums! Thankyou for being a part of the Beyond Blue family too

Coping with treatment resistant depression during our working hours can be a horrible experience. I understand your situation as I have been working in senior level corporate for 30+ years with same

Your psychiatrist is spot on as a formal HR process would be a huge undertaking even with a low level of depression. I tried doing so with a multi-national company and was treated like I had the Ebola virus (seriously)

I have struggled with high level anxiety since 1983 when I was 23. Just in my own situation I wish I didnt proceed with the formal HR 'process'. For me it only increased my anxiety and depression levels

Working in corporate for over 30 years I do know that many HR Departments' loyalties arent primarily focused on the employee.....unfortunately...yet that just my own experience

the forums are a safe and non judgmental place for you to post Firefly....and its always a bonus to have a health professional on the forums too!

I do hope you can post back....only if you wish...there are no expectations on the forums

my kind thoughts

Paul

[FireflyXX]

Thankyou so much for the reply. We’ve had a recent suicide of a nursing colleague as well. I have some (probably false) hope that management and HR would treat me reasonably after this. Speaking to my GP today to get another opinion.

[CaptainSwing]

Hi FireflyXX, having been through a less stressful version of what you are contemplating, I do have a bit of advice about Human Resources departments

(background - I resigned a job after a confrontation with my boss, I didn't know that I had depression at the time).

Human Resources is 100% NOT THERE TO HELP YOU, or any employee. HR is there strictly to make sure they limit any liability the employer has over incidents in the workplace. They are the final port of call before lawyers get involved. They run workplace courses not to help you and your colleagues, but to tick a box on their legal responsibilities. They "manage employees out" i.e. talk people into quietly resigning. HR employees are deliberately chosen for their facile shallowness.

They will superficially offer "help" but really what they are doing is trying to work out what damage you might cause the organisation.

They will superficially offer "resolutions" but really what they are doing is trying to temporarily de-escalate the situation so that you either quietly resign or pull your head in for a few months while they desperately try to find a legal way to sack you.

They will superficially offer "mediation" but really what they are doing is trying to cover the buttocks of your manager and his/her management team.

Quite simply - if you are at the point where you truly cannot cope with your responsibilities at work, this is not your fault. This is the fault of the organisation and of the management. They should have recognised the situation earlier (because IT's THEIR JOB) and made more appropriate responses. Do not blame yourself. You are the victim in this situation. You made no attempt to hide anything, they simply chose to ignore it.

Next time, I would talk to a lawyer before I went anywhere near a HR department.

[FireflyXX]

Holy s*#t! Yep this is what I’m concerned about. Its SA health

[CaptainSwing]

Yep, so now you are aware, make sure you have documentation lined up and be very careful what is said. Honesty works, keep things strictly factual without emotion when dealing with HR. Very difficult but necessary. Always remember you are the one that has been let down in this situation and keep that as a central argument.

Also please look after yourself.