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23 years in and the last has been a roller coaster.
Operating without a Administrator, Clinical Director, Executive Assistant, Engineering Staff for almost a year.
The search for a replacement Admin has gone no where... seems the position, job requirements and compensation offered make it a no go.
The offsite CEO/MD has zero experience running a Hospital and if it were not for a core of key employees with 20 plus years on the job... we would be in dire straights.
CEO is focused on one thing only... bottom line/shareholder equity.
I've put together an employee buyout or partnership which was flatly rejected... came as a surprise since the shareholders say they are losing money... there quarterly profit dividends are down... yet they are not interesting in selling... only partner with a National Hospital Group.
Choice is to stay at reduced compensation and take it day by day or pull the plug...
Retirement is not an issue since the 401k has been temporarily frozen since 2006.
Choice is to stay at reduced compensation and take it day by day or pull the plug...
That's a really tough situation.
For starters, you could do some logical visualization:
1. What will most likely happen for you over the next year if you quit this job. Pros? Cons?
2. What will most likely happen for you over the next year if you stay with this job? Pros? Cons?
I'm not looking for a detailed answer from you here, but if the above questions don't clarify your next actions, you might sit down with a person (or two) whose career advice you trust and ask for opinions.
You might also research the incoming management. Do you agree with their long-term goals and philosophy?
Several years ago, if you weren't happy, you could leave and probably find something less stressful but with the economy today these decisions must be carefully weighed.
You might also find that having an "exit plan" might keep you in place longer with less stress. One exit plan might be, "I'll join a gym and go every day after work to lose my stress. I will stay with this job X more weeks/months and if things aren't better, I will begin looking for another position/will quit." (whatever applies)
I'm guessing that since you're posting this on Sunday evening that you're dreading starting work again on Monday. If I'm right, don't delay on getting clear about your next step(s). Life is too short to start dreading Mondays!
Added: One of the loan officers I knew disliked the merger at his company and went back to school to become a nurse! He kept his job until he passed the state boards and then kissed it goodbye. He had started in the sciences but had relatives in banking, so he ended up there. Perhaps there is an alternative career you could pursue as part of your exit plan?
The reality is I could leave and it would not affect my standard of living... I've always been a saver and never need to have the latest or greatest of anything.
The offsite CEO and I are at odds... I'm the last one in my Department and he has already said he is paying me too much... wages across the board have been frozen for years and benefits have been eliminated one by one.
Every PayDay my net earnings go straight into the bank... I was self employed for 10 years before accepting this position and never let it go to my head 23 years later... sounds scary when I say it that way.
There is a lot of burn out with key employees continuing to leave... mostly very experienced RN's that get a 25% boost in pay along with great/tremendous benefits going to a Kaiser or Sutter.
I'm not a RN and do limited patient care in my position as Director of Engineering.
My former Boss who left for greener pastures says to stick it out... that I could be pleasantly surprised and for the meantime... do whatever it takes to keep the man at the top happy... basically the same she has said for almost a year now.
Calling attention to corners being cut would be like winning the battle to loose the war if it makes the man on top look bad.
PS... actually I am 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and just returned from getting an emergency call to come in Sunday afternoon... it one of the perks of being salaried.
My former Boss who left for greener pastures says to stick it out... that I could be pleasantly surprised and for the meantime... do whatever it takes to keep the man at the top happy... basically the same she has said for almost a year now.
Maybe schedule another lunch and probe a bit more deeply? What does your boss expect to happen, exactly? How likely is it? No one has a crystal ball, but the data she used for that advice might be incorrect.
I'm not getting political here! But one consideration is that no one has a handle on all the impacts of Obamacare. I know a physical therapist at a small practice and a manager at an insurance company who changed careers when that was passed because they correctly anticipated that the changes at their work would make their daily routines untenable. I thought at the time that they were being hasty but the resulting layoffs left remaining employees doing the work of 2-3 others. Perhaps your former boss has not carefully analyzed the those impacts on the company bottom line or subsequent policies.
In any case, I don't envy your decision! It's hard to be somewhere for that long and see it get trashed, and I expect a lot of your hard work has gone unappreciated. That's where talking with someone outside of your company but familiar with current trends might be helpful as you consider your options.
But do set some deadlines for yourself. I've found that helped me get through some rough patches. In one case I ended up not quitting because several days before my deadline to quit, there were mass firings and four new managers hired. The environment went from toxic to decent in the space of two days.
PS... actually I am 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and just returned from getting an emergency call to come in Sunday afternoon... it one of the perks of being salaried.
