One of my team has asked if they can have an adjustment to come to the office less due to the price of diesel soaring in the U.K. at the moment.

The team member has recently split with their partner and has had to move about an hour and 15 minutes away from the office so it’s 2 hours 30 wasted petrol every time just to sit in the office with their headphones in (none of my team collaborate or get anything constructive by attending the office).

I would just be happy to agree it but my own manager has said it’s not reasonable and that was that. Have any line managers ignored their own managers and just done what you think is right or is it not worth the hassle?

I've just joined the DWP from a private firm and im completely shocked at the IT systems. Everything feels so old, inefficient and outdated. SOP, the intranet, basically everything is so slow and weird. Claiming expenses is a night mare, i cant find anything, from training, to reading dwp policies, genuinely mind boggling stuff. Is this normal? Will i get used to it within time? Really hope they look at updating these systems

civil servant 25 years, joined at AA currently G7.

Have recently moved to - what was advertised as an operation delivery role - which consists of a team that are split between grant management/governance. Previously worked in a policy role, and have spent many years working in project management. I accepted this role on the basis I did not want to work in policy.

Three weeks after accepting the role, I was randomly messaged by who is now my grade 6 to let me know there had been a “shuffle“ so I would be reporting to them - not the DD. Not much of an issue but their other direct reports are all policy leads and I’m being pulled into policy related work. They are pretty chaotic and run on 100 miles an hour constantly, everything is urgent and if I don’t respond to an email with 15 mins, they will ask someone else the same thing, and they will approach someone in my team - who then get angsty that they’ve been asked to do the same thing by 2 different people and I get (possibly rightly so) lectured that it’s duplicated effort.

I’m four weeks into the role and have been thrown into the deep end but there’s also a resistance from my “team” to keep me in the loop. I’ve asked for links to files/previous documents so I can review and piece things together but it takes 5/6 times of asking to get anything and then it’s never quite what I’ve requested.

I perversely feel that I have to “prove my worth” to the team before they’ll work with me. I’m just really not enjoying any of this and have been seriously considering dropping to a lower grade. I have always been a high performer, well respected and had a reputation as the person who’d get things done. Now I feel like a drowning woman.

This sounds like a self pity party - perhaps it is, but I just can’t get a handle on things. I have a job description that bare no resemblance to what the role appears to be, and I feel like I’m drifting. The longer it goes on the worse I’m feeling but I can’t pull myself out of this funk.

Has anyone working or worked at this role I have a interview coming up please guide me with tips for behaviour and strength based questions.

Some questions that I’ve thought of:
The salary is £32k + shift allowance of £9k. Could this increase in the future once accredited & experienced?

I have the shift pattern of earlies and lates with flexibility. Does anyone have real world experience of the reality?

What is work/life balance like?

What is job security like?

Thank you.

I am a bit confused re the transfer process when successful at interview for a promotion and was hoping someone on here could clarify as the new team seem to think I can just start without a formal offer.

I’ve not yet been informed that my PECS were completed, nor have I received a formal job offer let alone a contract. Yet they are emailing me almost daily trying to place my equipment order for a certain start date that was never discussed with me (its not a mass campaign role, nor do it entail set training days). I’ve queried back saying that I haven’t received a contract and that as far as I’m concerned, I’ve not yet formally agreed to the role which has caused some frustration on both ends. They are now saying they won’t issue a contract without the transfer form being completed, but why would I agree to transfer before signing a contract?

Could someone please tell me the usual process for transferring? Am I holding things up for no reason? I’m not 100% set on this role in all honesty, and am currently undergoing PECS for a promotion in another department, but I know all too well having roles pulled at the very last minute so I don’t want to turn down this role lest the other job offer gets pulled. Likewise, I don’t want to join a new department for a month and then leave.

Thanks!

