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.

Right. So you're a BA who isn't delivering and think a Product role sounds more fun. Unfortunately, Product is a much harder role, so if you can't manage accuracy as a BA then you'll be fired from Product pretty swiftly.

Your manager isn't really being fair here, they want to pass you on and leave someone else with the job of managing you out. If you enjoy data analysis, and don't make as many mistakes doing that, then apply for data analysis roles elsewhere instead.

No, I've been lent to other departments because they've needed my skills
Today is one of those days.

Ok. I give up.

BTW - you seem to be posting a lot during working hours. I do hope they don't catch you or you will almost certainly have handed them the reason to dismiss that they are already looking for.

In a previous life I got involved in product and I was ok at it .

Yes, I could have been blissfully ignorant, but then why not tell me about it in a timely manner?

It's clear English is your 2nd language. Your boss is maybe being "too British" and not being clear (this is really common. I see it a lot. It makes things difficult for both parties)

My honest advice:
From what you say whether you see it or not...it's very obvious you are not going to continue successfully in your current role. It just won't happen. There is not enought work and you have performance issues.

Insisting on staying and "trying to improve" is going to be painful for all involved and won't be successful.

You like the company and you like the hybrid Team. Go talk to the line manager and look at an internal move.

This seems so likely , do you think this may fit OP ?

Oh dear…. So I’ve read through this thread and all of your comments (none of the other threads) and here is my summary.

You took this role because you couldn’t find one in your previous skill set. You were a manager level in the previous role. The role you are in now is a step back career progression-wise. You only perform 20% of the core job and 80% other support. Of the 20% core your accuracy is not acceptable. Your manager has given you 3 options which are very clear.

All of the other stuff is irrelevant! In fact the only real relevant facts are the last 2 sentences above. It doesn’t matter what you think…it doesn’t matter what your preferences are…the only thing that matters is that you are on your way off the team.

You literally have 3 choices here…

1. Go to the different team (if they’ll have you)
2. Resign
3. Get fired (because in case you missed it the performance plan is the mechanism to get remove you from your job)

Your boss couldn’t have been any clearer.

You can continue to dance around what is going on… but one thing is clear, you will not have your current job very much longer.

If you are just coming up to your 2 years of being with the company, this may very well be an indication that your are being managed out before that period is up. It is harder for the employer to let you go as you have more rights/protection after those 2 years. It is common for employers to engineer an exit before they hit that time frame frame with under/subpar performers.

I think, in your position, I'd be concentrating on my job, rather than posting on MN during the working day.

If you wish to remain in your current role, I'd suggest you sit down with your manager, and request specificity around her concerns, and a plan of action with SMART goals (including any support you may need to achieve this). And, have a plan in writing, with a review date.

OP as soon as I read your first post I suspected you might be autistic. You wrote it in a way that I can't quite put my finger on exactly (many ND people in our family) but just the phrasing and the assumptions about what we knew/understood of the situation made me think it. My first advice would be - don't expect people on here to understand.

You then went on to say haw you managed people in a very clear and scientific way and how you are really struggling with not understanding what is going on with your performance and the woolly non specific info you've been given. THis management style is never going to work for you.

I 100% agree that this is not the job for you. There's no doubt in my mind that data analysis is where you need to be (DH is the same). It's a long thread that I skipped through but did you say there was someone you got on well with that you could go work under doing more data driven stuff? I might have got that wrong but if that is correct then I would be moving asap.

Disgusting ableism. You should try living a lifetime of not being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes. The OP can 'bang on' about whatever the fuck she likes as it's her thread. She isn't unable to see error she literally hasn't been told what the pigging error is.

I feel so sorry for the ND people you worked with. This sort of attitude is why 80% of autistic people are not in work.

If you are neurodivergent you may not be able to pick up/learn the same information from colleagues in the way a neurotypical person does(executive functioning is the term used) e.g. reading instructions then following them through, reading data promptly and acting on it. If you have slower work performance in a team it will impact the team overall it would be made worse if greater demands are put on the team. If you are diagnosed neurodivergent by a psychologist accommodations can be put in place (by Law) to help you do your job. This does not exempt you from performance but may help level the playing field.

The main thing is your Manager has very clearly given you three choices, irrespective of whether you agree with her or not.

Your two year employment period is nearing and you need to make a decision. She has asked for a decision by the end of next week if you wish to be transferred to another team/area.

Continuing in your current role isn't really working is it, otherwise you would not be in this situation? So that rules that option out.

You say you like the company so the option of being transferred to another team seems worth a go?

Or you look for another job.

But even in your rather confusing replies, and your initial post, you do recognise that your performance has been sub par for a while and that mistakes happen. Whatever job you move to you really need to rectify this area otherwise you are just going to be back at square one.

Agree with @itsmyp4rty , I think what's happened is:

a) Your work has never really been up to scratch

b) This has been noticed, and people have given you feedback but not in a format you understand or recognise

c) This is partly because there are cues and clues NT would readily pick up on that you have not recognised - it's not feedback in the format you expect, and it's couched in "NT" ways trying to be delicate, or polite

d) This is compounded by them being aware of your situation to some extent and trying to cut you some slack. To their minds, this is being kind. However, to your mind it's a blanket acceptance that what you are doing must be OK

e) It's now getting to a point where the quality and quantity of your work is causing bigger issues - it may be impacting on the wider team in ways you are not aware of (again, "NT" cues and clues you can miss, and which they don't realise that you can miss)

f) So, to you this has all come out of the blue. To them, this is a worsening problem they've tried to fix subtly and gently and you've ignored all the hints and help and feedback offered

You say you are good with data - I suspect you're better with data and facts than you are with people.

