Call their bluff... ?

LegacyUser

Hello guys, I'm a fairly regular poster on here but would like some help and paranoia dictates I must go anonymous.

Last year I started a call centre job in a well-known company. It's not a typical call-centre and it's pretty relaxed and informal.

I relocated from the country and took a bit of a risk as my contract was only 20 hrs but over time this increased. I had taken the job with a view to getting something in my degree field. Over time it became obvious that this field was not going to happen for me, which was dispiriting, but whatever.

So I cooled it on the job applications for a bit. I also decided to do a part-time college course in a new field, which is creative, but has tech elements which might help me get into IT in a sideways kind of way. That starts next month. I was happy enough for the minute with my increased hours. I get along well with my colleagues and there's a lot of craic there and that probably has coloured my view of things too.

Anyway the centre is open 24/7 and in July my TL asked me would I consider the night shift. Prior to this my latest finish was 10pm as I rely on public transport and have quite a long commute. My TL told me that if I didn't take the permanent role on nights my hours would be cut back down to 20. They've taken a new batch of recruits on since my lot, and some of my group have left already or are in the process of leaving. Turnover for the last months has been incredibly high. Management also arranged my shifts around the buses. I took out a loan to pay for my course, which I (now that I think back) made the massive mistake of mentioning to my TL (as I said, v matey atmosphere in the place). He knew I had no choice essentially.

I have a month and a bit of nights done and maybe I'm not giving it enough of a chance but I quite literally cannot bear it. I was never a night owl and that commute that never bothered me feels like hell now. I only have a provisional licence and while I could probably scrape together enough for a car and insurance if I saved for a bit, I honestly don't feel confident in my driving to drive home after work. I have personal experience of a person dying in a crash due to tiredness, so driving is out for me.

I don't have any kind of social life. My friend wants me to go to a match on Sunday and I said I'd come but I'll probably fall asleep in the stands. Look I know I'll probably get no sympathy in some quarters, but I feel like my life totally resolves a job I don't particularly enjoy, and I just feel like I'm wasting my 20s. I worked all through college, and missed every weekend, every summer people were on J1s or going to Oxegen or just to someone's house in another county for a birthday, I missed the lot. I booked off one weekend in second year of college to go to London with my mates and I was still hearing about it two years later! I'm not entitled or anything but I just feel like my life is just drudgery at the moment.

I also am a bit prone to anxiety and depression and winter is not the best time for me, and I feel like it's creeping back a bit, especially as the nights are drawing in and soon I'll be seeing no daylight at all. I am also a bit concerned about my college course, the contact hours are very short but I want to do well and I feel so stupid and blah all the time working these hours.

Anyway back to the point. I feel like going back to my original TL (he's a day manager, haven't worked together in over a month) and asking can I go back on days. They still haven't given me a contract to sign for the night role. Is the fact that I said I do it worth anything? This guy I've learned is quite sneaky (there are other things but this is long enough already) and I want to know am I entitled to back out the nights if I've signed nothing.

I am applying for other jobs but it's tough out there as we all know, I don't seem to have enough experience for anything that's out there at the moment

Sorry for the massive long post and thank you for reading. Any advice at all is appreciated x

LegacyUser

I know how you feel. I worked in a call centre and did both the day and night shifts.
From what you have told us the night shifts do not suit you.

I would speak to you the day manager and ask them could you go back on days. Tell them about your college course and that due to this you want to go back to doing day hours.
You have not signed anything to say that you will do nights. Do you know what time/days your course will be on?
In regards to the day hours could you do some extra hours if they are short staffed or could you work a shift they find hard to fill an odd time?
Could you offer to do some extra training with new staff?
The day manager might be glad to have you back it you are willing to help them out.


Your health is more important than a job. If you are over tired or your anxiety and depression come back because of working nights it could effect your ability to do well on the course.
This course could help you move on career wise.

gugleguy

lll34 wrote: »

......... Do you know what time/days your course will be on?
.........
Could you offer to do some extra training with new staff?
The day manager might be glad to have you back it you are willing to help them out.


Your health is more important than a job. If you are over tired or your anxiety and depression come back because of working nights it could effect your ability to do well on the course.

This course could help you move on career wise.

Be specific in explain what course, and highlight the relevant context of this course, if any, to your manager.

LynnGrace

Yes, it's well worth asking.
Make sure you ask the right person, is it the T/L who decides these things, and if not, find out who you should approach.
Think it's through and jot down what you want to say, in a positive way, a bit like preparing for an interview. It will help you to feel confident, making the approach, and hopefully get to the outcome you want.
If it means going back to the 20 hours, it sounds like it would be worth it, for your health, and to have a bit of life outside of work.
Night work does not suit everyone. I'm no expert, but I understand it messes with your 'body clock', and while there are jobs where it is par for the course, or some people choose night shifts to fit in with other commitments, this isn't your situation, from my reading of your OP.

Best of luck.

LegacyUser

Hey guys, OP back.

Sorry have been mad busy over the last while and off work with a chest infection now so only getting back to ye now. Thanks for all the replies.

@lll34, that's exactly how I feel. I am doing a short online course and I wanted to learn coding online, but I am finding it hard to get the concentration and time together to do these small projects. So I feel that college would be a major struggle if I were to continue these hours. Physically I am in terrible shape, I'm usually as healthy as horse aside from some minor nasal tickles, but I've been constantly sick since I started, even with taking vitamins etc. Right now my glands are like ping-pong balls and I haven't stopped coughing/wheezing since Wed.

@gugleguy My course is one day a week, six hours. It's creative but there's a lot of tech aspects to it to, production software, lighting etc. They know I'm doing it.

@LynnGrace, thanks, I was at the docs and she asked me if I was a nurse! If I was a nurse, doctor, guard etc I'd be ok with doing nights, it's what you sign up for. I kind of feel disillusioned with the job during the day, never mind nights!

Anyway, I asked my TL last week and he was a bit grudging about the whole thing. I explained about the bus and how that was making it worse, and that I feel it would majorly effect my college work. He said he would take me off Sat nights if that would make it better bus wise (I have to wait an hour for a bus on Sunday mornings or else get a taxi) but I said that it was more than Sundays, it was too much for me in general. He said he'd ask his boss about it. I didn't mention my not signing the contract, I feel I should hold that back in case they get narky about me going back on days.

Funnily enough I had my monthly review with a night manager as my actual TL wasn't there, and he brought it up. He was very understanding and said not to worry, that their own manager (the guy my own TL was talking to) is being promoted and there's going to be a lot of reshuffling and essentially I was the least of their concerns. Haven't been back yet as I had a couple of days off and then I got sick (I had never, ever taken a sick day in my entire working life until I started on nights) so I don't know if the October rota is up.

The other aspect of the issue is that I went for a interview for placement in another department while my TL was on holidays. I came second to another person and the HR guys were very keen on meeting me for feedback. They said there was a hair's breadth between me and the other candidate, they just had a little more experience (there's that word again aargh!) but that there's another one in October that I should go for and they have essentially offered to mentor me for this interview. So feeling a lot more positive in general now.