Marked as Under Performing what can I do ? :-(

[SquashySponge]

I work for a large company and have had my end of year performance review. I marked myself and my other reviewers all marked me as Good Performance (which is the average score). In my mid year review there were no issues and during my regular meetings with my manager there was nothing to cause undue concern. My manager actually gave me more responsibilities and suggested that next year I should seriously think about going in for a promotion, and when I was going to leave a few months ago, they persuaded me to reconsider. However, out of the blue and at my year end review, my manager has marked me as under-performing. I am shocked and I actually feel like crying. It is completely dented my confidence in my abilities as I have never had such a poor performance in my entire career history.

Please can I have some advice how to take it forward from here?? The score will prevent me from taking other roles in the company, affect my pay, and I fear leave me open to redundancy.

Has your manager outlined in which ways you are under performing, how you need to improve and what support they will give ? If not, ask!!

I'd ask them for specific instances and examples of how you are underperforming, and what plan they have to help you exceed expectations in the future.

I'd also be asking (with all this in writing of course) why this hadn't been brought to your attention before, especially as you had been assigned new responsibilities.

Unfortunately not. I have just a few lines given to me in the appraisal sheet, but it doesn't really say much and certainly nothing to support it.

I've set up a meeting to discuss further and I want to be prepared

Are they trying to force you out?

you want to know where you havn't been preforming

When was your last few meeting before your yearly Ap?

Could you ask why this wasn't mentioned then that there was concerns - so at least you had chance to work at your preformance and take anything onboard that was wrong as leaving this till appresal as this isn't what an apprasel is for.

to late or spelling sorry

Thanks for your advice.

CMOT - that is the trouble - there has been NO specific instances and examples given and no plan. The feedback is rather vague and alludes that my role is not suited to my abilities - but in another paragraph it contradicts itself by saying that I contributed strongly to the successes and that I welcomed additional responsibilities outside my role

I did raise the point that it hadn't been brought to my attention before - but it wasn't really answered, and the question avoided

I am beginning to wonder that they are trying to force me out - but I have no idea what i have suddenly done wrong. I also am confused as I was going to leave this year, but they persuaded me to stay.

I'll definitely be asking why this wasn't brought up before, and also in our other appraisal reviews.

My manager did also mention that they had to mark some in the lower category - but I really really don't understand why I was chosen

ivykaty - we have other reviews mid year and also just before Xmas. At no point in those, were there any concerns about my performance, so this has come as a surprise.

I am just so worried now and I really want to resolve this.

It might be better to question in an eamil with reference to both the contradictions in the AP form and that you would like to know where the incidents of under preforming are? As this has lead to confusion.

once in writing make sure you send a copy home to your own email and then wait.

If an answer isn't forth coming you can either then leave it till your 6 month review or ask again

But at least you have proof you have asked and if at a later date you think soemthing unfari is happening you have soem proof

It's very bad practice to raise concerns about performance for the first time in an appraisal. Nothing in an appraisal should be a surprise - performance concerns should be raised promptly at the time they develop, in order to give you the opportunity to put things right at the earliest opportunity.

It is also unacceptable to say you are under-performing without actually specifying what you are doing wrong and tell you what level of improvement is expected.

I'm glad you have a meeting set up, that's the first step. Ask in the meeting for clarification as to exactly what you are doing wrong as you are obviously keen to improve if there are genuine concerns. Make sure you emphasise that it was a complete surprise and that you would ask in future that concerns are raised at the time they occur in order to give you opportunity to put things right.

Insist on specific examples of what you have done wrong and clarification of exactly what is expected of you going forward.

You may not get it. But after the meeting write a letter/email minuting the meeting, confirming exactly what you asked for and the response you got so there is a record both of your reasonable attempts to improve and your manager's unreasonable response.

Do you have the right to appeal your appraisal rating and/or add your own comments?

It sounds like the system at the bank I used to work for but has been exercuted very poorly.

Eg a performance rating of 1-5 is given, 1 being major underperformance, 3 being ave neither exceeding or underperforming and 5 is out reforming in every area. It's marked on a curve, can't remember the exact percentages but say out of 100 people you would have;
rating of 1 given to 1-2 people
rating of 2given to approx 15 people
rating of 3 given to everyone else not in 1,2,4,5
rating of 4 given to approx 15 people
rating of 5 given to 1-2 people

this only works by looking at performance as a whole of the office, so the ave performance of the office ie your peers is what you are marked against. This means that if you are underperforming compared to your collegues you may end up with a 2.

