Probation and Your Health

The following has been seen on Facebook and republished here, minus identifying information, as a warning to all staff:-

Does Probation Need a Health Warning?

“People need to choose their employer not just for salary and promotion opportunities but on the basis of whether the job will be good for their psychological and physical health. Business leaders should measure the health of their workforce, not just profits.”

Interesting chatting to a GP friend recently she told me that she and her colleagues had anecdotally noticed a surprising increase in Probation staff with serious work related health conditions and asked me if something had happened in the last few years that might explain it. She said that previously Probation staff had appeared to her and her colleagues to be some of the healthiest and happiest employees and were relatively positive about both their employers and job. Now it seems these protective factors have been eroded.

How your workplace is killing you

"The modern workplace can inflict dangerous levels of stress on employees. Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of Dying for a Paycheck, argues that these practices don’t help companies – and warns governments are ignoring an emerging public health crisis."

The evidence is unequivocal: job-related anxiety is a growing health crisis with repercussions for your mental and physical well-being.

--oo00oo--

I asked for sickness numbers recently (NPS) and was told that they can't get them. No idea if that is true, but my sense is that sickness absence, and in particular long term absences, are greatly increased, and staying high. One contributor may well be that - in my observation - staff are not taking short sickness breaks because of the draconian policy, which of course just stores up trouble and undermines health.

Just left CRC after 27years plus, ill health retirement due to anxiety, depression. Managed prior to privatisation by compressed hours and good SPO support and therapy. Post privatisation total disaster relating to work stress. High caseload, no support, unrealistic targets, too much to mention. Sad times I feel now and so oppressive.

I am so sorry. How crap. I hope you are building up your strength now. They tell me there is life outside. x

So sorry to hear that.

Slowly, it was harrowing to say the least. My GP, Occupational Health were amazed at my treatment to be honest. I left recently end of April, told it would be formal level sickness meeting but informal as I got retirement on health grounds. Checked equipment in, asked what I wanted staff to be told and sent on my way. No thank you for 27 plus years or nothing, amazing really. Yet at recent inspection I was so praised by inspectorate they wrote to me to pass on to management how impressed they were of my management of case. Old school practice shunned upon now though. So glad I'm out of it.

Good grief that is appalling. How are you working through it all now? Tough, because for the Lifers amongst us, Probation is such a big part of our identity.

To be fair I think I did a lot of grieving through the process. When I finally agreed with my GP and went for medical retirement, I knew it was the end for me. They drove me to suicidal thoughts and 2 major attempts at overdose resulting in time in hospital. I can't express how worn down, bullied and isolated I felt. I'm glad I have escaped with dignity this way because I feel it could of ended in either me being sacked or worse still, possibly dead. I'm not ashamed to post this, I hope others are mindful and look after their welfare because sadly this service will no longer support you. Once part of a family I felt, now you're just a number in a sweatshop .and this is the same for service users...

I also left CRC. I was going thru anxiety at a high level. Got signed off for six weeks. My GP saved my life she told me to leave asap. Stress kills and I want to live.

It's a widespread epidemic in public sector working. My GP said it's on the increase. Sadly you're powerless to tackle on individual basis even with union support, it needs to be addressed nationally  but I fear these company's do not listen. I may be wrong, I may be a bit paranoid, but I believe that the company I worked for systematically want people on top scale pay and high annual leave benefits etc to leave so they can employ people on cheaper pay and conditions. Also the fact 50+ year olds aren't so adept at technology isn't addressed and no allowances made. I've forgotten how many times I sobbed at my desk,  had panic attacks because I could not work the damn machine and couldn't get support readily as no IT dept - all got rid of. I could write a book.

Just read your other comment. So sad you went thru all of that. It's disgusting. The managers from band 6 upwards are getting away with a lot of things. Changing the goal posts. Implementing changes with no consideration or consultation. My SPO was sooo stressed as was the team. We were so stressed. Most people are so scared to leave and there is not much out there at the minute. Hopefully ur speaking up will help other colleagues who feel they are alone.

