To think I've been given a verbal warning or even shown the door?

[chatenoire]

Hey ladies!

I've told you about this saga before, but I feel like if I read between the lines, I was either given a first verbal warning or kindly shown the door.

My boss told me that she's noticed a complete decline in my performance in the past two months. I however know that yes maybe in August? I noticed things were starting to go south, but looking at emails/calendars it was early September.

Anywho, it was multifactorial but overall my manager gave me a few options:

*That she'll support me to move to another company in case I'm unhappy (I assured her I'm not, but she mentioned it twice).

*That I can move to a different team (she told me to tell her by next week as she'll meet that manager)

*Work on my current role.

She however did ask (twice) to at least do my basic job correctly (help her to help me).

I do feel a bit stuck, but I think it's because they started pointing things at me and not necessarily because I was terrible to begin with. I also think that because my core workload is low, my output is also low, so it's easier to see mistakes.

I didn't read the previous OP. What's the reason why you don't do your work properly? How long have you been there?

It sounds like your manager is giving you a chance to leave without being fired, so take this as a verbal warning, but you should have been explicitly told it was a warning, are you sure you weren't?

I think your manager has been very open with you. And has offered you support if it’s not the right role.
I was going to ask what support has she offered to help you do your basic role properly. But your attitude kind of stinks if you think that a low workload makes mistakes easier to spot. A low workload should mean you have more time to ensure there are fewer mistakes.
Im not sure this is the right job for you!

Yes, that is how one would signal that it’s time to move on or radically improve before starting formal action. If it’s something you can address, meet the manager and agree a plan. If not, I’d get an exit strategy in place

I can’t really work out how you are sounding unreasonable. Your output is low but you are making mistakes and you seem to be justifying it.
If your workload is low it’s even less excuse to make mistakes.

So what you're saying is that your boss is right? Your performance has declined considerably and you've not recovered that position? And you mention that you are making mistakes despite only have a small workload with small outcomes? From her point of view it doesn't sound great.... And you are aware of it but don't mention anything you've done to address it?

What do you want to happen next? Do you want to work on getting better at the role? She's given you that option? Or she will help you to move to another team or company? It sounds a bit like maybe your skill mix isn't quite right or you aren't a good fit and she's trying to be supportive of you whilst ensuring the work gets done - either by you, or someone new if you leave.

None of that is a verbal warning, and she's not showing you the door but if you decide not to work on your current role with her then she's outlined that leaving will be considered. It's standard performance management.

Instead of analysing what she said, make a decision and inform her of that?

I've been here for almost 2 years now, so I did do ok (or excelled) for the first 20 months.

I wasn't told it was a format warning no.

Overall, I don't think the quality of my work has changed (realistically it hasn't) but the output definitely has.

I did look at my actual output and there were 6 of them (you can count up to 8).

Of the eight, I think at least 3 were odd cases. Two are fairly recent (so no feedback yet) and 3 have had no issues (that I'm aware of).

So your workload is low but still you're not doing the job properly, or you were but now things are sliding?

I'm not sure if anybody can help you with this I suppose you have to work out whether you want to stay enough to work harder or get help to explain what it is you can't do/don't understand

Or whether you decide it's not the job for you and walk away.

Your manager sounds very reasonable so my only advice is stop messing her about with poor work and either improve or move.

Which is not really very helpful.

I am not really sure I understand your question. You would know about it if you had been shown the door, it would be clear. It sounds like you are not performing at work and your manager is letting you know, informally at the moment. I would expect that you will be put on a performance improvement plan shortly, or if you have been there less than two years, maybe given notice.

I think you should be giving more thought to how you can improve your output and performance, you seem less focussed on that than you probably should be.

Are you happy to do the bare minimum? It sound like it unfortunately. If this is not the case then I would ensure to have an open and honest chat with your manager and take up one of her options or reassure her that you want to do your best.

It wasn’t a verbal warning (she would have said), but you should treat it as one.

I was aware of the lower workload so I got myself busy with a side project (which was dumped at me, but I'm doing quite well at it, but it's not my core job).

I didn't know I was making these mistakes (I think my quality has been the same, I do genuinely think that). But my manager decided to create an improvement plan for both of us (my colleague and I) without targeting either one in particular but the way it was phrased and the way it was put forward really damaged my self confidence at work. I was definitely happy with my job up to that moment.

I don't have regular 1:1s so I was never directly made aware of them

Yeah you shouldn't be making more mistakes because you have quiet period. Especially after 2 years. I think the logical solution is to move team or job. Company won't let you sit somewhere where you have very little work and not doing that well, understandably.
The diffeent team could be good way to go if you are happy with the company overall.

I guess it would be very helpful TO ME if she pointed out what are the actual mistakes and go through them so I can take notes.

Speaking of notes... During one of those 'team improvement meetings" I was told to write notes (which I do 100% of the time now).

