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.

It sounds like you think you know what to do, but your manager is clearly telling you that you haven't been doing it.

Do you know how to do it? And do you know how to improve so that you're doing it to the required standard?

If you don't (and want to stay with the company) then you need to be really clear with your manager and ask them to tell you what to do, exactly what you're doing wrong and how to improve.

Doing admin work without skipping or cutting corners is really quite a basic task, so if you aren't able to do that, then you're going to need to improve quickly - even if you move departments or companies, you'll run into similar issues quickly if you can't do basic admin responsibilities required for your level of work.

I feel that there is some unnecessary hostility. Op has said she has several skills and is in demand, that the lack of work is situational and that there were minimal mistakes on her last work. Also that work was OK until August. I did wonder if they are trying to get you out of the door before 2 years.

That said, you should have been proactive about getting more work, and you should be proactive about error checking your work and making sure you have a good volume of error free work. Never be the weakest link.

I wonder if a change would be good for you as you must be bored and demotivated anyway.

What I mean is...

Within these 8 weeks or so.

I've been told to improve on the admin:

*Notes and tick boxing ✔️ (this as been ongoing for the past 4-6 week)

*Being better at padding documents and avoiding typos etc... ✔️

*I did have a messy document but my colleague who helps me create those documents and went on hols (that triggered this call as well as a very minor mistake)

Now, I did need yesterday's call, but I'd like to have some sort of timeframe - which I wasn't given. I'd also like a line in the sand approach, but maybe that's too late now.

We all get rough patches. I thought everything was rescueable up to two weeks ago. I haven't made any real mistakes since then apart from that messy document (which once I explained what was up with that one) she understood.

Sorry if I missed that but what level is your position? Is it lower-mid grade admin?

Seriously: if what you wrote above is reflective of your work in general, I'm not surprised they want you out.

Which they clearly do. And yet you STILL are not seeing it...

Now, I did need yesterday's call, but I'd like to have some sort of timeframe - which I wasn't given. I'd also like a line in the sand approach, but maybe that's too late now.

I’m just not sure how to say this any different so you’ll understand… so I’ll try in as plain language as I can muster.

It doesn’t matter what you want or how you’d like it to be presented. You’ve been given the information you got. Your choice now is to act on it or dance around it claiming ignorance. If it were me I would be be working on the exit plan that most benefited me. You, however, seem determined to willfully in feigned ignorance find yourself without a job.

I have equal parts sympathy and incredulousness at your manager for putting up with this nonsense for as long as they have.

I'm actually not admin, but admin is the "measurable" part of my job. I'm technical sales (but I don't sell anything, I just help with the sale). No commission based or anything like that.

So two weeks ago, I had a chat of cool, you're bored - go and do your work. There were still conversations about "investing" in me. What changed so much in two weeks, when I have improved?

So are you a technical sales assistant rather that the actual sales person? So you are supporting not implementing the pre sale, the sale, and the aftercare/ advice following the sale? Are you also responsible for making sure all the necessary paperwork and report documents are prepared and executed in a timely fashion? Are you also giving advice over the phone/ online / in person to the purchaser?

Do you understand the product the company are selling? Do you know how to structure and write reports?

Who said you were bored? Who told you to go and do your work?

No one can tell you what has changed, because we're not privy to those conversations, but I think you need more support than the company can give you?
You were told you needed to be told to keep notes, you shouldn't need to be told to 'tidy' up your 'messy' document. Op it sounds like you are floundering and out of your depth with everything you have written. It doesn't sound as if this job is a good fit for you. Sales is a very pressured area, even at an assistant level, there isn't really time for management to give you so much direction.
You are clearly and intelligent person, as you must have a higher level of training (degree or equivalent in tech) so can you find a job which would fit you better? Or move into another area with in the company, where your skill set matches the job?

Your poor manager. You have been given some fantastic advice here. Please take it on board. If you can’t, then get your CV updated and maybe speak to someone who can support you irl outside work.

I find your way of explaining it very difficult to follow, a bit like speaking with ChatGPT. What are you hoping will happen? That the situation goes away and you can carry on doing not much work without any questions asked about the quality? No wonder you’ve been blissfully happy ‘til now!

You've been passed around because they don't want to fire you.

Clearly not improved by their expectations. Either you accept this and become proactive in addressing the issues(not aware of your other threads) or realise that it s not going to work out and move on. Presumably your admin tasks are important to closing the sales?

What? Yes they don't care you're bored. Do your job. Do it well. Progression comes later.

With respect, OPs opinion of herself bears no relationship to the employers. Perhaps read the whole thread and all the others???

@chatenoire

honestly read @ClawedButler and @amusedbush 's posts.

Have a cup of tea.
Read them again.

This is really serious.
Just before 2 years you WILL be fired if you don't pick one of the options open to you.

I see this all the time
I had to performance manage someone out and when they were fired they were totally shocked and surprised... Then totally panicked as they realised their visa would be revoked and she's have the love on a separate continent to her fiance..I was shocked as we had literally had meeting after meeting for months and explicitly said "if X doesn't happen you will be fired". I also tried to help her find another position internally I spent HOURS if not weeks finding leads which she kept dismissing and declining because she "wasn't sure she'd like it" or "the team don't seem fun" or "it doesn't seem exciting". She lost her job and visa and had to leave the country because she couldn't listen to what I was saying.

At the time the HR person was also a good friend of mine. I was pretty upset about the whole thing too as performance managing staff is hard, time consuming and unpleasant. I really felt I had somehow not done my job as she was floored whenade redundant. HR said despite being crystal clear verbally and in writing about 95% of the people they fire are surprised despite clear obvious and repeated warnings.

I was told that I'm not on a PIP and that my team is behind me and will get me to the other side :)

@Neriah there are many ways of saying things. Op is trying to engage and to learn 😊

I had a chat of cool, you're bored - go and do your work. There were still conversations about "investing" in me

I do wonder how the person you had this 'chat' (???!!) with will have summarized the outcome of this meeting...

Actually this is a positive comment, thank you!

Nope, my job is completely independent of actually making any sales. We define the scope, but have no real power to affect the main sale.

I was told that I'm not on a PIP and that my team is behind me and will get me to the other side :)

Okay the smiley has officially tipped me over the edge. You can't be helped.

Departing question: If everything is so wonderful and your team is behind you why is this thread titled...
To think I've been given a verbal warning or even shown the door?

I was told that I'm not on a PIP and that my team is behind me and will get me to the other side :)

__

Yes but it will not be in the same role. That's why you have been given alternatives. To give you a get-out-of-jail card before they DO have to put you on a PIP, because you haven't taken the hint.

Well I'm just telling what she told me when I asked for a timeframe to improve. Which I think was a reasonable question to ask.

Seriously?

You are just not getting it...