A Listening Ear Please

[Guest]

Ok, I manage a nursery for part of a chain. I've been managing nurseries for 12 years and have been in my current one for 3.5 years. Love my job, love the staff, love the children, all in all very happy.............or I was.

 

Recently had a change of line manager (someone completely new to the chain), she doesnt believe in having Administrators, she'd rather have the Manager and Deputy running the office etc. Recetnly my Administrator left, Deputy was brought out of the room to be super nummary and to work in office with me.

 

Since then, my job role has completely changed. I have, in effect become the Adminsitrator. I deal with the management software system (payments on, sessions on, holidays, invoices etc), I deal with suppliers invoices, and every day to day Managerial tasks. My Deputy is learning quickly but there is so much to learn its taking time.

 

I am beginning to hate a job I once loved; I find I'm not leading and managing, I sit in front of the PC all day everyday and I very rarely leave when I am meant to, often doing long hours and I have been in on the weekend to catch up! Its not that I can't do the job or am slow, it's because I'm trying to manage, lead and administrate all at the same time; please don't think I'm moaning or trying to shirk responsibility, this is my 3rd manager's position and I have always had an Administrator; but yes I am struggling. If I tell my line manager she says "well you're the manager you should be able to do it"

 

I am looking for another job, but what reason can I give for moving on? I fear I will become depressed; I wake in the night worrying about work, I hate getting up to go into work, I have a constant headache when I'm there and I get irritable with the girls when they disturb me to ask me something!

 

I really don't know what I am asking for here; words of wisdom or even "pull yourself together". I have spoken to our Senior Early Years Advisory Teacher about the changes and how I feel, and he says he can see a change in me.

 

Anyway you lovely people; fire away!!

[Guest]

I think after 3.5 years you would be entitled to move on without giving specific reasons, e.g. you love your job but you'd like a new challenge, with the focus more on working with the children or more on leading and less on paperwork?

 

What does your job description say? If these duties are in there, it's tricky, if they are not, you should raise that with the new line manager.

 

Do you know what the reason was for getting rid of the administrator? If it was budgetary, there may be nothing you can do. I'm sure things are tight in private nurseries at the moment, in our voluntary run setting all the jobs you mention are done for free by committee or tacked onto our leader's job, and we can only just manage to stay above water money wise.

[Guest]

Thank you for your reply.

Our Adminsitrator left to move onto another job and new line manager said she wouldn't be replaced per se with another Adminsitrator but by the Deputy, who was room based, being moved into the office. To be honest I haven't checked my job description (don't know why!!), however I do know that in one of our sister nurseries the deputy was moved out of the room when their adminsitrator left (recently), deputy told line manager that her job description didnt include new job role; she was told if she didnt like it she could leave; yes she should have battled; but we all know that the new line manager would have made life difficult for her; and who can be without a job in the present climate; it's a big step to take!

I'll just keep my eyes open for something else; will be a shame to leave as I have fab staff, however I know I can't go on like this

[Rea]

There is nothing worse than getting up every day to go to a job you hate. It can make you ill and you've already said its making you irritable.

Are there any aspects of the role you can get rid of onto your line manager? Maybe tell her you would prefer training on spftware or invoices before you tackle them anymore. If she's right and it is considered to be part of the managers job, then I can see gaps in the NVQ system and I know my qualification didnt give me the tools to employ staff, sort finance, write invoices, suppliers invoices.

The job market isnt great at the moment but managers leave and leave spaces, keep looking and good luck.

[Guest]

How does your deputy feel about her new role?

[Guest]

Your manager cannot say to you 'if you don't like it you can leave'. That is constructive dismissal and illegal.

 

Worth speaking to ACAS if this stuff is not in your job description? Their helpline is extremely good.

[Guest]

Thank you all for your help and advice, I think it's time to be more pro-active. I'll get hold of my job description and give ACAS or the Voice a ring.

My Deputy has become resigned to being out of the room I think, as a fait acompli! In my opinion its a terrible waste of an excellent resource as she is an amazing practitioner.

 

Time to snap myself out of this I think and do something about it

[Rea]

Thats the ticket,

 

Edited to say, if its not in your contract, any chnage sto your contract have to be agreed, they cant just impose it on you. If you're not in the room anymore and have no contact with the children that role has been effectively made redundant.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Rea