Can I refuse to go on a PIP if I don’t agree with it?

[Gamecha]

Do I have any rights? I feel like this has come out of the blue and absolutely do not feel it is justified. Can I do anything?

A PIP isn’t a ‘plan’ if it’s just some vague waffle about how you’re just not meeting his expectations.

Do you have an HR team at work? Are they involved in this process? Are they even aware you’re being ‘managed’ (and I use the term loosely here) like this? Does this guy have someone he reports in to? If so, contact that person and make them aware.

It’s ridiculous that you can be taken from a last good review to being immediately placed on a PIP. Where’s his evidence of having discussed your ‘shortcomings’ prior to the PIP? How’s he going to be able to show he’s just not discriminating against your having taken Mat leave, when this inevitably gets taken to tribunal?

If you have a proper HR team, I would be involving them asap. They’re not there to support you, but they are there to prevent dickhead managers exposing the company to reputational harm.

Well yes sociopaths aside!

Think you are getting unions mixed up with insurers and private medical insurance who won’t cover existing medical conditions.

I can see why you are frustrated. I agree with other posters that you do need to be forensic and ask for clarity for the nth degree while also emphasising that you haven’t been given enough work. Be really self critical regarding that though. Could he argue that you should be imitating work yourself? You say that you are not junior, so he may reasonably be expected you to identify your own work plan.

But from what you’ve said I agree with others that a PIP may actually be helpful. It will force him to document his expectations and your apparent shortcomings. This is why posters have said a PIP isn’t used lightly, it’s a pain in the arse for managers.

So when he said he wanted some improvement and said it vaguely did you ask for concrete examples? Did he then write to you saying as discussed etc etc, if he didn’t did you write to him ? Cold and clinical is the way to go, as a previous poster says take the emotion out of it.

are your meetings on teams , if so can you agree to either record them or get the meeting summary ?

There’s usually a minimum period (during which you’ve been a member) before a Union will get actively involved in your dispute. I guess it’s to avoid people paying only one or two months of subs just to access advice / help and then cancelling.

And it’s not just sociopaths who’ll abuse the PIP / HR process. You must have had a fortunate career to have never encountered the many downright incompetent and clueless people who somehow get into positions where they’re ‘managing’ others.

Do you have a grievance process? I'd so raise one re this. As it seems you feel he's using this as a form of bullying. If you have evidence to counteract his claims share this with hr.

Hr are there to protect to company though so remember that. I'd also say it's time to look for another job elsewhere.

I don’t want to go on the pip for a few reasons.

i don’t agree with what he’s doing and feel very much like this is personal

going on a pip means no bonus which I think would be extremely unfair

I don’t want a new employer to ask if I’ve been on a pip and I have to say yes

Those asking if there could be a reason he’s genuine and asking me to really examine my work…I obviously can’t be completely objective but I have been self critical and looked at the overall picture. I feel since I had my baby I’ve had limited work and next to no feedback despite asking for it and that other people have given me good feedback when I’ve done work for them (though he is the main source of my work, or should be).

@Ashshandmaid yes there is a grievance process. It’s not something I would want to do but I would do if pushed. I can’t understand how him not even responding to various pieces of work (which I know are good) and then tearing down a draft letter with cosmetic changes can be in any way ‘supporting me to improve.’

I don't think you can refuse to go on a pip any more than you can refuse to do anything asked at you at work by your manager, not without objectively very good cause which you haven't demonstrated here.
The thinking from HR and senior management will be that you're resistant because you are scared of being exposed as an underperformer. If you are so great after all, the Pip would be a doddle and a good opportunity to showcase and evidence your abilities.

HR will ensure the Pip is done properly and the objectives are reasonable etc. But inside I bet they'll be eyerolling at yet another staff member who can't handle being performance managed.

