Advice on workplace adjustments
Discussion
Hi folks, I'm looking for some advice surrounding adjustments to my role. I'm sorry it's a long post, I'm frustrated and at my whit's end.
I'm a police officer with 22 years' experience. I think this matters as I understand we're crown servants and not employees.
I've spent the last 6 years of my career in a specialised covert role dealing with telecommunications in evidence and digital media investigations. I have all the relevant qualifications and, as part of my own ambition have completed a doctorate with the intention of becoming an expert witness in this field after my police career. There's a lot of value I can add to the police in terms of my skillset.
I've recently been successful in gaining promotion to sergeant. Promotion in the police generally involves giving up specialisms and taking a posting in less favoured roles critical to organisational operations before then applying for specialist roles again. I've been posted as a custody sergeant. Whilst this doesn't fit to my skill set or career ambitions, I know I have to play the game and I'm completely comfortable with that, intend to do the obligatory year and hopefully in that time a post will become available where I can apply, transfer and use my skills again.
I went on a ski holiday a few weeks ago to celebrate the promotion and unfortunately fell, breaking my shoulder. The tuberosity of my shoulder is broken and whilst the doctor is reluctant to give a prognosis he's indicated I'll probably not be washing my own hair for 6 months possibly 12, at least with the injured arm. Currently, my I can't move my arm forward at all and have some movement laterally and backwards. In any case, it'll be a very long time before I'll be fit enough to restrain prisoners or defend myself in the role I have in custody.
I've kept work updated with the prognosis and they've been great at offering me flexibility. They've still promoted me but have created a role in a back office where I can work until I'm better and then go into custody. There's a position available on CID, which is more suited to my skillset and that post is filled with a sergeant who wants to move into custody. I'll be able to do the CID post immediately but it'll be months before I'm able to do the custody post. The common sense thing would be to offer a swap but this was refused as the sergeant transferring into my post was not deemed suitable.
As part of my promotion I need to compete a work based portfolio. That entails all you'd expect as a manager; reviewing staff performance, dealing with staff welfare, organising projects etc. The issue is I have no staff to manage in this role which has been created for my while I rehabilitate. I raised my concerns about my ability to complete the portfolio in my current role with my manager and she was lovely and listened to me but today confirmed that work are proposing to extend the probationary period until a point where I can go into custody and complete the portfolio instead of offer me gainful employment in a role I can do immediately where I can complete my portfolio and add value to role. I'm frustrated with this solution; I have a a skillset which can easily transfer to other roles and add value immediately, even with one arm and I'll be able to complete the portfolio. There is no timescale for when I'll be able to do the custody role and staying here just delays my portfolio and leaves me in purgatory whilst I spend longer away from the telecoms work and slowly deskill.
Any advice on how to approach this with HR?
I'm a police officer with 22 years' experience. I think this matters as I understand we're crown servants and not employees.
I've spent the last 6 years of my career in a specialised covert role dealing with telecommunications in evidence and digital media investigations. I have all the relevant qualifications and, as part of my own ambition have completed a doctorate with the intention of becoming an expert witness in this field after my police career. There's a lot of value I can add to the police in terms of my skillset.
I've recently been successful in gaining promotion to sergeant. Promotion in the police generally involves giving up specialisms and taking a posting in less favoured roles critical to organisational operations before then applying for specialist roles again. I've been posted as a custody sergeant. Whilst this doesn't fit to my skill set or career ambitions, I know I have to play the game and I'm completely comfortable with that, intend to do the obligatory year and hopefully in that time a post will become available where I can apply, transfer and use my skills again.
I went on a ski holiday a few weeks ago to celebrate the promotion and unfortunately fell, breaking my shoulder. The tuberosity of my shoulder is broken and whilst the doctor is reluctant to give a prognosis he's indicated I'll probably not be washing my own hair for 6 months possibly 12, at least with the injured arm. Currently, my I can't move my arm forward at all and have some movement laterally and backwards. In any case, it'll be a very long time before I'll be fit enough to restrain prisoners or defend myself in the role I have in custody.
