To wonder if I will be put in a PIP ? Big 4

[Wonderwoman91]

I have been with the Company nearly 5 years and everything was going well until my team was moved to another team. It is becoming obvious that my profile due to my age doesn’t fit in the new team culture.

I finished a big project last year and have put my hand up for other projects which I have been getting slowly, have been supporting with proposals and got some good feedback. Despite this I was given the lowest performance review as my utilisation was not very high due to having to build up my portfolio again.

I have the feeling this is the first step to start performing me out. Will i be put in a PIP? Sadly this is impacting my mental health despite all efforts, I can’t completely relax or enjoy things outside work.

What are my options? Quit? I don’t want to fight the culture; I a m sure they are used to doing this, but don’t want to loose my income without anything else.

Never in my 30 years of working life I have experienced anything like this and I wish I never joined the big 4.

TIA

What’s the big 4?

Probably just leave, There's usually no coming back from something like this.
Be proactive and find another position before they start putting pressure on you, it'll help your mental health to feel in control

Do you have evidence that it’s age discrimination? If you can prove it, you can probably get them to agree to a reasonable settlement with you if you want out. Maybe compile as much evidence as you can and if they do put you on a PIP, I’d raise a grievance and see if they’re willing to pay you off.

Edit: When I was Big Four, it didn’t matter how good your performance was if you didn’t hit your targets including (and especially) utilisation. If you’re fully utilised now/going forward and getting good feedback, you’ll probably be okay. If you’re still struggling for client-facing work though you’re likely to keep getting hammered until that changes (or you leave/move).

I’ve had people on a PIP, who improved and never looked back. I’ve been on a PIP myself, worked on it and never looked back!

BUT if you think it’s culture as well as performance, I’d look else where as it can be a one way path. Better to go on your own terms sometimes. You could fight if you feel it’s age discrimination, but I’d ask yourself honestly if it would be worth it? Fighting these things is hard and long. If it damages you more than you stand to gain or more than you feel is right for you, I’d walk away, only you know what it’s worth for you. Good luck!

Most people can’t afford to just leave their job, especially in a big consulting firm where no doubt there is a package and benefits associated.

OP - it sounds like you are competent and experienced.

what’s the cultural issue you’re alluding too - does it feel like age? If so, what is the mismatch? Skills, approach, communication style?

there are plenty of ways to continue your learning - especially as business models within big-4 type orgs, and their clients, are changing rapidly right now.

this gives you opportunity to hone your skills, refresh, and highlight your value,

are you being/able to be proactive?

Which service line? Consulting? Audit?

And approx what grade if you don't mind sharing?

Quitting before actually being put on a pip / settlement offer is probably an error - are you doing everything you can to get scheduled onto something?

I'd start interviewing as well as looking at internal transfers...

If you are "lucky" any redundancy might coincide with a new job.

You could also go for a "conversation without prejudice" and agree a settlement and get a clean break

Do you have any sort of work support? Might be worth reaching out now.

But yes look at other options. Stay optimistic.

The Big 4 are having loads of redundancies. I wonder if they even have to bother with a PIP. They could just tap you in the shoulder and ask you to leave as part of their programme. You would get some money but I don’t know how much.

My top tip having worked for the big 4 and seen people be managed out is that if they offer you (say) 3 months pay to leave, then reject the offer and ask for 6 - there’s always more in the pot than the starting offer (not saying you’ll get 6, but you can improve on the initial offer).

If I was you I would start looking elsewhere, but engage with the PIP (if it comes) and try to get a decent offer from them in case a new job takes time.

Thank you all. I have started job hunting. I do feel is age discrimination though. It is not like I am rejecting new work.

Can I suggest joining a union? Unite is pretty good from experience, and I'm a corporate worker. (I previously and stupidly thought unions didn't work for office workers).

You need to be with a union three months before they can start attending meetings, but they can give advice in the interim.

Twice I've joined a union when I've noticed a shift at work with new / bad managers and face no longer fitting. Twice, the union was worth it's weight in gold.

Good luck.

How are you promoting your skills and expertise, OP?

is there an opportunity for blogs, podcasts, panels, etc, to raise your profile?

are you active on LinkedIn and/or could you be more so?

it’s certainly worth continually building on your network, internally and externally, to look for projects and opportunities, and even just to put yourself in people’s minds again.

Which line of service are you in? How well networked are you and have you asked for help? In my experience Ps are quite generous with this if you show yourself to be useful and willing. If you’re under utilised are you going hard on flexing your internal and external network to find more work?

Hard to know without knowing your team etc.

Seems like reasonable advice.

Apologies if I’m off the mark OP, but if you work for Big 4 and have been working for 30 years do you not have some savings to fall back on - start winding down a bit?

I appreciate that’s not the point if you can’t afford it or just don’t want to

But personally I’d see this as an opportunity to quit the rat race.

My experience in the Big 4 was brutal.

What grade are you? At certain grades they will expect you to be managing to get your utilisation up to a certain level without help. Part of being at a big 4 is jumping through the various hoops though, and utilisation is probably the most important one. A PIP won’t necessarily be a bad thing, it means that you can be more demanding about making sure you are given chargeable work (unless you are a Director, where it would be expected you can sort it yourself).
If you’re at PwC, can I suggest you join Fishbowl - there are a lot of people commenting on the shitty forced distribution that continues to be applied. It won’t change your rating, but might make you realise you are not alone.

Thank you all. Some good advice here.

I am a Manager so not very high up. I feel I have been proactive and good at networking.

Thanks. I think I need to start raising my profile

I will look into this. Thank you

I do wonder on what basis they will put me in a PIP though. I have asked numerous times for new work which is coming slowly

I’ve never worked for one of the big 4, but have been a client and also worked with people who have come to us from the big 4. Every single one of them is so pleased to be out and away from the oppressive culture. If get out while you can (and if you can get a redundancy package so much the better).
And judging by my current experience as a client of one of the big 4, you’d have to be shockingly bad to be on a pip! 😂

Thank you. I need to get out sooner tather than later. It is soul destroying.

I would suggest looking around at your options, but not quitting without a good job to go to. A redundancy package can do a lot to soothe the misery of being frozen out. As PPs have said, the big 4 are cutting headcount significantly so a redundancy is quite possible.

I feel I am supported by some people, but is the partners making the decisions. It is a team which still have the culture of up or out and due to my age it will be difficult to climb up the ladder. The company always talks about flexibility, inclusivity and diversity but the reality is different. Not everyone is the same and some partners are good as do believe in it. Depends on the team,

Thank you. I need to focus my energy in finding a good job.