Struggling at work — Scope | Disability forum
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Struggling at work

Rechnin
Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
edited December 2021 in Work and employment
I am struggling at the moment, in the past I have struggled to stay in work for little longer than 3 month, but, have had a couple of jobs lasting up to 3 years. The exception being my current role, I have been there for 5 years as of today. However, the last two years have been hell. Recently my employers brought in hourly rates and accuracy ratings. I was put on  PIP  and have been on this for two years, before this start I was succeding, I was getting Employee of the Month and helping with basic IT help, ordering stationery and dealing tith then post, Now I feel like my role i hanging by a thread,

During one of my meetings Iliterally  scream that I have learning difficulties, which they claimed that knew nothing about. They sent me for an OHC and it revealed I have Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, suffer from anxiety and depression and have physical issues along side diabeties and high blood pressure.

They aso suggested I should have an Autism assesstment (which I am now awaiting).

Bouncing from job to job is not what I want but I struyggle in  a stats based environment, its not a problem too much at the moment as I live at home but that will not always be an option I have.

Regards

Ian
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Comments

  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi Ian how are you tonight (too warm again here), sorry you are having problems at work, do you have a union who could help? do they have a decent HR dept? I don't think there are many things that make us miserable than being unhappy at work but sadly because of this covid problem jobs are becoming scarce. Hope it all goes ok for you.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    Good Evening & Welcome.

    I am one of the Community Champion’s here at Scope.

    Please please let me know if there’s anything in particular that I can help you with??????

    @steve51
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    @steve51 I have no idea, this is all pretty new to me and something I neeed to deal with.

  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    edited June 2020
    @woodbine I hve little or no confidence in my Union in this, they have undermined me more than anything and out HR department seems to be in managements pocket, we have had 10 members of staff leave and it was never report why other than "To progress their careers elsewhere" when I know for certain what they actually said in their leaving statements,

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    Yes I have been in the similar place a few years ago now.

    @steve51
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin I am sorry to hear about your issues at work and if I can offer any help as a former HR Manager then give me a shout.

    Have these conditions been diagnosed by your GP or specialist as it is unusual for a OH to diagnose they normally do this by accessing your medical records ? 

    Any further help just shout someone always here to help or direct you to the right place
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    edited June 2020
    Heya

    At my OHC assessemnt they confirmed my Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, and that I was suffeing from Anxiety, Depressionand Stress, They also advised me of the possibility of Autism.

    I had already informed them of my Arthritis, Diabeties and High Blood Pressure and I am also awaiting an assessment for Ehler-Danlos.

    Its seems they are holding on until I get an assessment on my Autism.

    Regards

    Ian

  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    steve51 said:
    Hi @Rechnin

    Yes I have been in the similar place a few years ago now.

    @steve51
    Sorry to hear that, how are things now?

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    Unfortunately after a number of try’s to return I had to throw in the towel.

    It was killing me day by day week by week & it brook my heart having to leave it in the end!!!!!!!

    @steve51
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous

    I am so sorry to hear that Steve, are you working now?

    This is my fear as I was doing so well. IIs not an issue at the moment as I live at home, but, my parent is elderly and I wont always have this security. I dont want to go back to bouncing from job to job and struggling to get by, I might have to start looking in to fixed term roles.

    Ian
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    edited June 2020
    Hi @Rechnin - Welcome to the community from me too, Ian. I'm very sorry to read about your current difficulties & work, etc. I see you've already met some great members here who are always willing to help, &, as someone with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, I just wanted to let you know that I have some understanding of one of the problems you have/may have at least.
    I'm not sure if I can add much more other than to offer my support, but I have one thought, which may be helpful. Scope as a disability charity offer some help gaining employment if that's something you would consider. See: https://www.scope.org.uk/employment-services/support-to-work/
    If your employer is unwilling to go down the 'Reasonable adjustments' route (some info from Scope about this too: https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/work-careers/reasonable-adjustments/ ), perhaps time to also look around elsewhere, & Scope will help.
    So many of your colleagues leaving, or being 'managed' out, doesn't sound good. My daughter-in-law starts a new job in just over a week's time; her deputy area manager encouraged her to say how poor the company were in her leaving statement (having said how good the company were at her interview). She's a deputy manager in one of a well-known chain of shops. Co-incidentally her manager & a key worker will also be leaving shortly after her. When things like that happen, keep your options open perhaps, & look at the help offered by Scope in your case.

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    No I had to take early retirement in the end & my health has worsened since.

    Lucky my wife works full time & I managed to pay the rest of the mortgage off.

    Mind you I was glad in the longterm to preserve my mental health which is more important.

    @steve51
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    After my diagnosis of Dyslexia and Ddyscalculia I was given soeftware and extra time to work on my queues, which helped for a while and is the companies default setting for anyone with disability. They have a standrad 98% accuracy rating which makes it almost impossible to pass as one mistake is enough to fail me for a fill week, and I was recently pulled up for missing a full stop and usiing the wrong 'there' in an internal email.

    The software I received has a voice system but that is tempremental and my soeech isn't good which mea\ns I still have to recheck my letter and I just dont see errors especially when greetings, signing offs, names and dates change per letter. I did do up a number of blank letters, but, these were delete and I was told "you dont need them". Which led to me being picked up for miss prefixes and suffixes as the letter were set up for various situations.

    The problem is that GCb 7 and8 are held responsible for everything whereas GCB6+ dont have to account for anythign and we are not even alllow to ask them for help. There is little organisation, I was srecently pulled up for dealing with a problem, so I left it then was pulled up for not de\ling with it, twice and its still not been dealt with.

    I am sticking it out for now as its not been too bad working from home and I want to satrt savung up for the ineviatble.


    Ian
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    @steve51

    I suppose you are somewhat lucky youw ere able to take early retirment.and you have you family's support.

    This s the situation I am in at the moment, I live at home with an elderly parnet so if I am made unemployed I have that to fall back on, but, this will nto always be there in the future and I amnot sure if I will be able to cope in a flat and if I cant settle in work.

    I am frantically downsizing and selling all I can, thought I dont want to, so when it happens I can at least move in to a flat. But if I go back to bouncin from work will I eve be able to aford this?

    I feel I am on the edge of loosing everything, I know they are only possession but  what esle do we live for?

    Regards

    Ian 
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    Yes I was able to get on top off things as I was a manager before my Stroke.

    Is you’re current property your’s ????

    I would recommend the “Access To Work Scheme”
    as a good starting point for help with “Employment”

    They offer good info/advice/support in regards to starting to find work & help you to make “reasonable adjustments” 

    @steve51


  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous

    Well, hope you are doing well at least now.

    Nope, ot is rent from the council.

    True, I am already looking in to this and might have to consider trying something new i things go down hill here.

    I wish there was a little more understanding, I really want to work just struggle to keep up to 'modern' standards.

    Regards

    Ian.



  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    Yes things are not very easy at all but I had no choice in the end.

    It was a very good choice as it was impossible to get under control.

    @steve51
  • Rechnin
    Rechnin Community member Posts: 89 Courageous
    @steve51 Sometimes, I guess, there is not way tobut to make the best.

    The it went well for you at least.

    Ian
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin

    Yes you have hit the nail on the head.

    I always keep my days busy.

    I’m always working on pc’s the whole of the day.

    How are you doing this morning?????

    @steve51

  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Rechnin, just wanted to pop in and say hi. :)

    I'm sorry to hear about your current situation. There have been some great advice about support and Scope services.

    Also, if you are still having issues then you can contact ACAS who give employees free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. 

    Please do let us know how you get on. 
    Scope

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