I've kept work updated with the prognosis and they've been great at offering me flexibility. They've still promoted me but have created a role in a back office where I can work until I'm better and then go into custody. There's a position available on CID, which is more suited to my skillset and that post is filled with a sergeant who wants to move into custody. I'll be able to do the CID post immediately but it'll be months before I'm able to do the custody post. The common sense thing would be to offer a swap but this was refused as the sergeant transferring into my post was not deemed suitable.
As part of my promotion I need to compete a work based portfolio. That entails all you'd expect as a manager; reviewing staff performance, dealing with staff welfare, organising projects etc. The issue is I have no staff to manage in this role which has been created for my while I rehabilitate. I raised my concerns about my ability to complete the portfolio in my current role with my manager and she was lovely and listened to me but today confirmed that work are proposing to extend the probationary period until a point where I can go into custody and complete the portfolio instead of offer me gainful employment in a role I can do immediately where I can complete my portfolio and add value to role. I'm frustrated with this solution; I have a a skillset which can easily transfer to other roles and add value immediately, even with one arm and I'll be able to complete the portfolio. There is no timescale for when I'll be able to do the custody role and staying here just delays my portfolio and leaves me in purgatory whilst I spend longer away from the telecoms work and slowly deskill.
Any advice on how to approach this with HR?
Sounds pretty standard for the police based upon my wife’s experiences over the years. Might be worth remembering that in a corporate environment you might find yourself managed out. Maybe putting a pause on things for a period of time and coming back fighting when you are fit and well might not be such a bad outcome.
Have you spoken to the fed?
Have you spoken to the fed?
No, I’ve not spoken to the fed yet. I wanted to get a range of opinions to get a balance of if I’m right to be miffed or not hence my enormous post here so thankyou for your reply!
Half of the promotion pool were promoted to custody and the other half to investigation teams. Had I been in the investigation side I’d be doing the job now as that’s not facing prisoners so I could do it with one arm. It’s just through being selected for custody that’s put me in this position.
There’s a whole range of jobs in the police my skill set and particularly my doctorate can add real value to which don’t need me to be fully fit. Instead I've been given a post I won’t be able to do for a significant amount of time because of my injury which has to be adapted to such a degree I also can’t complete the portfolio. It’s a meaningless job which doesn’t get value for the taxpayer.
Half of the promotion pool were promoted to custody and the other half to investigation teams. Had I been in the investigation side I’d be doing the job now as that’s not facing prisoners so I could do it with one arm. It’s just through being selected for custody that’s put me in this position.
There’s a whole range of jobs in the police my skill set and particularly my doctorate can add real value to which don’t need me to be fully fit. Instead I've been given a post I won’t be able to do for a significant amount of time because of my injury which has to be adapted to such a degree I also can’t complete the portfolio. It’s a meaningless job which doesn’t get value for the taxpayer.
Hi,
It's a few years since I left, but when I was in, I eventually learnt that the organisation whilst appearing to do promotions and postings by the book, doesn't really do this and it's more a case of who you know or what suits them.
I've applied for numerous things knowing in advance who was getting the position etc, but had to go through the motions, and if it suits the organisation, certain staff don't need to follow the expected route.
I think that it would be sensible to get in contact with your previous supervisors (on the teams that you mentioned) and see if any strings can be pulled to get you back there in a supervisory capacity. You will then stay up to date with knowledge and tech etc. You might be surprised!
It's a few years since I left, but when I was in, I eventually learnt that the organisation whilst appearing to do promotions and postings by the book, doesn't really do this and it's more a case of who you know or what suits them.
I've applied for numerous things knowing in advance who was getting the position etc, but had to go through the motions, and if it suits the organisation, certain staff don't need to follow the expected route.
I think that it would be sensible to get in contact with your previous supervisors (on the teams that you mentioned) and see if any strings can be pulled to get you back there in a supervisory capacity. You will then stay up to date with knowledge and tech etc. You might be surprised!
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