Supporting a coworker

ChrisCson · ‎28-06-2020

Hi everyone,

I am after advice for supporting a coworker who is currently suffering from depression. It stems from work issues where the manger has recently misdirected issues and blamed them for them. This has resulted in them being placed on a personal improvement plan and since this they have spiralled into what seems to be a deep depression. Do you think it is reasonable to request the PIP is temporairly put on hold due to mental health? Do you think I can request this for them?

geoff · ‎29-06-2020

Hello ChrisCson, and welcome to the site.

It's great to know that you are wanting to support your friend who is in a difficult position from a situation that may not be their fault.

Pip or Personal improvement plan provides the employee with clear objectives to meet to avoid dismissal, demotion, or transfer and I believe that they will need to see their doctor in relation to this.

From what you have said there appears to be so much in your comment.

If they have been bullied in any way, it would be good to hear back from you, however as they have depression as you mention, then a doctor's certificate they may need so they can have time off work and seek the help they need.

If the manager has recently misdirected issues and blamed them on them, for no apparent reason, causing how they are feeling, then please get back so we can continue.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

romantic_thi3f · ‎29-06-2020

Hi ChrisCson

Welcome to the forums and thank you for reaching out here. I'm so glad to see you reach out and support your co-worker. I'm not sure if they are appreciative of your support but I know that I am.

Unlike Geoff, I'm not overly familiar with a PIP plan however from a quick Google I do think that it's a very reasonable request.

Do you have some extra support within the workplace? If not, they may even want to consider looking into an EAP (Employee Assistance Program). The therapists with EAPs are very very familiar with workplace issues and might be able to offer some more support.

rt

ChrisCson · ‎29-06-2020

Hi Geoff and rt,

Thanks for you replies.

Im not sure if it has been ment in a bullying way, but i definitely feel like on some level he has been set up to fail. Recently the processes and rostering has been changed. So before this he would have 3-4 team members under him to help in complete the required tasks. Now he only has 2max due to wage budgets, and not only have these been pushed back to start an hour after him (meaning they get constantly interrupted by customers), they also have other tasks on a wed/thurs before they can begin work for him which means he has much less man power to get everything complete. I have spoken to the manager and they have made it very clear they would not be implementing a "hit team" (Their words) to get it done every morning like they used to.

They have also changed the processes where he now has to include an extra 2 tasks in his day, one of which is extremely time consumming. These are the two reasons I feel like the blame is misdirected towards him instead of staffing issues and getting new processes to run smoothly.

There is also the question of him having to deal with inefficent and basically under performing staff, he has requested a number of times that these people get moved to different areas other than his but he has been told in no uncertain terms that this will not be happening and he has to find their strengths. A bit hard to find strengths when 2/2 people to help on his tasks are underperformers and there are set tasks that need to be competed in that shift. There is absolutly no opportunity for him to change the task they are on.

rt, to answer your question yes we do have EAP and he has contacted them but as they are running on minimal staff due to COVID-19 they had to book him in for a session on Tuesday, this was the earliest time they had avaliable.

geoff · ‎30-06-2020

Hello ChrisCson, thanks for getting back to us, we just hope that you are not being picked out as well, as you're supporting him.

I just wonder whether or not he believes he has been bullied!

Geoff.

romantic_thi3f · ‎30-06-2020

Hi ChrisCson,

It's good to hear back from you.

I assume you mean Tuesday as in today? That's actually really positive - the EAP is a great step but I presumed there would be a bit of a wait. I hope this goes well.

I think I have a better idea now of what your co-worker is going through. If I'm understanding it right, the manager doesn't have bad intentions, but there is a lot of pressure and expectations, and even though there's other staff, they aren't really pulling their weight - so the load falls all on his shoulders?

rt

ChrisCson · ‎30-06-2020

Yes this is 100% correct rt.
He has his EAP call today and basically they told him to raise issues, which he has. if he bring up other peoples short comings he is told not to blame other workers, that it isnt good enough and even that he has a negative attitude. When he informed them that he has raised the issues they told him to take it higher. I believe he will be seeing his doctor to get a medical certificate and get some time off. I really think he needs this. However, when i asked him how long he thought he would have off he said "i dont know, i still have to come back to this".

Emmen · ‎30-06-2020

Dear ChrisCson,

I'm really sorry to hear what your co-worker is going through. From what you say, it does sound like the company is setting him up to fail.

I would still strongly encourage him to take time off to recover. But I would go further and ask him to consider looking out for other opportunities. I do realise this COVID period makes it a terrible time for switching jobs, but I personally don't see any other way out of this situation. I'm guessing COVID is the reason for the new wage budgets? If so, I imagine the situation would get better once the company goes back to functioning how it did before, but we don't know when that would be.

- M