@IDontHateRainbows do you not think my concerns are reasonable in my previous posts? (Not being funny, genuinely interested in your opinion)

I think you need to go on a proper objective setting, documented Pip as your manager doesn't seem to have set that up in writing yet? Your concerns may be reasonable but no one will believe you if he just portrays it as you being a resistant underperformed in denial. So the Pip will actually help you to demonstrate your abilities and if HR are overseeing the process they can ensure it's robust.

Unfortunately you are in a guilty until proven innocent situation now as your performance is being questioned. So you need to prove you can perform, whether you think you should have to or not is irrelevant

We don't have their side but it comes across as you don't care about any other viewpoint but ypur own, you have decided you are right so does it matter what others say?

It would help you to equally listen to HR as well as speak

@BlondiePortz well I’m posting from my perspective which is all I can do. I don’t feel his ‘concerns’ are valid mostly because he’s not engaged with me at all about my work or sent me much work at all since returning from maternity leave. I’m asking if that is a reasonable context in which to query a PIP and resist it

They can do the PIP without you.

To be really clear refusing the PIP will not solve any of those issues. You still won’t get a bonus. And may well lose your job as a result.

My answer is not it's not a reasonable context to resist the Pip. If escalated, I bet my bottom dollar the next manager up would be like 'ok well let's set you some objectives and clarity and see how you get on, using the pip'. The only way off a pip is through.

I realise there are bad and good people in every walk of life, but in my experience a PIP has only ever been used for “what it says on the tin” to literally help the person improve their performance with specific targets and agreed methods to achieve them. If you feel your manager has been vague so far, a PIP would 100% resolve this. It kind of depends on the specific situation with the formality of things leading up to a PIP though. Some people can have an informal chat about performance and that’s all that’s needed, others respond better to a more formal style. Perhaps your manager feels you’re more of the second type of person? Either way it’s best to start off with a positive attitude, you’re extremely unlikely to receive any settlement to leave currently.

If you don’t have any deficiencies then go on the PIP and show that. The point is meant to be that you can improve. If you don’t engage with it, it will just expedite capability proceedings against you.

One thing that has me wondering - depending on how senior you are, waiting to be given work rather than going finding what needs doing, and getting that done, could be a major performance issue

Definitely doesn't apply to all roles though, but have they made any comments about proactivity/self sufficiency?

The other concern is that there actually isn't enough work around, and they need to downsize - and this is a way of doing that under the radar

If you are not in a union, why not join one? -

Because it's pointless. They don't take on pre existing issues so it won't help in this case.

OP I've read all your posts but I'm not clear if you have actually been given anything in writing or if this has all just been vague comments about putting you on a formal PIP? If it's the latter that is really concerning and not how the process should work. I mentioned up thread that I am currently doing an informal PIP with one of my team. Absolutely everything is documented in writing. She has been given her PIP in writing, I have taken her through it step by step and what i need her to achieve and by when. I meet with her every other day to check in and see if she is ok and to give her feedback on what she's doing well and what she needs to focus on. She knows she can contact me whenever she needs to and i have directed her to both her union and our employee assistance if she needs to talk to anyone else. She is struggling to engage but I have to keep trying because that is the process and I am genuinely concerned that she is finding the basics of her role so challenging. I couldn't just vaguely threaten formal PIP which is what you have implied is happening to you.

You mention being on sick leave and being on maternity leave. If both, how long exactly have you been absent from your position? Could this be why they think you may no longer be able to do the job you were employed for?

It has been mentioned by employment lawyers and HR the position with being placed on improvement, but you still seem to be holding onto the idea you can resist or decline and that you don't agree with it because you are more qualified and you've been there longer than the manager.

Are you able to see how this response could be perceived? Be very careful you don't play into their hands here.

100% … it should be easy!

No. There is no option. You have no choice, so if you don't want to go on the PiP, your only other option is to resign. It doesn't matter whether you think it's fair or not.

Yes I've overseen pips for mid level management a couple of times and taking the initiative/ working out for yourself what you do was definitely an element. The more senior the role, the less prescriptive the Pip. I've done them entirely competency based for management level.