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Hi @SaltwaterSoul!

I am so excited to hear more about your job. It's such an amazing feeling to enjoy your workplace, especially one that encourages your authenticity and allows you to learn and grow - huge win! 🥹

Feeling supported absolutely helps us to feel safe, so knowing that you can relax is also such a green flag. 🤩

How has training been so far? 🫶

Ah, that's incredible. @Ruby26 It sounds like home for you. 🥰

I love this routine, what a perfect week of finding joy and regulation in your body.

The theatre project was very silly, immersive musical theatre. It went really well and definitely got me out of my comfort zone (it's been a while since I have performed in a full show run!).

I am studying counselling. Are you studying at all?

And everything is going well, actually. Just trying to look at some of my goals for the year... I definitely need to get a car, but I have been avoiding driving (and the costs!).

I also want to keep exploring as much movement as possible; it's good for my body and my brain. Back to hot yoga, pilates, dance, etc. Maybe pole? What do you do for exercise? 💪

Hi everyone,

Oh gosh, it’s been a bit of a ride lately. I went to my induction earlier this month, then went away for a couple of weeks on a holiday that had been planned for over a year. (I had a really good time..) I’ve had two training days this week, one on Wednesday and another one today (I'm starting at 4 pm).

When I went in on Wednesday, I felt absolutely terrified because no one had really reached out or confirmed anything with me beforehand. When I arrived, no one seemed to know I was coming, which made me feel really anxious. Somehow I survived..My manager had told me that he was also going on leave, so when I get back he will off, but he assured that someone would write to me before my shift but no one ever did. I tried calling a few times to my new job on the day but couldn’t get through, so I basically just had to show up and say, “Hi, I’m here for training.” Luckily, I had a piece of paper with my training schedule on it, so they handed me over to someone. But honestly, I just felt really alone. I was mostly just shown a place to sit and complete modules and didn’t really get introduced to anyone, got told to introduce myself to others, but it was really hard, I did try a few and they seemed nice. Later on, I was also told the temporary manager from Wednesday won’t be there today/tonight either, so I have no idea who I’ll be meeting when I arrive. I’ve just been told to ask for the leader on duty.

I’m trying really hard to take things day by day, but it’s difficult when I don’t get much information and have to show up not knowing what’s going to happen. I’ve never worked for a big company before, so all of this is very new to me. I just feel like I have absolutely no idea what’s going on yet. I’m hoping things will start to feel easier once I begin buddy shifts and get to know my team. Right now I just feel panic...because I do really bad when things is not organised, but who knows maybe today/tonight will be different..I really hope so but I won't have too high expectations, just try go with the flow. 😊 Sorry this got really long and boring,, I have missed you all. I hope you all going well?! 😊 Talk soon

@AuntGlow @Oaktree @tyme @Ruby26 @FearofUnknown

Awww @SaltwaterSoul . Well done trooper! I 'felt' your emotions when I read the post. To me, it sounded so 'awkward' and strange. No wonder it was anxiety-provoking for you.

Then again, I've been on the other side of that where I'm supposed to welcome new people and support them through training. And you know what? I do such a crappy job of it because I'm just an anxious!

I'm not a social person!

I wonder if this is what the other team members are feeling?

So whilst you are anxious, the others may be even more anxious!

Hun, take a deeeeeep breath and just head in there to complete the training modules that you need.

I was speaking to someone earlier today and it was so funny. She was telling me that when she first started work in a call centre, she sat there and didn't even know how to turn a computer on. She started pressing all these things that weren't even buttons. This was in the 1990s... but I think the feeling is the same!

Thinking of you! You CAN do it!

@tyme

Haha ohh poor lady yeah, that pretty much sounds like me. No idea about absolutely anything.
The second day was a bit better, though still quite rocky at the start. I felt like I just wanted to go home at some point, but I managed to get through it again somehow. My psych said this will be a huge transition for me, and it will take quite some time, and that I will feel a lot of different emotions, and at times it will be hard to know what feeling to listen to, but to try take things day by day, and be kind to myself. I'll try..

