A **** Day At Work

[Jonnyv]

I'm quite new at the job I do at the moment. I had a three month review yesterday and it seemed to go well - my boss said there were some areas that needed improving, i.e. my communication skills but overall they were very happy with my work. I agreed and we set some objectives and I thought that was the end of the matter (apart from needing to meet the objectives).

Today when I got to work, she pulled me into the board room and said that as I've not been performing as required, they were looking to reduce my salary until I performed better :shock:. WTF. Totally flumoxxed I didn't really know what to say. She said she'd have to check with HR as to the legality of it...

So I spent the best part of the next two hours wondering what the f'ck I'm going to do and had to break the news to the missus.

Anyway, just after lunch, into the boardroom we went again to be told that, no, my salary wasn't going to be reduced but my probation was to be extended as that seemed like a 'fairer' thing to do. More like they realised they'd be up in a tribunal if they tried it. :nono:

I'm being put on to a 'communication skills' course... They've really made me feel like I have some serious social problem

So a **** day really. Totally demoralised and demotivated - I'm ****** off due to the bad management of the situation - why bother telling me to then find out they can't do it. Wankers.

I'm off to the pub with some friends now to drink some strong ale :drink: :drink: :drink:

Sorry - rant over. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

 

[Wez]

They have not handled that well at all mate

I'm pretty sure that unless it says it in your contract they can't just extend your probation, worth looking at.

Also, you should point out to them that after your 3 month appraisal they have not given you adequet time to address any issues and that they should really agree a timeframe with you and set specific targets.

Send me a PM if you like, I deal with this sort of stuff day in and out :thumb:

 

[A T]

That is a **** day mate, they sound like a bunch of c unts to me :evil:

 

[Vossy1]

Got to agree with wez on this jv.
My Mrs, like wez deals with these things day in day out.
You should have been given a clear list of objectives and a timeframe in which to achieve them.

Sounds to me like the day after your appraisal, your manager was told to cost cut in the dept, and has tried to find a scape goat...t**t...either that or they were just too busy to look at your performance before your review and thought of it in retrospect, double t**t....and more likely :evil:

As far as I'm aware, they can extend your probation at any time, but like Wez says there will be a clause in your contract to cover that. They must give a clear concise reason for it, and as above, a time frame within which to address it.

I'm being put on to a 'communication skills' course... They've really made me feel like I have some serious social problem

Charm the arses of them mate :lol: and log evrything...without becoming paranoid :whistle:

 

[Wez]

Good advice from V1 - log everything and if you happen to have a conversation with them about it, send an email (or letter) to document what has been said, something like...

Thank you for talking with me today, to confirm what was discussed

blah, blah, blah, blah, .....

please let me know if I have misunderstood any part of the conversation.

then print and keep the email or photocopy the letter

 

[EskiBrew]

All good advice and if you document everything then they can hardly say your communication skills are not up to the job :clap:

 

[Jonnyv]

Thanks for the advice guys :thumb:

I plan to speak to HR tomorrow to outline the issues so I'll post here on what happens. My missus has said the same things, document everything and do it in a professional manner.

I'll let you know what happens.

edit: The objectives set out in my first '1 month' appraisal were all achieved which makes it even more frustrating.

 

[EskiBrew]

edit: The objectives set out in my first '1 month' appraisal were all achieved which makes it even more frustrating.

If I was you, I would make sure I pointed that out to them in writing and at the same time ask them why you were left thinking everything was going fine in the following two months when according to the 3 month review they had found issues with your communication. Make it clear that if you had been advised of their concerns in the subsequent two months, you could have taken action to address their concerns.

It seems clear that they are the ones with the communication problem. The whole point of the 3 month trial is so that they can figure out whether you are doing the job right and an integral part of that is a requirement on them to give you continuous feedback on anything they think you need to improve - they then monitor how you deal with the feedback and what changes you make.

If they failed to give you further feedback after the first month trial but then brought it up at your 3 month review, I would seriously think they are either incompetant or are looking for a reason to extend your trial - eg perhaps the recession has got them worried and they're not sure whether they really ought to be employing you therefore if they extend your trial, they have extra time where they can still terminate your employment easily if things get worse.

 

[Kingfisher]

Sorry to read about your trouble Jv. Just got blown out myself from a major customer who's suffering from the world re-evaluation.

Self employed--another day another dollar.

 

[brewzone]

I was told a story by a workmate who worked on a IT helpdesk.

Basically He installed some profiling software on the HR PC.

He was asked if He minded being the test dummy and that the HR T**T would have it run on themseleves also.

So He installs it and they both take the test.

He gets 95% marks and the software said He was perfect for His job.

The HR T**T took it and got less than 30%.

Says it all really.

 

[MEB]

Personally i'd do a big turd on his desk and tell him to go play with the traffic. Which is probably why i've now be self employed for most of my working life rather than employed.

I hate knobheads who treat their staff like they are second rate nothings. :evil:

 

[Aleman]

I was a victim of the 3 month appraisal trick in 1999, the company took me on with the expectation of getting a lot of work, their clients pulled all new work to deal with the Y2K bug, and I got shafted (They took someone else on at a much lower salary once I left).

Luckily I managed to get into my present place which while not perfect (I have communication problems :lol: ) has been very very useful.

What is more worrying is that your 1st month objectives were achieved, and from your 3 month review it appears that you are more than competent . . . then the following day you are suddenly not good enough :hmm: :nono:

As others have said document everything and keep a lid on what you say . . . It is very tempting to tell these tw*ts what you think . . . but do it in your head :)

 

[J_P]

Sorry to hear your troubles there Johnny, I too have issues with communication (or so it says in my performance review) I just don't "do" people. Luckily there are places you and I can go for help, there's a therapy group that meets most nights and everyone's invited, it's called "the pub" :rofl:

 

[BrewStew]

sorry to hear mate

i had a very similar situation with my last employer.

you could of course file a grievance with HR too, and state that you felt mentally upset by it all. if they sacked you after that then you'd have more than just an unfair dismissal case

 

[Jonnyv]

I've decided that once the probation extension letter comes through, I'll reply in writing with my feelings on the situation - in a diplomatic and professional manner.

In the mean time I'll keep documenting any further issues.

My boss has been playing the avoidance card today and barely spoken to me - I think she's figured out for herself how unfair I was treated in the last couple of days.

Thanks for all the advice - hopefully everything will work ok :thumb:

 

[A T]

That's a wise decision, i'm glad you didn't take MEBs idea :lol: :lol:

 

[Jonnyv]

That's a wise decision, i'm glad you didn't take MEBs idea :lol: :lol:

I'd never listen to him