To think my manager will fire me tomorrow?!

[BlueNeighbourhood1]

I work in a department of a national company with four other people in my role and then a manager. Been there for six months and just passed my probation period.

We all get on really really well and have a WhatsApp group chat to discuss any issues. In January because of a great performance we were guaranteed our bonus to be paid at the end of March - usually we would have to wait another month for final March figures to be calculated but because it was guaranteed then apparently not.

Today (payroll cut off date) we all receive a letter to our home address, no apology for the misinformation advising our bonus would now be paid in April. When we got home we went onto the group chat to question this with our manager as obviously we had all mentally spent this money.

As much as it isnt the managers fault, I said something like that it was all premeditated to send the letter at payroll cut off because of the new financial year in April. And then asked how we can sell jobs to potential candidates if we get treated like this too and its making it very difficult to have belief in the company.

So my Manager kicks off and said theyre sick of the moaning and if any of us doesnt like working there to leave - fair enough. I left it half an hour and sent a personal apology to the manager for what I said to be told we will pick this up tomorrow.

I've now got it in my head I'm going to be fired tomorrow, does anyone know if its a sackable offence?!

If you’ve only just passed your probation period then maybe your manager will think you are showing your true colours.
I don’t think you will get sacked for this, probably another dressing down. If I was the manager I wouldn’t want to be on a group chat with staff

Caenea why would you ever raise a work issue like that in an informal setting? Whatsapp absolutely is not the place to raise it. What sort of career do you have? I work in a very informal office for my friend and I would never raise something like that over Whatsapp!

Completely normal to think that you might face an uncomfortable day at work!

You must be good at your job to get a bonus so it’s unlikely that they’ll want to get rid of you. It’s not gross misconduct or anything so just brace yourself and ride it out. Good luck.

Sorry that was full of typos and not what you asked. If your work has been good enough to warrant a bonus I don't think they'd let you go over this but I think you need to be on top form for a little while. As others have said though, they don't have to give much reasonable legally due to the length of time you've been there, but it would be very harsh if your work is otherwise good.

Well, as throughthickandthin said previously, anything can be grounds for dismissal within the first two years of employment - they don't need a reason to let someone go, as long as they don't breach Equalities law. So, if your manager felt like it, then yes they could fire you. If you are generally good at your job, then the manager may feel it's less hassle to keep you than it is to recruit someone new, but you should probably expect a reprimand about professional behaviour.

Why don’t you all ask to have a meeting then and raise the issues you have and see if there’s a way to work together to brain storm ideas to over come them?

It’s a company issue though so what can your manager do? They shouldn’t have to deal with your whinging outside of work hours. They probably just lost their temper

Hi @BlueNeighbourhood1, do you work in recruitment and is this shared commission?

The company is Work for has no bonus, no pay rise and crap pension. Plus a host of other 'redeeming features'. YABVU to complain about your bonus being paid a month later and I would guess the manager is right. I don't see how you could be sacked over it though.

The issue originally came to light earlier this afternoon, me and my Manager were the only ones in the office and she advised me. At the time I was frustrated and told her so and that surely it's not right - I also said everyone else wouldn't be happy which proved to be the case. One had the money spent on her sons 18th, another on money owed blah blah.

She knew earlier today how annoyed I was by it, probably with my messages she may have thought I was stoking the fire somewhat and I've apologised for that

Bonge - I work in an internal team but its all an individual bonus based on KPI's so not related to hires. It's a great job and 95% of the time I love it there, and nobody would've cared if it was April if thats what we were told in the first instance.

One person asked in their probation review a week ago and was told definitely March.

Well you clearly were 'stoking the fire'

You'd made you point in person then posted in a group chat afterwards to gain support.

This kind of stuff really annoys me.

I find lately that the sense of entitlement, particularly in the under 30's I work with, is staggering.

You don't spend bonuses you haven't had, if you do you get burnt.

You don't slag off your employers if you've only been in the job for 6 months and it's over a 1 month delay in the payment of a discretionary bonus.

I think your manager is completely out of order. I don't understand all the other responses on this thread, my job 'bonus' is considered part of my salary for pay review. 'Entitled' ODFOD.

Look for another job now there are clearly serious cash flow/ financial issues. If creditors find out they will go under.

People on here are seriously naive.

I’d come off that group chat, pronto, but no, it’s unlikely to be a sackable offence.

We’ve not had a pay-rise in three years. I would give my right arm for a bonus.

Spending a bonus before it's in your account is asking for trouble..

However I can totally understand why you were annoyed. Both of you have vented, these things happen. Apologise and keep your head down.

Hope tmrw goes ok OP.

One had the money spent on her sons 18th people shouldn't spend money they don't have misses point

You probably won't get sacked but as others said be prepared for a dressing down. I have a work whatsapp group that is basically just for moaning so I'd hate for the to be the subject of a disciplinary when that is the nature of the group. Depends how you are expected to conduct yourself in said group I suppose. Brace for an awkward day but don't get hung up on it and be grateful you get a bonus at all. I'd be worried about the financial situations higher up as PP said. 10 days before payday seems very fishy to me.

So my Manager kicks off and said theyre sick of the moaning and if any of us doesnt like working there to leave

This is very poor management if you ask me. That is not how you respond to an employee raising concerns!

That said, it doesn’t really seem like a good idea for you all to be letting off steam over whatsapp out of hours, and I can see how your manager might have been frustrated if she’d just been sitting down to dinner or something and had to deal with a flurry of angry messages from her team. I’m sure her saying ‘we’ll pick it up tomorrow’ is just her way of asking you to leave her alone for the night!

If it’s recruitment it’s all about bonus’, it’s not really comparable to jobs that are not

I can see how your manager might have been frustrated if she’d just been sitting down to dinner or something and had to deal with a flurry of angry messages from her team

No the manager is really stressed because she thinks the company is going under.

What's this nonsense about being lucky to get a bonus? They're normally contractual based on performance, hitting targets, etc. They're earned and are often a way to keep wages and pension contributions down.

I said something like that it was all premeditated to send the letter at payroll cut off because of the new financial year in April. And then asked how we can sell jobs to potential candidates if we get treated like this too and its making it very difficult to have belief in the company.*

It's not her fault, but if she agrees with you and it got found out she could be in big trouble. Friend or not, on the WhatsApp group or not (which I don't think is a good idea but her choice), she is a manager. She's expected to be loyal to the company and you put her in a difficult position.

Only she knows whether she's going to fire you or not, but try to keep to professional boundaries in future.

Blue - I reckon you'll be fine! You'll get a bit of 'talking to' at absolute most. You're worrying too much. Just keep your head down :)

Thank you Bonge, I sure hope so!

Paying it just a month late suggests someone was too disorganised to get it into payroll rather than liquidation, tbh.

This is about your 'bonus' - not many working persons are guaranteed a bonus.

That is what has always been 'a promise' if everything goes well. That's all it is.
Your manger may even be more disappointed than you

Don't know what firm you work for but my advice is always be aware of false promises