I've taken things on board, I definitely have. I've also given suggestions (needing more hands on experience on tasks that would help my role anyway).

I also think if I had regular 1:1s this could have been averted or at least not snowballed.

If your manager put in an improvement plan- it sounds like either you and/or the other person had performance issues long beforehand! How did this affect your performance to the point you are making mistakes and letting things slip? Surely this was an opportunity to improve things and step up?

I have no clue what you mean by your output was 6. How many should it be?

I also think that because my core workload is low, my output is also low, so it's easier to see mistakes. OP, are you delusional? This should mean LESS mistakes!

You boss sounds fair and is giving YOU options. How is that being stuck? Either leave quietly before you ARE fired or pick up your game.

Well I don't know! my colleague claims like 5x as much output! But like I said, even if you count the 8 as an output AFAIK 5 were ok. One yes 100% on me (although it was a draft), but one for example it was very much my regular standard that I would have had, and it hadn't been pointed out to me until that day.

I'm not being delusional, I do think to an extent it's a sampling issue as I don't think my quality has ever changed (quantity 100% but my boss was very much aware of this).

Is there anything else going on that could be affecting your work? Mental or physical ill health? Perimenopause or menopause?

I've always got too much on my plate!

Externally well I've had dealt with useless EAs overseas to try to sell an inheritance (while also pleasing my mother).

I have a daughter whose MH has gone downhill and she's become a completely different person

One very unfulfilling holiday that really got me down (first world.problems I know)

I had one cancer scare

I'm going through a formal diagnosis for neurodivergence

My job has been my biggest source of joy, which is why this "improvement plan" that wasn't very specific nor measurable definitely knocked my confidence. Before that I definitely didn't doubt myself. Like I've mentioned I don't think my quality overall has changed really, it's just that it has been put under the microscope as of late (and seemingly out of nowhere).

If you want to get to the bottom of this, then perhaps you should ask for a meeting with your manager and specifically ask what she'd like you to improve and how she would like you to do that.

If she's measuring your performance and finding it inadequate, you need to know what benchmark she's using and what 'good' would look like to her.

Show her you're keen to perform well.

Always a difficult one but if your lacking in areas op then your manager is picking you up on it.

Everyone's hires to do a job with description so maybe they feel your under performing and have been monitoring so bows time to call you in to discuss it.

It's very hard with lots of other things going on but most people have lots of other things going on it seems so it's a case of adjusting your thought process when working to output the best that you can with no excuses as to why you haven't I guess

Everyone needs a pick up from time to time and that's what your managers doing.

I would ask for a sit down and bullet point exactly what they would like you to work on from here on in and keep your own record of improvement.

I just had a quick look back since you mentioned previous postings. You have been starting threads about work (some of which seem contradictory) every few days throughout October. I didn't look any further back. Every one of them has a common theme - you have problems at work. So whether you are "right" or your manager is "right" is perhaps irrelevant, you are getting some very clear messages here, based on what you have said your manager has said to you. You need to massively improve your performace or find another job. Given what you have said in your previous posts, I think the latter might be in your best interests - it doesn't seem that you like very much about your manager, your colleagues or your work. So if she is offering to get you moved to another job rather than go down the route of dismissal, you might not want to look that gift horse in the mouth.

It sounds like you’re not able to see objectively what’s going on here at all. This is a very confusing thread. But you do seem to accept that you’re not working that effectively..?

Everyone has stuff going on in their personal lives outside work though. Your boss has been specific that your work quality has declined in the last two months and is working with you to find solutions to overcome this. You say that your quantity of work has changed massively and your colleague is producing far more than you, surely you can see how that's unfair on them and that it's your managers job to handle this situation?

That's the thing though I DO like my manager (maybe more as a person than a manager) and I love my company I truly do. I don't like some of my direct colleagues (or I clash with them) but I think that's just natural.

So my main goal would stay at the company, because as a company I don't think I've been as happy in many, many years.

Honestly I wouldn't lead with the sampling excuse ie I've always made loads of mistakes ye just didn't spot them !

Honestly I'd get your cv together and start applying for other roles so if you do get fired you have something in the pipeline

Your colleague is doing 40 to your 8, and you have errors. Do you really not see why that's an issue OP? If you had gaps in knowledge, then go back and fix the old cases too, or report it to your manager for follow-up. You can't be doing 20% of the effort though and be surprised that's a problem. I don't even understand how you get to a viewpoint where you can think that's ok.

Op, do you communicate like this at work? What you’re writing is so contradictory, on one hand you agree the output and quality has declined and then on the other you dispute this. And seem to want to blame your manager for looking too deeply. Then you tell us it declined as they put you on a pip.

the message I get is that yes you’re not performing, you know this, but you don’t wish to take responsibility for it.

if you wish to stay you need to decide do you have it in you to improve and increase your output. If so then you need to do this, if not then your time at that company is coming to an end.