What have I done wrong?

[GreenBlueTack]

Named changed for this as following on from what happened yesterday I am really paranoid.

I started working for company, a charity, towards the back end of last year. The team I am in is a new team. We have been asked to work in several projects, one is reliant on on new system being in place. The new system has been delayed for reasons beyond anyone's control. Just for general info, the system is a finance system.

Nothing has been put in place to account for the lack of this system, plus we were given to welcome to the organisation with regards to what we were expected to work on, who is who etc.

As a team we have been bumbling along trying to gain information and make working relationships with people who can help us.

I was asked to go to a conference over a month to give an update in the work we had done to date. I went along, explained we were working hard and were looking forward to the new finance system being put in place as we could move through our work much more quickly.

Last Friday I was told I had passed my probation period. On Monday, my line manager pulled me to one side to say I hadn't passed my probation, they were extending it by a further 6 weeks.

The reason for this is, apparently I was rude at the conference and upset one of the finance directors by saying the finance system wasn't in place yet. They had complained to my senior manager who has sat on this complaint since the conference.

He then contacted my line manager on Monday to relay this message and asked if he should be ending my employment. My line manager was horrified and said absolutely no, that it didn't sound like something I would have done and the most that she was willing to do is to extend by probation whilst she investigated this.

To date, my line manager doesn't know exactly what it is I said or did. My senior manager also doesn't know what I did, he is just relaying that he had complaint sent to him.

I'm understandably upset as I work hard, and I've worked under bad circumstances, making the best of things.

I felt like quitting on the spot, and I am now actively seeking new work.

I am concerned that HR can say that I didn't pass my probation when it comes to references. I'm also not pleased that my work history will show I was in this role for a short time and that it will reflect negatively on me.

Thank you for reading, does anyone have any advice?

What a terrible situation to be put in. I wish you the very best in finding a new job that deserves your talents and diligence.

If it were me, I would make sure the trustees and senior management are aware of what has happened

It might all be coming from them though. They might be completely unreasonable and keep the management team trying to do its job with one arm tied behind its back.

I was working at a small trade association until recently and the Board was awful. They really did make the MD do his job with one arm tied behind his back. He was a bit of a pain in some ways which contributed to my decision to leave but one Director in particular treating it as his personal fiefdom was another reason.

I think the answer is not to work anywhere very small!

And yes, good luck with the job hunt.

Xc

Good luck with the job hunt. They do not sound like a good employer at all.

Just to give an update. Today is my last day, the team is work with are treating mr to lunch then I can go home early.

I spent the weekend writing a carefully and thoughtfully worded email that I am about to send to the senior management team and the trustees.

I feel very angry about how things have happened and want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else. I don't know if my email will ever be acknowledged, but I can leave knowing I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Sorry, I think the xc was a pocket post

It sounds to me like a case of what you actually said was not what the FD heard. If he is getting flack from all sides for this new system not being in place, he was probably hyper sensitive about the subject. Your basic reference to it as an explanation for your teams work output in that one project hit a raw nerve and he took it as a public dressing down / criticism and ‘rudeness’ when it was nothing of the sort. You probably have a few weak senior managers who couldn’t gently tell him he was wrong and get him to withdraw their complaint. So every runs round not knowing how to handle him and your left dangling not to mention insulted.

Good luck with your job hunting.