New job problems. Help.

I started a new job last Monday, and after a very frank review with manager on Friday afternoon I'm considering quitting after only a week.

The basic theme of the review was that I'm not showing an aptitude for the work and not engaging with the clients well enough.

I will start by explaining some of my background and situation.

I, unsurprisingly have had long gaps in my employment and need money desperately.  And I cannot be choosy!   So obvious route is finding paid employment.  Any paid job!!!!!  

Other routes are trying for more benefits.  One debt advisor suggested I apply for PIP.  The next three professional  advisors ( same week)  laughed at the suggestion.  Saying that my social skills problems are minisule compared to some people they deal with.

I have and had multiple advisors giving me all types of contradictory advice.

In applying for this job, one of my employment advisors actually changed my answers.

For confidentiality reasons I will not give specific details but the job is full time at the minimum wage and involves supporting people with complex physical/mental needs.  Over the past twenty years I've been involved in doing this type of work for family and neighbors, so I am familiar with the issues and can emphasize with most autistics and their problems.

The problems are that I'm not showing enough enthusiasm and the will to get involved in specific tasks while shadowing existing workers.  I am too reserved.

And the end of week review was very very negative.

Should I quit?  Or turn up tomorrow morning and carry on ?

At the moment I'm intending to continue and apply for other jobs simultaneously.  Just doing application for work at local poundstrechter.

Parents
  • I haven't quit yet.

    But it's getting worse.

    This morning I was called into the general managers office to explain my behaviour over two incidents from Monday.

    One is serious the other almost laughable.

    The existing staff are openly critical about pay, working conditions and changes to working conditions and bureaucracy.  But I was overheard commenting about being surprised about the loudness of the buzzers and how frequently various people keep coming in and out of the flat.  The general manager in charge of the complex demanded to know what I meant about the buzzers and people coming and going.  And that I was reported to have said it within hearing distance of one of the clients.

    The second incident is more serious, I have been accused of sleeping on duty.  After an eight hour shift dealing with a disabled woman who has challenging behaviour, she likes to shout, sulk, head butting, sniffing people, licking my arms etc. At change over time we were sitting down watching TV.  The client was quiet engrossed in the TV show.   The qualified support worker and her replacement were deep in a gossiping session (of no interest to me).  My eyes closed for  a moment and straight away she shouted at me that sleeping on duty is a sackable offence.

    Today I was formally warned that a report about my sleeping is being sent to HR and the offence is very serious.

  • There are also lots of clear rules and regulations in a written staff handbook which I followed but others ignored.

    Main ones are clear warnings about not doing specific tasks unless one has received clear training and has been judged to be competent.

    Yet they expected me to get hands on involved straight from the start without training.  Like using mechanical lifts and hoists to move clients from bed to wheelchair to baths and toilets etc.

    Then there is the rule about being left alone with clients in a flat.  Two days ago while shadowing a senior support worker.  He made it clear that as an untrained beginner, it was illegal for me to be left alone with vulnerable clients in a flat and I had to leave a flat with him whenever he left.

    Yet,. Before that, I had been left alone many times for 5 or 10 minutes at a time,  while staff went to other flats as required.

    I feel quitting is the best option.

  • With that added info I would also agree that leaving is the best option. It’s not acceptable to use lifting equipment without training and being left alone with clients while shadowing. It sounds like they’re breaking all the rules and in situations like these, the ones following rules are usually the ones to get scapegoated. 

    There is nothing wrong with experiencing the buzzers as loud and if you find the comings and goings of people too much then it’s not the best environment for you, which isn’t a reflection of your abilities but simply a reflection of your ability to be in certain situations. 

    Why not call a review and bring up all the points that you have mentioned here. Do any of your work coaches offer you support in this area? For example, could one of them accompany and support you at a review that you have called to discuss your concerns? From what you have said, this doesn’t sound like a great company to work for. 

  • Sorry, Robert... this link may be more helpful...

    Lone Working in the Care Sector

  • So far all training has been on the job, with no practice on dummys etc.

    One reason they were unhappy with me from the start was that I'm not a 'hands on person'.

    They made it clear that I should just get stuck in and on with it.

    First time I was being left alone in a flat with a disabled patient who needed 24h care.  I was very apprehensive and asked what do I do in case of an emergency?

    My supervisor was very surprised that no-one had explained to me the alarm system for calling for help. Where it was, what to press, how to call for help.  He just assumed I knew.

    Then this is definitely not good.  No responsible care employer would expect an inexperienced member of staff to work alone with a service user.  I mentioned that situation in my last job, with the new woman who was expected to accompany a service user to London alone and administer meds.  Heads rolled over that.  You leave yourself wide open, in that situation, to problems.  Supposing, for instance, a bruise is later discovered on that person?  They could have knocked themselves.  Equally, though, you could be blamed.  I really think you should contact CQC first to find out if you have grounds for a complaint.

    Here's another HSE publication you might want to look at:

    Lone Working in Care

Reply
  • So far all training has been on the job, with no practice on dummys etc.

    One reason they were unhappy with me from the start was that I'm not a 'hands on person'.

    They made it clear that I should just get stuck in and on with it.

    First time I was being left alone in a flat with a disabled patient who needed 24h care.  I was very apprehensive and asked what do I do in case of an emergency?

    My supervisor was very surprised that no-one had explained to me the alarm system for calling for help. Where it was, what to press, how to call for help.  He just assumed I knew.

    Then this is definitely not good.  No responsible care employer would expect an inexperienced member of staff to work alone with a service user.  I mentioned that situation in my last job, with the new woman who was expected to accompany a service user to London alone and administer meds.  Heads rolled over that.  You leave yourself wide open, in that situation, to problems.  Supposing, for instance, a bruise is later discovered on that person?  They could have knocked themselves.  Equally, though, you could be blamed.  I really think you should contact CQC first to find out if you have grounds for a complaint.

    Here's another HSE publication you might want to look at:

    Lone Working in Care

Children