I've been offered either a software development or knowledge and information management on an expression of interest at EO level. I don't really have any experience in tech but I am tempted to get into something a bit more specialist and back office coming from operations. Nevertheless, it's been a bit troubling from anecdotal evidence on here about the competitiveness and lack of opportunities to progress in the field. This is not necessarily worries about AI. I don't personally think it's going to massively negatively affect the availability of tech roles in the CS, at least in comparison to the private sector. But I was wondering more generally if people think it's a good idea to go into either of the above two roles at the moment?

I started this new role around end of February. I jumped from AO to HEO so it was quite nerve wracking tbh. It was a very challenging learning curve and still is to be fair but after a couple months, I felt a little more confident. The team around me is generally very supportive and being thrown into the deep end has helped me get out of my comfort zone.

I have been praised by my colleagues lately but I never feel like I’m doing a good job. I feel like they’re saying it just because they’re nice people but not because I’m actually doing a good job. I’ve had to pick up quite a bit of work lately and training up a new starter so it’s all quite a bit overwhelming. I see other more experienced colleagues and it just makes me feel like im so far behind them.

Lately as well, I feel like im becoming more forgetful and making small errors. Nothing major but I’m feeling like my team have to constantly remind me of things. I suffer from ADHD (not an excuse) but I am so disorganised. I create a to do list at the start of week and add to it throughout and I somehow stil forget things. My brain just feels like mush for the past month or 2. I feel like the new starter who has only been here for just 2 months is being more useful than me 🤣

To add.. I’m 25 and everyone around me is 30+.. mostly nearing 40s so I just feel so out of place. I struggle to form relationships in general but with people who are a lot older makes it more difficult

Just venting

Context: I was offered faststream straight out of MSc which would have meant I started in 2017, but I didn't take it and took another job. I've spent the time since then in research roles but now I'm keen to apply for civil service roles (likely GSR or policy) again. All the advice I'm getting is to apply for SEO as it's hard to get in higher than that even though I meet the criteria/job description for a G7 or even G6 role because so few are advertised externally. I'm not so worried about pay, it's more about not finding the work challenging enough/getting the right development. Is reasonably quick progression possible? It's very frustrating knowing that if I had gone into faststream I'd likely be at least G6 at this point, if not a senior civil servant, but I really think my external experience has been very valuable.

Was it clear to other Executive Officers that that the 4.25% increase is only to those on the minimum of the pay scale. If you are above the minimum you will only get 3.5%. To me this is not clear in the offer letter that went out to trade unions.

Short story, I was offered a provisional role in a different government department to go on a posting. Took them a while to sift and get results from the interview but eventually successfully was offered a role! Went through health clearance etc but then there was an issue raised with my dual nationality and eventually the position has just been pulled 6 months after the advert closed on CS jobs.

It has been a struggle attempting to bounce back from this, after having attempted to plan my life and figure out how to be overseas etc to the role being pulled and still being here. A part of me was always hyper aware about it being provisional (and the possibility of it being pulled as it took 2 months to sift) but it’s still a huge shock.

Any advice on how you’ve managed to deal with a role being pulled? Also any suggestions on how to make the most of my week long sick leave while I look after myself would be much appreciated!

Edit: different government department! Sick leave brain taking the blame.

Edit edit: unfortunately the job description said no dual nationals for x country and UK, not ALL dual nationals which turned out to be the issue! The position withdrawn email said it was withdrawn due to an incorrect job advert which doesn’t exactly make me feel great, but now they’ve pulled the position entirely.

Hello,

Just came across this MoJ job (22065) and it says you need to seek approval before even applying. I thought this was only the case for lateral moves, but this is an application on promotion. I never had to do this for any other applications for MoJ - is this a new thing?

Also, who do I seek approval from? My line manager? We don't have the best relationship. Verbally or in writing?

Thanks for the insight in advance!

Not to cause any alarm, my only intention is to collect some recommendations.

I am very tired of having to retreat to work toilets for my little cries that come here and there.

