Would would you do in this situation? Would you stay in this job?

little miss sunshine1

If you were in a job where you were micro managed, made to feel that nothing you ever do is good enough, or that you are 'too slow' to do things. ( I must also add that I was employed under the Wage Subsidy Scheme, where allowances are made for the employee in this regard).

Yet despite the above, you are scolded for not being fast enough to do your work, and expected to work in two rooms at once. some people you work with imply that you are stupid, being tattled on by staff who get away with doing next to nothing themselves. Supervisors are known friend's of the senior management, and speak to their team like dirt, because they know management will always support whatever they do.

You don't get all the break periods you are entitled to, smokers get all their legally entitled breaks and those who don't smoke have to keep on working. I work an eight and a half hour day with just one half hour break in the entire day, which leaves me completely exhausted when I come home in the evenings,and it has taken it's toll on my family life outside of work. It seems the long - serving staff 'run the show' and make up all the rules to suit themselves. It's like the motto is ' The longer you've worked here, the more you get away with' . Management don't know what's really going on day - to -day, and relying on malicious tattle -tales. I was once left on my own with 23 children in a room (left out of ratio) by a supervisor, while they went for a smoke break. This same supervisor allows the little children in our care (pre-school age) to walk around carrying hot plates of dinner. I am made to feel like nothing I ever do is good enough, and my self - esteem is at an all time low, and don't have the confidence to even look for another job, because this toxic job was the only place I could find employment due to multiple job rejections. I am constantly unwell most of the time, with colds, and chest infections. If I take any sick days, the management don't like it - they tell me to take all the time I need - but when I do, they tell me I've missed too much time. It's becoming mentally, emotionally and physically draining. It's like I'm just everyone's slave, and any dirty work, I am left to do it.

Would you stay in a place like this?

yellow76

No. Not worth the mental stress or anxiety imo

Dog walker 1234

Depends on how badly you need the job/ money? If you leave can you get another job?

little miss sunshine1

Dog walker 1234 wrote: »

Depends on how badly you need the job/ money? If you leave can you get another job?

Well I nearly can't face going through being rejected from another job interview again, I don't know what to do.

kweeveen86

If it makes you miserable and you dread going in each day, then you should quit.

turkeyboy1990

Whats the job if you don’t mind me asking?

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Hi OP I was in a job like that for three years all be it a permanent job. When I left I picked up a better job in a few weeks and never looked back. Some work environments are just pure cancer. It's not worth it. My only regret is that I didn't leave sooner. I felt like a loser and a failure for quitting that's why I didn't and eventually it just was too much so I left. If it's bad for your health, leave.

little miss sunshine1

turkeyboy1990 wrote: »

Whats the job if you don’t mind me asking?

child care

Postgrad10

Childcare can be a tricky place to work, often people can feel under paid and overworked for what they get and take it out on others. One things for certain , not all childcare services are like that and you could find yourself in a new service and absolutely love it. Start applying for other jobs and give them their notice once you have an offer.

beechwood55

little miss sunshine1 wrote: »

child care

I feel sorry for the children. The environment you describe sounds horrendous.

Sir Oxman

Same position but not something as important as childcare.

It is very scary OP, very but my mental health has been directly affected by my job - I should say I love doing what I do but the place is cancerous.

I am alos paralysed by fear, starting afresh etc, I'm 50 so that plays a part.
But I am gradually making my escape plan and if you have bills and a household to run the old maxim is true - Prepare, TRY not to leave without something solid to go to.

However, only you can evaluate the toll that the toxic environment is extracting from you and how that actually affects your health.

Best of luck.
Do not doubt yourself.

little miss sunshine1

Thanks everyone. Just not sure what I should do. I'm afraid that if I leave I'll never find another job again.

little miss sunshine1

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Childcare can be a tricky place to work, often people can feel under paid and overworked for what they get and take it out on others. One things for certain , not all childcare services are like that and you could find yourself in a new service and absolutely love it. Start applying for other jobs and give them their notice once you have an offer.

I agree with you when you say that it is an underpaid job and people can sometimes feel overworked. That said, as childcare workers were are all in the same boat, doing exactly the same job every day as every other worker with the same job description. Being overworked does n't give somebody the right to treat a colleague like trash.

little miss sunshine1

So what you think I should do? Do I risk staying in a bad environment for the sake of a job?

m.i.l.f

When you say you’re employed under the wage subsidy scheme the have to show you have a 20% deficiency in doing the job so I’m presuming you have a disability / mental health issues ? - do you have a case officer / job coach who placed you in the job ? If so I would speak to them ASAP

Dog walker 1234

Hi Sunshine,
OK so you are in a job you don't like. You need to plan an exit strategy.