I have seen it where a senior manager has told another manager they have to issue a two where there has been no priror conversations had with the employee. It is not a fair system unless it is managed very tightly throughout the whole year.

At my workplace there was an appeals process, not having any issues as well as taking on extra duties would swing itfor me afterall why would you give extra responsibility to an underperformer when your manager should have been giving you support to get you were you should ve.

At my old workplace we were told how many of evach rating we had to issue.

Hth

Please appeal, if there is

Sorry pressed post in error. Was going to say please appeal, see how you meeting goes, believe me none of them will want an appeal as it causes them extra work but for your performance record you must. If I had anyone on a rating 2 I had to performance manage them up or out during the year. It was a major issue if anyone had a 2 two years in a row.

Poor you. I had this on my last quarterly review when a new manager rated me as needing development. I was livid! His argument was that I did not have any product knowledge - which I had never been told that I needed and had never been raised in any discussions. I also work for a big company and we have very specific guidelines for these things. If your company is the same, then they cannot just spring this on you, they will have to have supporting evidence, and a plan in place to bring you up to standard.

Put everything in writing, stand your ground and good luck!

I agree it is really important you do stand your ground and record in writing that you disagree with the rating and why. As I'm sure you know, performance ratings can be used as a selection criteria in a redundancy situation should that arise.

A huge thank you for you responses - they are very helpful and I'll definitely take the advice on board.

Flowery - I expressed surprise and that my work had never been brought up for discussion before at the time of review itself. When I tried to ask for specifics I was told that we should discuss it later. However, my manager canceled my follow up meeting today and has said it has to be done next week - a whole week of more worry . I guess the only plus is that I'll have lots of time to prepare.

LoveBeingADaddy - my company is very similar to yours, and the curve and numbers of ratings were mentioned as the reasoning. It seems I was the unlucky one - but I honestly believe that I should have been told of my under performance before, given clear measures and a chance to resolve it.

Today has been worse, my manager has given all my work to other people - and told me to do it too - which has caused confusion among my team. I've also been asked to review everything I do from now on with him - but also exert more independence and confidence in what I do . In addition, I've now been moved away to another bank of desks. This really isn't helping my confidence at all.

To me a lot of things don't add up (asking me to stay, approving my flexible working, giving me additional responsibility etc etc). I think my manager has been under a lot of stress as the majority of the team have left. Unfortunately - despite me asking - my manager has never prioritized or given me any deadlines to work to either which has made my management of my workload difficult.

I'll definitely appeal - however the bottom line is that I doubt my manager will change his grading, and I suspect my HR dept will support his decisions regardless.

I've been feeling so crap today - haven't eaten or slept properly.

SS I think we may work for the same company from the terminology you use. If you are a member of the union definitely get in touch they may well be able to support you in any appeal. If you are not a member it may be worth discussing it with them anyway as they may be prepared to help if you join.

I wouldn't be so down hearted about the appeal, if you have a good mid year and 121s with no areas for development then the grade is unjustifiable. Also in preparation for your next meeting print out any emails which show you being given new responsibility or praise your work.

At the meeting, try to remain unemotional and take notes. If they don't send a summary of the meeting then you should.

As for the remarks about exerting more independence and confidence, ask your manager specifically what they mean by this, leave no room for ambiguity. Unfortunately it sounds as if they were pressurised into scoring you down to meet their distribution curve and are now trying to justify this in their behaviour to you.

Good luck I hope you get it sorted

Rookie - Unfortunately there is no union presence in my company. But agree - I suspect they are trying to justify it.

Coatgate - what eventually happened when you were marked down?

Flowery - I forgot to answer that the appraisal system we use allows you to make final comments after the review. I'll need to find out if there is an appeals process

Op please listen when I say this. He is bang out of order to make you give work to others and basically bring the team into this and move you away without having met with you.

As you manager and even his manager possibly, have been involved in deciding your mark it shouldn't be them that deals with the appeal. There will be a cut off date for appeal so I wouldn't wait I would do it now.

For you meeting I suggest firstly looking at the performance meaures used and seeing if you can get the ave figures so you can see yourself where they are saying you are underperforming, or send him an email asking for this info so you can prepare for the meeting. It sounds very much like you are being put on an underperformance action plan (or whatever you company call them).

There are two ways this could end, your performance is raised and held at a statisfactory level or you continue to underperform and will be heading towards a disiplinary for underperformance. Continued underperformance after that could lead to termination of contract.

