Hello!
All this attention to nurses and teachers quitting to find other work has made me question my field. I am in a supervisory position (middle Management) I work in a niche field of people with ID & MH diagnoses. Our pay rate is determined at a state level. My work has always been fair and just gives us the max and says “you won't get a raise unless the rates increase”. The rates have increased over covid and I saw those raises. (Which was eh TBH) I think my work is very fair in that regard compared to other companies who pay less and then give raises. (But this means there is no difference if you've been here 3 or 10 years, and I've been here 7)
However, during covid we have been asked to do many “extra things” to meet cdc guidelines and now we are switching over to another software system. We have to enter all the information ourselves (which is very time consuming) in addition to our roles and all the CDC guidelines. The reply is- we don't have any extra money- we give everyone the max. I think they should hire an admin to do this, it's really just too much on top of everything else I have accepted we have to do to meet guidelines, I'm just wondering when is it not worth it? I do think my employer is fair- what can they do if the rates are what they are?
Besides that, I don't think my work understands the work. I have talked to supervisors and they're like “it's not extra work, it's a foundation” and I'm like… It's a foundation I AM building. We've also been told “we are switching to this new software for YOU. The old software does suck, but we never had a choice in the decision of what software database to use. And I'm thinking- wait this isn't MY database, this is the agencys… Why am I being felt like this is my fault/responsibility they are making for me personally?
I'm starting to think about getting into another field. I do love my work, but I think there will always be an issue of not having money which I think is a systematic issue. It's not a business, it's not like we can get extra money in other ways.
I guess this is more of a rant than anything, but would love to hear from anyone who may have had a similar experience 🥰