Work group chat

[23andbroke]

30 of my colleagues & I were in a WhatsApp group. It started off being work-related and completely innocent, then ended up turning into a massive slaw of insults against management and zany jokes

Today someone in the group sent a full transcript of the chat to management…and around 15 of my colleagues are facing disciplinary action due to their comments. Most are probably going to be sacked as the employees are still on probation, and the comments against management were brutal (insults vs feedback sort of thing)

I’m just shocked at the scale as most of my office could be let go! Do you think being sacked is a dramatic punishment or fair? I also think I know who reported it - it seems like a power play to get rid of the competition almost as they were a willing participant that was baiting but purposely careful with their wording. Weird situation

Well if they hated the job/company so much then they won’t mind the extra impetus to find a new job will they.

I have little sympathy.

@MonkeyPuddle yep - lots of them have been coasting whilst they await a better job elsewhere to come along. They have no choice but to scramble for any job now!

This is my first proper job after university/retail so I don’t quite understand office politics yet. The people involved are quite popular - it will be interesting to see if senior management will give them a slap on the wrist or terminate their contracts as they seem close

Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese
This is why the saying "you are the master of what you don't say, what you say is the master of you" or however it goes‘

I don’t know why, but I read that in the voice of Count Arthur Strong

@RandomUsernameHere

^Of course anyone can.

The probabtion period is a time to prove you fit in with the team and a time to work out whether you want to join the team.^

No they can't, being sacked is not the same as not passing probation. Also it's much much easier to get rid of someone in their probationary period.

Nope.

Probation means nothing, legally.

Workers have no rights until they’ve been employed for two years.

Yes that’s what I thought @Tippexy! I was under the impression that when you have less than 2 years of service, you’re essentially on probation as you can be let go for any reason/have limited rights

I work in HR and frequently have to deal with issues like this. Im always amazed that people are still getting caught out in this way.

@purpledagger - Surprising how much very unwise and naive behaviour is out there, especially if new.

OP, as others have said, of course failing probation is a dismissal. From ACAS website: "A dismissal is when an employer ends an employee's contract. It usually means the same as being sacked or fired"

Valid reasons for a dismissal in law are:

1. Conduct –inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour
2. Capability – not able to do the job or doesn't have the right qualifications
3. Redundancy – when the job is no longer needed
4. A legal reason – when the employee cannot do their job legally
5. 'some other substantial reason' – e.g fixed-term contract ending

Failing probation usually falls under 2) but it doesn't really matter as up to 2 years no reason is required. Probation periods have no standing in law.

Up to 2 years service, there is also no statutory procedures an employer must follow to dismiss you. I could just call you in the office and say, here is your contractual notice (or pay in lieu) and off you go. Most employees don't due to the risk of discrimination claims but its entirely possible. as claims to an employment tribunal for 'unfair dismissal' cannot be made if less than 2 years service. So shorter serving staff have little come back unless there are grounds for a discrimination claim as these can be made without that qualifying service. But these are very hard to prove.

So your colleagues are in some difficulty.....

I assume everyone involved is fresh out of university etc like you? Very naive behaviour. Personally I'd never commit anything too incriminating to writing unless I had a proper friendship with the person and even then we'd be more likely to have a moan over a coffee, lunch etc. Definitely never let someone else have more on you than you do on them.

I guess whether they fire everyone depends on how much they've invested in you and how easy it is to recruit more. My first job we started off with two months training so I think it would have taken more than that to get people fired but you never know. Maybe the worst offenders will go and the rest get a slap on the wrist.

It does seem a harsh outcome especially if all the participants are young and inexperienced in workplace rules. I suppose it will come down to whether they were ever informed that private WhatsApp messages about the organisation were covered by their social media policy.

I assume everyone involved is fresh out of university etc like you?

No. There’s a wide range of staff involved. Most haven’t been to university and are older than me so have lots of work experience !

Not much to update really - it’s eerily quiet at work and there’s been a few emails sent around

Rule #1 is never - either personally or professionally - write anything down that you wouldn't want used against you in court - or, as a former colleague of mine used to say, "... start at the tribunal and work your way back... ".

Surprised to hear about the wide age range, I initially thought you'd all be late teens / early 20s.

Well, if nothing else, consider it a lesson learned.

@23andbroke

I assume everyone involved is fresh out of university etc like you?

No. There’s a wide range of staff involved. Most haven’t been to university and are older than me so have lots of work experience !

Not much to update really - it’s eerily quiet at work and there’s been a few emails sent around

I'm shocked by that! I could understand young people doing something like this cause if you do it at school or uni there's no real consequences but people who have experience of office politics? Crazy!

Although tbh I'm sure loads of this goes on but in most groups there isn't someone who reports it!