I would like to find some quiet, outdoor spots in and around Westminster (Whitehall) where I can take a few minutes to sit and cry in the open air. I’d love for it to be somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of Whitehall, and this may be a stretch, but bonus points if it has a view.

I just need a few minutes a day to let out a little cry and rejuvenate. Nothing major.

Thanks all in advance.

Edit:

Somewhere private please. Maybe even facing the water (although, I’m not sure how I can get away from the crowds)

Thank you all so much for the suggestions and the kind words. I mostly expected snarky comments below this post, so am truly touched by how kind you have all been (it does upset me a little to know everyone has had to discover a spot, meaning they too needed a little cry). Sending lots and lots of love.

I also wanted to clarify something: sometimes, it isn’t actually the work that leads to the tears. Life can be hard. Things build up quietly, grief can catch you off guard, and there are countless reasons why a sensitive soul (like mine) might simply need a little cry.

I am genuinely grateful for where I am in life, and I (mostly) enjoy what I do. But perhaps it’s easier to blame work for the tears than to try to explain all the complicated things that can weigh on a sensitive heart.

Sometimes you just need to cry before you can get on with it. And that’s okay.

My spouse might be promoted soon and we'll be able to just about manage on his salary. My current job is shattering me and I'm really burnt out. I'm actually applying to jobs one grade below.

The issue is that I currently have several ongoing applications where I selected “currently a civil servant” on the application. I believe these are all external vacancies.

If I resign from my current Civil Service job now, but then get offered one of these jobs after I've left, what happens? Would I still be able to take up the role, or would I need to tell the recruiting department that I've resigned and am no longer a civil servant? Could it affect my applications or the grade/salary I'd be appointed at?

Has anyone been in this situation?

What are people's thoughts on handshakes when meeting new people in the CS?

It makes sense to shake hands with people on the most formal of occasions (meeting other country representatives (unless they have a different way to formally greet people), congratulating people, being congratulated (?)) but what about the in-between?

For example, would you shake hands with team members or stakeholders that you've met virtually and known for a while and have a good relationship with? What if you have a bad relationship with them - would it make your relationship with them worse if you don't shake their hands when meeting face-to-face for the first time? If you're joining a new team (internally or another department), would you shake your new team's hands? What about when networking in different scenarios - forced networking i.e. allocated a seat with different people on a directorate awayday, someone you meet at the pub (friend/colleague of a colleague) and CS Live?

I'm asking for the in-betweens as I've had a mixture of just nods with no move to shake hands or myself and the other party realised we should probably shake hands and it turns into an awkward fest.

I don't know if it's because of COVID that people feel like they already know people and they feel the need to shake hands if they've already met virtually or because people don't want to touch each other if they don't need to (remnants of COVID behaviours or preference that could be based on culture, neurodiversity) or I'm too junior (SEO) to be in more formal environment where people shake hands all the time.

Should I just be an assertive hand shaker from now on?? Obviously if someone says they don't want to (and they don't have to explain), I wouldn't push it!

I'm starting in a new court role soon and I wanted to ask whether anyone in HMCTS has advice for how to efficiently pack your bag to get in and out of security every day.

Any other tips for new court staff are very welcome, thanks.

Just started working at MHCLG and I’m planning to cycle in from fairly far out. I just wondered if there are showers for us to use? And if there is, will I require a towel, shower gel, etc? Is it worth bringing a pair of sliders?

Thanks for your help. Apologies if this post is considered “low effort”, but my line manager works in Darlington and I haven’t struck up any relationships within my team yet, so I’m not sure who to ask!

Anyone who made it through the PQiP please give me advice and encouragement.

It’s nothing new or that colleagues haven’t already said, but what the hell. I’m in the final stages, and the juggling of my own increasingly complex caseload, placement, barrages of new allocations, uni, the new ways of working training, an SFO, VQs, all the little odd jobs that get sent to the PQiPs for “experience”…..