Have you a qualification(s)? If not, decide what you would like to work at (if not childcare). Can you do an evening/night course while keeping your wage? Can you do a fulltime course?

Are you assertive? Sometimes colleagues will bully someone who is quiet and takes it from them. Is there anyone you can discuss the workplace atmosphere with? Is there anyone you can discuss your options with?

little miss sunshine1

Dog walker 1234 wrote: »

Hi Sunshine,
OK so you are in a job you don't like. You need to plan an exit strategy.

Have you a qualification(s)? If not, decide what you would like to work at (if not childcare). Can you do an evening/night course while keeping your wage? Can you do a fulltime course?

Are you assertive? Sometimes colleagues will bully someone who is quiet and takes it from them. Is there anyone you can discuss the workplace atmosphere with? Is there anyone you can discuss your options with?

Yes, I have qualifications. I am in fact, the highest qualified worker in the crèche, I have childcare qualifications up to and including an honours degree in childcare. I have also done an SNA course within the last year, have applied for a few SNA posts, but not a single peep back, not even a rejection letter.

I love the job and working with the children, I think the children and interacting with them is the best part of the job, and interacting with them on a daily basis is preferable to dealing with a lot of the adult workers in there.

I have tried numerous times to speak with management about this, but to no avail. I have also tried to speak with the employment officer on the WSS scheme, but there is a limit to what help they can provide me with. I am not the most assertive person, but I stand up for myself if I need to, which is pretty much all day every day while at work there. It's really wearing me down at this stage. I feel that because I am less experienced than the rest of the staff, I don't have the same 'standing' in the place, and can't stand up for myself as well as a more senior member of staff. Also, due to my degree level qualifications, the service provider receives extra government funding for the crèche ( the higher capitation grant, if you're familiar) . I am treated like everyone's 'run around' 'work experience girl in a uniform' . I just feel used and abused if I am honest.

Dog walker 1234

Ok so things are not working in your current job. You seem to be used,abused and not listened to. Time to move me thinks. Don't leave until you have something lined up. I am trying to be helpful so please don't take offence. You have sent out applications but not got a reply.

Is you cv well laid out? Are your referees damning you with faint praise? Try to be objective while looking at it.
Are you under/overqualified for the jobs you are applying for?
Have you much/enough experience?

little miss sunshine1

Dog walker 1234 wrote: »

Ok so things are not working in your current job. You seem to be used,abused and not listened to. Time to move me thinks. Don't leave until you have something lined up. I am trying to be helpful so please don't take offence. You have sent out applications but not got a reply.

Is you cv well laid out? Are your referees damning you with faint praise? Try to be objective while looking at it.
Are you under/overqualified for the jobs you are applying for?
Have you much/enough experience?

Thank you for the reply. My current manager has remarked that for this job I am 'overqualified'. Most of the staff are only F.E.T.A.C. Level 5 or 6 certified.

Yes, my C.V. seems to be ok. Before I got this job I was called for numerous interviews ( child care jobs) and rejected due to not having enough experience. I got this job resulting from a Job Bridge internship with the crèche. I have nearly 2 years experience. My manager remarked once that I was 'overqualified' for my current role. But there's nothing I can do about that. I have two excellent references to date, from past work experience in the same area.

Dog walker 1234

With 2 years of experience you should be able to change jobs. Is there other jobs apart from crèches/ SNA where you can interact with children but haven't thought of applying for? ( sorry, not familiar with this field of work) When you do apply for a job, chase it up with a phone call or visit. Find out why you are not getting it. Use this feedback to change your approach to the next job. Don't give up.

little miss sunshine1

So do you think the best thing to do is leave?

Things have actually gotten to a point that I can't bear to be there, so I don't really think it's a feasible option to 'wait it out' until I can find another job.

I was employed under the Wage Subsidy Scheme, which means concessions are (well in my case should be ) made for the loss of productivity in a so called 'disabled' employee, and the owner receives 5 euro 30 per hour towards my wage from the Social Welfare as a result. I was never particularly happy with this arrangement, but management informed me that they 'could not afford' to employ any member of staff unless they participated in the W.S.S. scheme.

Then they go and back track and say I'm 'too slow' to do things. Also a lot of the longer serving members of staff spend most of their time either not watching the children, or hiding in the bathrooms on their phones.