As soon as I finished my modules, I got told to call to a leader on the work phone. I remember shaking with anxiety and having to write down what I needed to say on a piece of paper but I managed it in the end. After that, I finally got a proper sit-down and time to go through things, how things works etc, which helped a bit. I was told I was meant to have a catch-up like that before starting the modules, which would have made a lot more sense. Instead, I had it at the end, which probably why I felt completely panicked not knowing anything. I still have lots of questions, but at least I know a little bit more now. I think it didn't help too that my manager who hired me went on leave, that probably contributed to how everything was handled.

I’m hoping things will start to make more sense soon, I just feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Thank you for believing in me.

@Oaktree @AuntGlow @Ruby26 @FearofUnknown

Woohoo @SaltwaterSoul ! What a transition indeed! So after all that, now you know it's not YOU that was the issue, but the way everything was given to you upside down!

I really want to commend you on your bravery and willingness to stick it out even though it was so hard and you desperately wanted to go home.

Hopefully it only just gets better @SaltwaterSoul

We'll wait to hear updates from you.

@AuntGlow thanks.

I'm glad to hear your theatre project went well.

I'm not studying anymore. I've studied psychology, sociology and mental health.

I don't drive at all. I find with my meds my reaction time isn't good enough to feel safe driving. I passed the medical fitness to drive test, but they didn't actually test my reaction time.

How are you going with your goals? What did you end up doing for movement?

For exercise I either walk or do dance practice for two hours a day plus yoga and deep breathing.

@SaltwaterSoul thanks for the update. I'm really proud of you for giving this job a go. It is always hard starting something new and a lack information and communication would be very anxiety provoking for me too. I hope things get clearer for you soon. It was brave of you to try this and to introduce yourself to people. I think someone should have supported you more with that.

Hi everyone, I’m feeling quite overwhelmed.

I feel a bit tricked and stupid about my current job situation…

When I applied to my current job, the position was advertised as permanent part-time. However, when I arrived, I was told it was actually casual and asked if I still wanted to proceed. I said I was willing to stay and hear what was being offered. I was very upfront about what I was looking for and explained that I understood it was casual, but asked roughly how often casual staff are rostered on. I was told not to worry and that there would be plenty of work. I was also told that what I was looking as in hours/per week for would suit them well. I got excited and thought well this could be something for me.

Since starting, apart from two training days in May, and induction, I’ve only been rostered for about 7 hours for the entire month across two shifts. I’ve also been told by other leaders that the workplace is overstaffed and casuals don't get many hours, especially in quieter periods. This has been really confusing and disappointing. I attended a shift this week and wasn’t sure what to expect, but it went much better than I thought. The people I worked with felt quite different to my experience during training, and I actually ended up enjoying myself. I walked home with a smile on my face.

An unexpected opportunity also came up this week at my volunteer place, where I’ve been for about 1.5 years. My coordinator is resigning and recommended me to her manager to take over her role. I’ve since been contacted by management there to arrange a meeting about a permanent part-time paid position start in July. I was really shocked to be recommended, especially because I love that place so much. For a while, it was the only positive thing I had to look forward to, and now I’ve been offered the possibility to turn it into a paid role.

But what's the right thing to do here? I am just terrified of doing the wrong thing. ☹️

@tyme @Oaktree @Ruby26 @AuntGlow @FearofUnknown

@SaltwaterSoul I work a Casual position too, and 1 week when it was very "quiet", I didn't work a whole entire week. But yesterday I got asked if I can work 5 days once it gets busy again. I guess that's just the nature of work -sometimes there's a lot to do and sometimes it isn't. However, there was a job where I only worked about 2 shifts too and then was not fostered for 2 whole weeks. When I asked them why, they said the exact same thing you were told and that's that Casual positions don't have a regular roster due to no shifts being available. I quit that job immediately! No way was I going to be checking everyday to see when I've been given a shift! I really enjoyed that job though.

With your situation, if the Volunteer place really brings you joy, I would say quit your new job. The most important thing is your happiness and if that Casual position is making you feel overwhelmed that is a very good reason to tell Human Resources that you're leaving.