This is turning into something else as he has taken the work away without any explaination, he is demoralising you and it seems on purpose by moving your desk to another area.

try to ask questions in writing so he can't wriggle out of them at a later date

By his effors to undermine you he is not doing his job either but the reverse, perhaps it needs to be pointed out you have asked where you are going wrong and he refuses to say leaving you to flounder as before this your you where told your work is fine.

Hi,

Feels as if this is very poor practice and I believe the agenda is for you to leave - could there be restructuring at your company and they are looking for people to leave on a voluntary?

My concern is that your confidence has been bashed and as a result you won't be able to assert yourself. I would really recommend you get some legal advice asap - contact ACAS - can call them and seek advice. I would also suggest a one to one with an employment lawyer. I just feel this is being loaded against you so you need to well armed. The practice seems very unfair. My DH works in a company where they have to get performance manage a certain % of staff a year if the standard attrition targets haven't been met. It means that even good people are sometimes targetted.

Please take some advice - it will help your confidence (even if you decide to leave!)

Everyone's advice here has been so helpful and constructive. It is very very much appreciated.

The grading had to be in by Friday, and there is no appeals process that I can find. After the Manager's comments and grades have been given all I am 'allowed' to do is confirm that I have read it. It's all rather pants really as it seems weighted in favour of the Senior Management. Even though I have my follow up meeting with my Manager this forthcoming week, I doubt anything I say will make much difference - or make my Manager change the grading. I believe that it has all pretty much been already decided and agreed the % of staff who are to have the lower grading

On Friday, my team members who reveiwed my work had no major changes which was reassuring and indicates that my work is fine. I think that this is unfortunately an underhand way to get rid of me - and the reviews are a way of ensuring a handover. Although I could get legal advice, I doubt that would help matters and would cause me stress. The simplist option I believe is to cut my losses and look around for another job as fast as possible. It's frustrating as I don't think it is fair - but my main priority is to leave at least with a reference - rather than say having a disciplinary or a court case to my name.

If your company is anything like mine, I expect there is currently pressure on your line manager because the team as a whole isn't performing, and he/she has to be seen as 'tough'. I was in a similar position in my company and 'adviced' in very strong terms to downgrade one of my team as they felt the unit as a whole was underperforming, therefore there had to be a bunch of poor ratings handed out to someone. Since my team member was fairly new and not well known, he was picked out by people who really had no way of knowing anything about his performance.

I resisted and because I know the review process pretty well, was able to put a solid case together to prove my team member did not warrant such a rating. If your line manager is more of a push over, they may have relented, agreed to mark you down but not have any real evidence to put towards it. 'Not appearing confident' is nonsense feedback and they know it.

It's even possible that your line manager received a poor rating and is either looking for a culprit or out to prove he is tough and able to tackle the issue.

Now my advice:

1. Document everything that happened so far and that is still to come - confirm telephone conversations with your line manager in writing/email, ask questions in writing, confirm appointments and amendments to appointments in writing. When push comes to shove, and you have to prove your case, it doesn't matter what really happened, it only matters what you can prove happened. If you email, get read receipts and save them + print them so they can never pretend they didn't read or receive your mail.

1. If you are with the union, get a union rep involved straight away. They will know the processes in your company inside out and can guide and support you.

1. Write again to your line manager asking for specific feedback and examples and request this feedback by date X. If they want to give feedback over the phone, get it confirmed in writing and if that doesn't appear within 24 hours, confirm it yourself. Chase lack of response again via email. The point of this is not to get the feedback (they would have given this to you ages ago if there was really any substance to their claims), it is to create evidence that they are not willing to back up their rating with coaching or relevant evidence.

1. Request a view of 'what good looks like' - what should you have done in order to get a good rating? What kind of evidence should have been used?

1. Now let's find this evidence: Go back through your own archive and collect anything that can be evidence towards good performance: recognition you received, even if it was just a 'thank you' or 'well done' over email; note down events where you improved something or made a positive impact on the business; especially get the feedback from your previous 121s. The fact that your colleagues reviewed your work recently and found nothing wrong in your advantage now. Make sure to write to your line manager and said you understand your work was reviewed by your colleagues and no issues found.

Now send all this evidence to your line manager and ask him to point out why this would not warrant a good rating.

1. Finally, you shouldn't quit your job. It sounds like you have excellent grounds for a grievance case against your line manager and you should pursue this issue relentlessly. This is your job, your pay, your pride - it'll be tough challenging this decision but the fact that you fought back will stay with you as a source of strength for the rest of your life.