Has anyone else experienced the stress of returning to work after any heart related event and/or procedure?
I have been off for several months and I'm just now on a phased return but the person 'handling' my return to work is i feel rather heavy handed, policy led and unempathetic ,it almost feels like I'm being asked to complete a witness statement. The upshot being I'm not finding this conducive to my recovery, I get more anxiety, my GERD is worse and I just feel rather irritated at the lack of 'soft skills' the person tasked with carrying out this return to work process demonstrates me they are not the right person for this task that should require diplomacy especially when I'm candidly retelling my story and revealing sensitive and triggering information.
I'm now effectively embroiled in a 'health and wellbeing' (really it's a disciplinary) procedure that is turning into a bit of a nightmare. I work incidentally for a well known 'healthcare provider'!
Any similar or dissimilar experiences I'd love to hear about them.
Written by
Richie34
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I am so sorry you are being treated like this. It's understandable you want to get back slowly
My story is after my return to work following my father's death. During his last year of his life I worked from home during the pandemic and I found out my colleagues hated me working from home even though my boss gave me permission as it was 3 buses and tram ride away!
I had a month off and by the end of it I was wanting to get back to work and when I got there they put me in the basement with no windows in there so I decided to find another job and I did straight away
I was working from home in my new job when I got ill and was admitted to hospital and all my colleagues came and visited me and even bought me things to eat. Totally different attitude from my old colleagues and when I returned to work my boss told me I didn't have to type but I did on a phased return working 8 till 1pm then 8 until 3pm and then back to my full days but never did i feel pressure to get back
Is there anyone in your company you can talk to about this because if you are feeling pressure and you have been ill it won't help your health
That was despicable treatment to stick you in the basement, the organisational equivalent of the naughty step-shocking. It seems I'm not alone then in having some 'questionable' treatment or handling from unsympathetic colleagues and managers. I so admire how you sound like you simply decided that's it I'm off and went and found another job and are now thankfully so much happier as a result-well done you. We do have 'speak up guardians' at my place but as nice and well meaning as they are,the conversation doesn't really go anywhere or have any real impact more just a case of the old 'tea and sympathy' adage and I feel I'm needing something more tangible and workable than that. I have contacted someone in my department who was saying "if you need anything just ask" well I contacted them about attending the disciplinary meeting as my advocate as they are a stronger personality than me and I guess not so emotionally and physically invested, disappointingly though despite their claims they haven't as yet replied (and I know they are at wok and not away too!) so guess you find out who your friends are in times like these!
My sister wanted my managers number to complain about my treatment but I had enough. They then stuck another woman in there with me and we both got new jobs at the same time and she said to me we have got out at the right time. I have since found out it's gotten worse after the nice boss walked out because he got fed up too. No you are definitely not alone.
It's comforting to know that I'm not alone in this experience. Does make me wonder how these people find their way into positions they are clearly so not cut out for,doesn't mean they are bad people necessarily just not the right person for such role requiring a modicum of sensitivity and understanding.
I had a stressful job, extremely stressful manager and then a whole series of family bereavements that left me unable to function. I had to take time off but stupidly went back after 6weeks, much earlier than I should / could have done because I knew that others would be bearing the burden of me not being there. My managers attitude was that, as I had not been off for more than 6 weeks, I did not need a phased return and could slot right in at 9am on my first day back. We did discuss my situation and he did eventually agree to a phased return that turned out to be missing that 9am appointment and nothing else. Everyone else including HR were staggered at the response but did nothing. Some people are just inconsiderate idiots.
He had his own breakdown sometime later and none of us were supposed to notice him missing for 6 months and then doing a phased return that seemed to be as and when he chose to drop in or drop people in it without warning.
Go see your union rep if you have one. I just ended up disillusioned and totally demotivated until I eventually left.
Sorry it is a really bad story but good luck with your progress
During the six months prior to my diagnosis for a prolapsed mitral valve, I found myself getting stressed on an an assignment, with pronounced physical symptoms. I shared the issue with my employer and was replaced on the assignment and given counselling.
Once I had my diagnosis, I shared it with the counsellor and my colleagues. A salutary lesson and very well handled by my employer.
If you go to your HR department and tell them how you’re feeling, you should get help. Explicitly use the word “stress”. It should have them jumping out of their skin, since a stress related claim against the company (should it come to that) is much more punitive.
If that doesn’t work immediately, just keep hammering the message home and seek some legal advice.
I totally sympathise with you. I was signed off for 6 months after a sudden AVR and CABG. As the six month point (31st March) I was getting very stressed, I wasn't fit enough to do the job I used to do which was a postman, albeit a rural postman in a van but it's still a physical job. When I explained to my manager I wouldn't be able to return in April he gave me the option to leave due to ill health. I took it and officially left on the 4th April, I felt so much better after that. My situation is probably of no help to you at all but I can relate to how you are feeling. Wishing you all the best.
Thank you for taking the time to reply with your experiences, maybe you've just hit the nail on the head and the simple solution for me is to leave and move on.
Don't be too hasty, I waited until my employer got rid of me, after 36 years I left with over 6 months pay whereas if I had given notice I would have got nothing.
I agree with Redfloyd, don't jump if you can help it regardless of whether you are able to go back or not. I left but I was given "enhanced resignation" which I took to be part of an early retirement plan.
