Into The Dragons Den

A new care job, it was a great feeling in January to be starting again, helping another home recover from a traumatic time, things had to be done with care so as not to loose an already shaky staff group or upset stressed elderly residents.

I can honestly say that three and a half months down the line things had visibly improved with staff settled and much happier and more confident, and residents almost glowing, it was almost too good to be true, and it was. Friday came along and so did my new line managers two of them on a job share. One I had met before and liked a lot, another had been recruited from outside the company.

Unfortunately the outside one took the lead, the following words are my description of this line manager: Unprofessional, bully, confrontational. To my mind she took the manual on Man Management and threw it out of the window.

There are several points that were either blatantly missed or not even considered. I had been with this company ( a Charity)for 3.5 months. I hadn't had an induction so was left to sink or swim, I still didn't know or understand their paperwork, but this all went by the by. In fact I can't even remember being asked how I had settled in, what have I achieved, what have been my problems, my highs my lows, to be honest I can't even remember her greeting me or introducing herself, the first words I heard her say to me after I explained that I was in the process of distributing a letter to all my residents about a noise issue were (put an abrupt tone to this) "Why didn't you call a residents immediately?", I was taking the personal approach as I knew that if I held a residents meeting only about a third would attend, it also gave me the chance to talk to any residents who may have got upset by the letter and fear that they might 'get thrown out' This personal touch is important to me and from what I have heard from my residents it is to them as well.

When we settled into my office the scene was set, and it was clear that this was not going to be an introducing sort of visit as explained by the chief exc, but confrontational. It was a very uncomfortable hour and a half with this manager taking the lead, being quite aggressive and what finished it off for me, she was clock watching for the last 15 mins, that was obvious.

I have now decided to look for another position, there is no point in fighting for recognition or for fairness, as I don't believe that is in the forefront of this charities policy. I have decided that I will go in my own time, when I'm ready and I will go with a bang, letting the board of trustees and the friends of my home know exactly why I'm going, it may do some good for the future.