Sorry, I meant to add this. Can you take some time off? Maybe sleep in a bit and go do something fun to clear your mind, then think more about this problem? It's hard to make solid decisions when one's mind is steeped in work . . .
Sorry, I meant to add this. Can you take some time off? Maybe sleep in a bit and go do something fun to clear your mind, then think more about this problem? It's hard to make solid decisions when one's mind is steeped in work . . .
You have touched on all the concerns.
Time off is an interesting one... January they instituted a vacation accrual cap.
In my case it is 4 weeks the maximum.
I've tried unsuccessfully to take time off since I hit the PTO max.
Each time, citing needs of the company, time off was denied.
It's affecting mostly managers or those with key skills because with no back up it's not like you can take off and have someone to cover.
It's affecting mostly managers or those with key skills because with no back up it's not like you can take off and have someone to cover.
Wow! If I didn't know better, I would say that someone higher up wants to burn out managers so they quit. Yes, I would have another chat with your former boss, ASAP. It helps to know whether that policy is being done on purpose or through ignorance and what the final end game might be. Do they want X number of managers to quit by Y date so they can hire new people with that skill set and pay them even less, thus perhaps increasing the company profits by Z date? If you know that for sure, then you're in a no-win situation, unless you can work a deal for yourself, and it sounds like you tried with the retirement package, you're in a toxic work environment.
I truly dislike games like that. It's one of the aspects that has given the business model a bad name. It's possible to still make a profit and treat workers in a humane manner.
Two other thoughts - would you want to work for your former boss again and/or are there any positions you would like to do at that other company? She could give you a strong referral.
Also, would you want a higher or different position in your present company? If some divisions are being staffed better than others (some people get vacations!) maybe a transfer is in order. I realize that might not be possible and that the entire company might be short-staffed.
Here's one red flag for me: when employers have "use or lose" vacation time and are not allowed to use it, that is starting to impact the employee's bottom line. I have personal limits as to how many freebies a company will get from me. Granted, I'm more generous with a start-up but an established company needs to honor those aspects if they want my labor. The other red flag is your 401K.
I think about all of my employment in terms of a contract laborer. How much does it cost me to work there? (Parking, clothing, commuting, etc). Am I compensated at a reasonable rate for the field and for where I live? If not, do the benefits make up for it? If not, then it is generally in my best interests to find other work, unless there are reasonable mitigating circumstances, like no one is hiring and it will take me 18 months to retrain myself. . .
The best guess is the owners are trying to sell us.
The better the bottom line, the more the Hospital is worth and the more money in the owners pocket ... even if is only the result of deferring maintenance and canceling capital projects.
Two Doctors now own about 60% including their families with another 40 Docs making up the rest.
Former boss has given me job listings... I would have to relocate unless I was willing to commute 3 or more hours per day... right now it's less than 10 minutes.
I was scheduled 10 days in advance to address the board and that afternoon I was told the agenda was too full and it would have to be some other time... so far the agenda continues to be full.
April 15 was the administrators last day... since then the department managers are doing the best we can...
No one has been let go... those that have left have found much better positions or retired.
My limited experience with mergers is it follows with a reorganization and more cost cutting.
23 years ago, we did have all the perks... 401k match, profit sharing, stock plan, bonus, sabbatical, education reimbursement and full medical for employee and family.
One by one none of the above exist today and the cuts were all labeled as temporary going back as far as 2004-05
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 07-28-2014 at 11:49 AM..
The better the bottom line, the more the Hospital is worth and the more money in the owners pocket ... even if is only the result of deferring maintenance and canceling capital projects.
I think that's your answer as to the end game. The next question might be when? And what are your chances with the new management? One thing to consider: if you stick it out (maybe another year) and you are laid off, you can get unemployment. In the meantime, burn out continues and you leave yourself open to developing stress-related diseases, unless you address that aspect (see my first post).
Quote:
Former boss has given me job listings... I would have to relocate unless I was willing to commute 3 or more hours per day... right now it's less than 10 minutes.
That stinks. Lots of hiring freezes on, too, at some of the better hospitals.
If there is a job on the listings that sticks out to you or there is a hospital system worth moving for (some speak highly of Mayo Clinic) then perhaps you should go ahead and apply and see what happens. If you do receive a job offer, go from there. If you don't, you still have your job and might be in a better position to negotiate a decent deal from them later this year.
Or you could consider career alternatives in your present area if moving really isn't in your best interests. Might nursing home administration be an option? That's just one idea. I don't know enough about your field to make additional suggestions.
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