I agree very difficult times employment wise thanks to Tory government. Damn them. I just hope people stop working extra hours at home on laptops due to fear of not keeping up. My favourite saying at work to colleagues was "would you stack shelves free for Tesco" no well don't do voluntary work for Xxxxxxxxxxxx. Collectively speak to union and get this addressed. It's like being in a DV relationship working in probation they have all the power and control, wear you down, intimidated you have financial control etc ECT. I lost my mind with worry putting my head above the parapet to stand up for staff and service users, sadly seen as someone who couldn't accept change. No I couldn't stand for abuse. Anyway I am moving forward and licking my wounds from one hell of a fight. Best bit "I know management certain people are gutted I got this". He who laughs last laughs longest ... lol xx

I did the same. Sticking up for myself, colleagues and service users. Seen as a trouble maker and who does not like changes. Colleages take their laptop homes to keep up. Once I got two allocations in a week and a releasee. My colleagues are falling out with each other. The morale is ocean deep. I have a large mortage so I took a gamble to temp and decided to take that leap of faith. Best decision ever. I work three days in court now and feel so so much happier and getting my mojo back. One step at a time I have told myself.

Absolutely well done. Like you I'm sure taking back control is key to recovery. I thought to myself "enough is enough". I'm feeling stronger every day. I really hope things continue to work for you and hold on to the fact you took control, you made that big step which takes courage I so respect that. Sstay strong, safe and be happy again xx

Trust me I was so scared. I dreamt about handing in my notice a thousand times and never thought it would become real. I was sad as were my colleagues and service users. I did not even feel the sense of jumping for joy I envisaged. Just a sense of guilt as my cases were reallocated to an overstretched team but felt a sense of relief that the stress and anxiety were coming to an end. Thank you so much Xxxxxx. Those words mean alot to me. I wish you well on ur journey. It's not the end but the beginning of a new exciting venture. Take care and all the best for the future xx

My journey now is to get up, go to garden centre and plant plant plant, so my garden is beautiful to sit in and enjoy the sun.I will do something in time with people again. It's in my DNA but it will be voluntary and on my terms. xx

CRC claim it is commercially sensitive. I assume if matters had improved then employers would be saying so.

Just left London CRC and they have a high sickness rate. No guesses why.

My other observation is that at the end of my working week, I am absolutely shattered, and my working week is only three days long. I am older but then I am experienced, so one should balance the other. But I don't think I could manage the job (OM) full time and have any sort of work life balance. A full time colleague said that she just works and sleeps.

I agree - I now do three days and that’s enough! How sad!

I agree I’m always at work or asleep.

Fuck "Commercially sensitive". It's just short hand for "Embarrassing so we're not telling".

There should be sickness and well being league tables.

Very sad that Probation seems to be becoming an endurance test.

That's "working at pace".

I see. As Douglas Adams once said ‘I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.'

There is also a lot of boiling frog syndrome around - I didn’t realise just quite how stressed and unwell I had become until I retired early. Now feel like myself again.

I was asked to leave the CRC after12 years of service. Starting as a Receptionist in 2006. I then applied for the Community Payback role for 7 years. Unfortunately due to the TR Privatization of the Probation Service my role automatically, unqualified [changed] to Offender Manager. 5 days training and bam new caseload of challenges I knew nothing about. Consequently I was placed on Performance Management and failed miserably. The end of my career was goodbye you're not wanted. I was very bitter about my treatment, however I am relieved to have my life back and my health. I did nothing wrong and was treated worse than some of the service user's who I had good progress with. Glad to be out.

I’ve been out of the CRC for a week and my MH is slowly returning, so good. No standards in the CRC, leaves you feeling rudderless and under a looming threat of SFOs and feeling your standards going down. Traumatic.

"Now it seems these protective factors have been eroded." Too right they've been eroded but worse is that whereas historically I found the job energizing or oxygenating, now it's toxic. The carbon dioxide component has taken over. Hence looking for alt work.