Dog walker 1234

To leave before you have another job lined up is a personal decision. I couldn't afford to do it. You need to assess your personal circumstances. Don't leave without having thought of what you are going to do next.

little miss sunshine1

Dog walker 1234 wrote: »

To leave before you have another job lined up is a personal decision. I couldn't afford to do it. You need to assess your personal circumstances. Don't leave without having thought of what you are going to do next.

Thank you. There has been so many times in the last few months that I have actually considered just walking out. ( I would n't be the first employee to have done this in this particular place). I just feel like nothing is ever going to change, I will always be considered the so - called 'quiet, 'weak one'. As I said above the thread, I have approached management about this, to no avail. I am not spoken to with a single ounce of civility by the room leader in my room. To them, all I am, all I will ever be is the 'dogsbody run -around', and they do this with management's backing. I am openly referred to as a 'junior' so that means I have to take being treated like dirt until such a time that I am senior staff, yet some people who started work there long after me, are put on a pedestal for special treatment.

Wanderer2010

I think you know the answer at this stage and after all the replies. You need to walk and look for a better job.

December2012

What is yoir actual role? Be sure it doesn't make sense that you are told you are over qualifiied for your role yet are top slow and need to be micro managed.

You may be over qualified for your position, e.g. if it is a junior position, bit you could still be bad at it. You could be good on paper bit not in practice

If you apply for a new job do you need to go under the WSS scheme again?

Childcare is something where experience matters. The people who are there longer have more experience.

Treat this as a training period. Earn as much as you can while getting out. Maybe that is yo be more assertive. Or maybe it is to take your breaks under health and safety laws.

Supplement your income with babysitting. Or look at being child minder for a child with special needs

little miss sunshine1

December2012 wrote: »

What is yoir actual role? Be sure it doesn't make sense that you are told you are over qualifiied for your role yet are top slow and need to be micro managed.

You may be over qualified for your position, e.g. if it is a junior position, bit you could still be bad at it. You could be good on paper bit not in practice

If you apply for a new job do you need to go under the WSS scheme again?

Childcare is something where experience matters. The people who are there longer have more experience.

Treat this as a training period. Earn as much as you can while getting out. Maybe that is yo be more assertive. Or maybe it is to take your breaks under health and safety laws.

Supplement your income with babysitting. Or look at being child minder for a child with special needs

I am employed as childcare assistant. The only difference between me and other staff is that the service provider is receiving extra government funding due to my high level of qualifications. As I said, all other staff are either in the process of, or are F.E.T.A.C. certified.
You say - 'childcare is something where experience matters', so, do you think it was a waste of my time and money to go to college to get a good education, when I could have just done a very basic level 5 or 6 in childcare, and most likely have had an easier time getting a job to get 'experience' ??
As 'experience' goes, I am sure those who featured in the Prime Time programme 'A Breach of Trust' on the poor practice in some crèches, had years 'of experience, yet still did not do their jobs well. The point I am making here is that there is an exception to most things. Being 'inexperienced'' does n't necessarily make you ' bad' at any job. The same way having a piece of paper with a qualification does n't necessarily does not make you automatically 'good' at it either.

I would very much prefer not to have anything to do with the WSS scheme if I were to be employed in that sector again.
It seemed that the only reason that scheme was in place, was so a 'pool of money to pay the staff wages' could be accessed by the service provider, which actually goes completely again s't the whole idea of the scheme - it's not a capital generating scheme, because the owners can't afford to hire staff by other means.

Diziet

It is not clear if you are actively applying for other jobs. If not then start job hunting now. If you are already job hunting, keep at it and keep re-evaluating your approach until you get an offer that you like.

If you can afford to, you should walk out now. If you cannot afford it, put all your efforts into your job search and you will be out soon enough.
Best of luck!

matrim

Also once you get a new job you should consider reporting your current workplace if they are putting children at risk and violating the rules on ratio of staff to children

little miss sunshine1

Thank you everybody for all your replies.

Stheno

little miss sunshine1 wrote: »

Thank you everybody for all your replies.

Mod

Little miss sunshine, please do not start multiple threads on the same topic.

little miss sunshine1

My apologies.

little miss sunshine1

m.i.l.f wrote: »

When you say you’re employed under the wage subsidy scheme the have to show you have a 20% deficiency in doing the job so I’m presuming you have a disability / mental health issues ? - do you have a case officer / job coach who placed you in the job ? If so I would speak to them ASAP

Just to say that I was not exactly 'placed in a job' by a job coach. I was told when offered this job that only way to be employed there was to go along with this scheme, due to the owner not being able to afford to employ staff any of other way.

A job coach did not find/ recommend this job/company to me.