Perhaps a change of role towards your strengths (data) would be less stressful for you AND your company.

I think you are being shown the door.

I cant believe an experienced employee doesn’t know whether or not you are making mistakes.

the fact you are “jack of all trades” and are being lent to other teams and only used for 20% in your core role isn’t actually good… it means your manager is trying to occupy you elsewhere and likely hoping you’ll be someone else’s problem

Oh op. No they needed some work doing and a body to do it. It didn’t need to be only you could do it. The fact you did some work doesn’t mean they can’t get a stronger performer to replace you.

you need to make a decision, what do you want. Your manager looked you in the eye and gave you 3 options. One of which was to leave the company, no one asks a valued employee if they want support to leave. They do everting to get them to stay,

whay do you want? You have 3 options, you need to pick one. Not keep focusing on what option she didn’t suggest you fancy.

So are you saying that OP is not ND and the problem is the manager?

In which case how am I being 'ableist'?

There's a fourth option that is to "retrain" to move to a different sub-team within my wider team.

However I'm in NO official performance plan as in with KPIs not timeframe.

However that could be irrelevant

If you are still at a loss as to what aspects are falling short ask for a review meeting where you can look art progress since the previous conversation, agree SMART targets and timetable a further review. Do you have an appraisal system? A verbal warning would be stated, not left vaguely,

Well I mean I know what I'm supposed to do to an extent. Do the admin side of work without any skipping or cutting corners.

I have thought, for the past 3-4 weeks.

No appraisal system in place! We don't even have an HR person even though we're not that small

I agree with all of this. I'm autistic and I need black-and-white feedback with no euphemisms, sugar coating or skirting around the issue.

OP, I have read your other threads and you're speaking as though this has come out of the blue but in just the last few weeks:

a) You had a miscommunication with your manager and when it was clear she had misunderstood what you were saying, you didn't clarify what you actually meant. She then told your colleague the wrong version of events and caused unnecessary upset, for which you refused to apologise.

b) You're project managing a large account but because you didn't set clear parameters or follow up with others on the project team, the client has fed back their dissatisfaction.

c) A colleague complained about you and your boss approached you about the content of the complaint.

d) You discussed an issue with your boss and you wanted to discuss it further but got annoyed because your boss didn't suggest arranging a further meeting to do so (presumably because she thought the matter was resolved).

e) The manager has implemented a system of clear, written feedback, including peer-to-peer feedback, but you're unhappy about the format.

f) You have been put on an improvement plan and you say that the targets are not specific but the examples you have given are specific instructions to help you improve. I'm guessing your boss didn't explain why you're being asked to do that though, which may be causing your confusion (which I understand - I personally work better when I know why I'm doing something).

Looking at that list, I can all but guarantee that someone has told you what the problem is but the overriding theme is you feeling confused. You're frustrated that you don't understand the problem, nobody is explaining anything, you want more 1-to-1 time for discussion, etc. In your mind, everything has been fine and you're performing so well that other teams have requested your services. But in your manager's mind, they have raised issues, your work rate has not improved, and they've watched you unilaterally take on unrelated projects rather than carry out your actual job role.

You don't seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation. You've been offered three options and none of them include staying in your current position, which (put bluntly) means your manager no longer wants you in that role.

Because if you don’t choose any of the other options (including your #4) you will be placed on a performance plan, which will block you from option 1 and 4 and you will be unlikely to survive it.

Make no mistake you are not going to keep this job. Your manger is telling you this.

ETA: missing word

I think @amusedbush has put it very, very clearly.

Whether you enjoy or were happy in this role or not, that doesn't matter now because it is all in the past and you are on your way out, whether you have realised it or not. I don't know if you're aware, but once an employee passes the 2-year threshold it's a lot harder to get rid of them and some additional protections kick in.

As your 2-year anniversary is approaching, you should be aware that is the timeline your manager is working towards and they will likely move quickly to get you out before that rather than risk getting stuck with an employee who is not working out.

You need to reach out and ask the other manager if he would have you in his team. SO WHAT if you don't know if he would have you? You have nothing to lose, because it's already gone.

The worst he can possibly say is no, which leaves you in the same position you are now - looking for a new role. At best, he could find a place for you that you may even be happier in, which would alleviate a lot of stress as you've already worked with him and he knows your strengths.

C’mon @chatenoire really?

Well I mean I know what I'm supposed to do to an extent. Do the admin side of work without any skipping or cutting corners.

You are saying with that statement that you are not performing your job. How on earth can you be confused why your boss doesn’t want you to work in the role anymore. Why do you think you need more feedback? You have told us clear as day you aren’t doing the same quality or quantity of your work as your your coworker.

You can continue to spin things in your own head, but you are not unaware of the performance expectations of your job, nor your level of performance.

Well I mean I know what I'm supposed to do to an extent. so you don't fully understand what you need to do if it's only to extent ie, you know how to make the pastry but not the filling?
Do the admin side of work without any skipping or cutting corners, so have you been cutting corners or skipping bits out?

I have thought, for the past 3-4 weeks. what have you thought over the last 3-4 weeks? You haven't told us.

No appraisal system in place! Okay, but you are getting feedback which is clearly telling you, that if you don't change your working practices, you won't be re-hired once your 24 months is up.

We don't even have an HR person even though we're not that small ... it's not a legal requirement in the UK, but your manager should be familiar with the HR legislation.