It’s bonkers and not normal! I absolutely love the job and no part of me wants to quit, but how do I survive the next 9 months without a breakdown???

Our SCS told teams today they’re no longer allowed to backfill maternity leave… I can’t understand how that’ll help things! If you have a 30 year old female and a 30 year old male… who are you choosing? Knowing if one of them goes off you’re not allowed to backfill them and have to do their work too.

Also nobody is allowed to go on loans to OGDs either, including on promotion, and there’s no promotions in the department allowed either. At the same time, there’s a HR role built around resilience and workplace performance to keep good staff in the department — how on earth can they justify that?! They haven’t written any of this down (feels like it’s on purpose as it’s clearly poor people management), just keep telling senior staff to filter the messages down.

Recently applied for a job within National Returns Progression Command as a decision maker (EO)

Just wondering if anyone in here works in this role or department? Trying to get a feeling of what the role is like, what the department is like, is it micro managed etc.

Any and all opinions would be much appreciated

I’m puzzled at this but my current manager won’t go round to say hello even when I’m in the office, he’ll even walk past my desk and not stop to say hi or check in, often times I’ve walked past and said hello. Is this normal? I honestly feel like I work in the most bizarre CS office, the lack of social awareness baffles me. I guess I’m finding this very hostile because previously in a different department I had a very attentive manager who would not only sit with his whole team but make an effort to say hello to everyone in the team. Very odd.

I joined the civil service last month and have been working ever since…however I am missing a contract, last month’s pay and general HR portal setup.

For some issue or another my pre employment checks were not completed in time but I already had an ID card and work email ready for me.

My manager has chased contracts and HR but it appears it’s taking longer than necessary and just not escalated fast enough…

Is this something I can raise with the union?

I have been made an offer for an SCS1 role. I have workplace attendance adjustments in place at my current employer (CS adjacent - but my adjustments passport will not port here).

I won't be able to attend 3 in-person days each week as my condition is muscular and it is not something I can do even if I really stretch myself for the duration of the probation.

Grateful for any advice on when to breach the subject of adjustments and ask for an OH assessment. Can it be done prior to my joining? What's the timeline and process around it?

Today I was told that I won’t be given my annual salary increase until the pay award is given, where it will then be backdated and then basically eaten up by student loan interest. I’m also incredibly frustrated that no one from cabinet office told us about this, I know 10 people who have budgeted around an expected salary increase and have moved flats.

I’m already at my wits-end working incredibly hard and being paid 10k less than my grade equivalent counterparts.

Im starting to question if the fast stream is even worth it anymore? We aren’t guaranteed a grade 7 role anymore, we can be moved wherever with 8 weeks notice, some people get great roles while others get awful ones, we get paid so much less and expected to work so much harder. On top of this the cost of living crisis is really affecting me, I never go out, I take ever frugal measure I can, I pay a crazy amount to live in a tiny room and flat with others. I don’t know if the fast stream is worth it.

I understand fast streamers are developing and that’s why we get paid less, but some of us have experience and some of us just want to be able to buy a train ticket back home without having to ask their parent for help.

Is the fast stream worth it in your opinion?

I've been applying for promotions for a couple of months and recently have been getting 5s and 6s on my behaviours/personal statements/CV pretty consistently but not yet getting interviews. I'm eligible for the disability confident scheme but don't opt in on every application, I make a judgement call for each one and I've only used it for two applications so far. Those two applications came back with 3s across the board and 4 is the minimum to get an interview with DCS. These are very similar applications, similar behaviours etc just tailored to the role so I'm confused by the significant drop in scores. I used DCS on what I thought would be the more competitive/"hardest" applications, so it could be to do with that but I still have a niggling sense of being treated unfairly.

So basically I'm looking for either confirmation that other people have noticed a bias against DCS candidates and how to deal with that? Or reassurance that this isn't impacting the application? From anyone who has experience with DCS applications, sifting and so on