I returned to work last month, after a heart attack and five stents fitted. My recovery took longer than expected (I was off for nearly eight months). My employers have not been very supportive really. They were fine for the first couple of weeks, but are now piling more work and pressure on me. I've been looking for another job (part-time), but I am finding some employers quite discriminating, now I've been diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease. They don't want the responsibility - if something were to happen - even though I've been classed as fit for work. My age is also against me. There are a lot of employers out there who are very ageist!
Get them to go through occupational health I did and they spell out the laws and legislations to them including all the changes for you .... I work in a warehouse and was worried after HF & HA with a couple of stents fitted .... I'm waiting for a ICD when the NHS pull there finger out 😉so now on light duties .... no heavy lifting ... no ladders ... short days or week if I'm fatigued 👍
Sorry to hear you are being treated this way. All workplaces have processes they need to follow, unfortunately some people interpret the rules differently, sometimes due to their own knowledge and experiences. Given you work in Healthcare, you would expect them to be a little more understanding. I would certainly (as a back up) document everything that's been said and done to support your return to work, incase you need to go higher or even a tribunal in the future. Sure you can have someone in meeting with you also, as a bit of support.
At next meeting, I would try and explain in more detail, how you are feeling, and what your abilities are living with a heart condition, also adding detail around potential triggers I.e. stress, if you feel you are still not being treated, imagine you could raise a grievance etc, which would allow a separate investigation and discussion around your treatment for your return.
Thank you Bobby, loads of sensible advice here and yes sadly this is the world we live in now namely everything has to be documented, evidenced and ideally independently witnessed or things simply get thrown out by HR so I will start doing as you advised although quite how I can get the person leading this process to properly understand my world view since being diagnosed with my heart issues is debatable.
hope everything goes ok. I think you may have a good sense of what is going on. If you think they are heading down a potential route that you deem may constitute constructive dismissal then I’d consider spending £250 and getting some legal advice……….it could end up being be best £250 you ever spend.
Thanks, I hope it doesn't come to that and even though I have no basis for this I think they would be on very shaky ground to try and dismiss me over this. In all honesty if that's their ploy then I'll save them the trouble and leave and maybe both of us will be happier, I will miss a lot of my work colleagues and the patients but not the upper echelons of the organisation and their policies.
On return to work after OHS (to a job I had only started shortly before becoming unwell), I had a phased return over 6 weeks, starting at 6 hours week 1, then adding hours each week. I had a weekly meeting to review. As I found full time work too much, I reduced to 4 days as a trial and remained at that. When 2 years later I had a thyroid operation to remove cancer, I needed further time off as my voice had been affected. I was managed by someone different , who I had felt did not understand my issues and I was worried about confidentiality. It was causing me a lot of stress about returning to work so I contacted the other manager, explained my concerns and they addressed this straightaway, by giving me someone I did feel comfortable with. The other person was not made aware of my request and it was well handled. Is there someone else you can go to, to raise the issues? Wishing you all the best.
Thank you for your message, I hadn't thought of asking/requesting to speak with someone else who might be better suited to me as a person to deploy the policy more gently and compassionately, helping personalise/adapt the policy to my circumstances and health issues rather than using it as a blunt instrument without care, feeling or nuance.
It infuriates me to hear this is how you’re being treated by your employer!
I work in finance, had a job as a credit manager looking after a team of 10 agents, very busy & often stressful.
I was off sick for 3 months following my by pass & valve surgery. My employer has been really good, I did a phased return of 1/2 days for 6 weeks until I felt well enough to go back full time. I was referred to occupational health, who backed up the phased return, suggested working from home mid week, which I’ve now had approved as a permanent thing, and advised my employer I would likely have higher sick absence going forward.
It’s stressful returning to work. I had memory problems and felt like I was in a mental fog for weeks, I wondered if I could actually do my job anymore. So what they need to remember is the mental as well as physical symptoms you may still be getting. I’ve now moved to a new role, no longer managing people, less hassle & stress!
As has been suggested, document everything yourself, build evidence should you need it in the future. Saying that, it’s not a good look for your employer to try and exit someone from their job like this, I think they need to be treading very carefully! Good luck
Thanks Peter,your passion for this 'injustice' is evident and I'm grateful to you for taking the time to reply so eloquently. It seems I have to be a bit bolder and stand up or stand my corner better. My employer/line manager seems to have a very dimensional view of recovery as though what we heart patients go through is the same as the mending of bone and sinew IE a more linear predictable recovery process and that now I've had my procedure I'm fixed so "hop to it" Overall it's very disheartening coming from the fact I work for a mental health employer! It may well be this is the final red flag that I need that this isn't the right employer for me as there were 'questionable' behaviours from people before my issues and had been going on for several years, I lost count of the number of people that simply voted with their feet and moved on. There are aspects of my role namely interaction with patients which has kept me in the job as this is an element I've found a real calling and passion for but my immediate line manager thinks this is all a bit 'airy fairy' so doesn't really value this aspect of my work even though the employer gives lip service to saying things like "employees must demonstrate, compassion, commitment and integrity" In reality they just want the 'grunt work' from you and to shut up and not complain. Sharing and caring it ain't.
All very interesting comments and replies to as how to deal with, when returning to work after a heart problem. I think we need some BHF articles on this subject for guidance.
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