Demoted

[hannah456ls]

Basically my company is trying to demote me and replace me with someone of less quality and in a nutshell has shown she can't cope and that's after doing a trial run. She has a qualification higher than mine but what's on paper and what iv seen it's worrying

When you say your employer is "trying to" demote you, what makes you think that's happening - do you have tangible proof you can record in chronological order?

Specifics captured as dates times and details/context are a powerful message, especially if it's an insidious removal of your duties from you and transference to the other employee without consultation or discussion with you.

What was the "trial period" for? Presumably that was a circumstance you at some stage got to know about (directly or indirectly).

Can you give more detail?

It's very difficult and risky for an employer to denote someone and give their job to someone else.

I'm guessing you were temporarily promoted until they hired a replacement, and now the replacement is here you are unhappy your temporary promotion has ended?

No I am in a senior position and basically the company are saying there are problems in the area I work in and they can't put their finger on it so they are going to put someone of higher qualification in my position to see if that brings hinges back up to speed. When I shared my disagreements due to the fact the other person has not shown any capability to me or any other staff they said they would try her for a week then resume the meeting which they yet haven't.

In a meeting I had last week the first sentence was "we are taking you off senior" then they didn't give me any specific reasons as to why so I asked at what part am I failing my duties? They again couldn't give me an answer

And you senior position is a permanent position? Are they moving you into another senior role?

What do you think the issues are?

Because it sounds like they think you are the issue, but dont want to say.

No not another senior role. They have said on numerous occasions they can't doubt my work just something isn't running as smoothly as it should in my department

But that's your jobs to solve isnt it?

They must think you cant?

It's all very odd, if not.

Yes it is my job so I invited them to a meeting I held last week with my staff to evidence that I am putting certain procedures in place to put things back on track

But what are the issues in the department?

OP unfortunately you are being too vague to be able to give you helpful advice, and advise you if your employer is breaking any employment law.

They have said on numerous occasions they can't doubt my work just something isn't running as smoothly as it should in my department

Saying to you, as the senior manager " something isn't running as smoothly as it should in my department" isn't enough and you should be challenging them on exactly what the "something" is. What specifically do they have an issue with, how long has it been going on and what are the known consequences of the "something" disrupting business operations to such an extent that they have had to parachute another staff member in with more qualifications.

Unless you grab this by the scruff of the neck they will railroad you, and then rewrite history by saying you've accepted the change (in the absence of you objecting to their approach).

Are you aware of what it could be? I know relatively quickly if something is going pear-shaped in my area of responsibility, even if I don't have all the detail.

How long have you worked there?

How long have the departmental issues been going on? Is communication part of the problem?

I think they clearly dont agree with your plans or feel you dont know what the issue is/ able to fix it.

They may not be saying that, but employers dont demote people for no reason.

I dont think they are doing this is a great way, presuming your arent leaving something about your position out.

I'm sorry I am being vague but I don't know if I will get caught on here as I know a lot of the staff use this

The issue has been going on since October o have worked there 3 years

I have challenged them on the "something" and just got "we don't know we can't put our finger on it" the issue isn't disrupting the business the issue is the staff are stretched and we are all struggling. We have all desperately asked for more staff.

Last autumn they moved two of our staff team and we never got replacements even when the work load grew

The meeting I had with them was proir to the meeting I held and invited them to so they didn't know my plans then

*prior

I wonder if their 'view of the world' is that you have the staff numbers you have and aren't getting any more, so you need to make your processes more efficient and eliminate any waste (Lean Sigma type approach)?

Could you get all your staff together in a room, workshop it and come away with suggested improvements that you can take back to management as a set of recommendations. Even if it involves some investment, you'd find management is more amenable to that, than throwing more people at the situation.

Could that be what this new colleague has qualifications in (process improvement) and it's 'turned their head'

I got all the staff team together and did this. No real response from it though just got "we'll look into it and have a chat later" chat never happened

It’s really unclear what is going on. Can you please write a timeline of events for us?

You've either got to press them via email to have a formal meeting or accept their ongoing obfuscation is a message your management are gutless and not on side to invest in your team success with you at the helm. Time to move on, it won't get better.