I’d raised the issue with my manager in supervision of struggling to move into a more strategic role, and feeling less stressed and tired, generally feeling more able, when I was a band lower in my organisation. I felt I wasn’t able to give my current role my full attention and that it was difficult to balance the job needs and volume with my caring role. As a result, I was starting to feel very unmotivated and was struggling to feel valued.
My manager was at the time about to go out to interview for a replacement in the banding below me, and suggested I consider whether I wanted to take that role, in which case she would then interview for my band instead. I wasn’t able to consider it for very long, but I appreciated the suggestion and being heard. When we next spoke, she said that unless I was very keen she’d been thinking and felt I should not have to sacrifice the pay and banding just because I was a carer. She felt that there were in band accommodations that could be made with supporting me to become more strategic, helping me network and distributing some of the workload.
While the last didn’t happen, my manager did protect me from incoming work so that I was better able to focus on what I already had. I am still in the band I was then, and slowly moving into a better mental position regarding my role.