What does performance management really mean?

[NewMum0305]

My husband has been told by his line manager that he is going to be put on performance management. Is this just a process to enable a firm to fire someone or can it genuinely be a positive process to help with performance?

Any positive experiences?

So sad to hear that - hard to know for sure what was going on behind the scenes - they certainly didn't give him much support. They are unlikely to mention the reasons for your dh leaving and your dh should not mention it either. Hope he gets something else soon.

I asked about length of service as although capability is a fair reason for dismissal the process needs to be carried out fairly and I think two weeks with no actual plan is not a fair process.

But he doesn’t have long enough tenure unfortunately. The best thing to do at this point is to keep it professional and try to ensure that a reference will be neutral, confirmation of employment dates. Most employers are not looking to destroy a person chance of ever working again, so this should be doable.

Good luck.

Thank you. He has been totally professional about it - it’s with immediate effect (with pay in lieu) so it’s all been a bit stark and sudden.

He has contacted HR for confirmation re a reference - the relevant person is off at the moment.

Thanks again x

As he’s not been there 2 years they can dismiss. However I think it’s wrong and unfair. If it was over 2 years it would be unfair dismissal because he’s not been given an opportunity to improve nor been given targeted coaching. Only after that, and no improvement, should he have been dismissed. I think there is more going on. Cost cutting and avoiding the process of slimming down. They were not prepared to do the decent thing and offer support to improve.

Regarding the term “performance management”. All good companies should hsve procedures in place for every employee. It’s usually an annual review where performance, targets, training etc are discussed. It’s not about getting rid of anyone. If an employee is struggling there should be a capability policy to help them with improvement and measures put in place to help the employee. It’s not the discipline policy. It’s totally separate at this stage. If sn employee fails to improve then they can be dismissed after all avenues have been shown not to work.

The undue haste here is cost cutting and I Hope DH gets another job.

It’s usually an annual review where performance, targets, training etc are discussed. This might be usual but it's certainly not good practice - we do not leave performance issues, targets and training to an annual review to be discussed - if there is a problem with something - now is the best time to fix it - for everyone's sake!

I totally agree. But I was referring to a performance management policy. This is usually an annual review and would have picked up any issues with DH. Of course managers should be engaging with staff about performance if necessary at other times. However the two might not be connected in terms of policies. I would say normal management of staff and indicators of performance should be ongoing. And dealt with via the methods I outlined. No they should not be introduced at an annual review but that review can be a catalyst for both employee and manager. The basic issue is dialogue throughout employment.

Just as a sideline issue related to performance. There are many people in workforce who have undiagnosed dyslexia/adhd which can create speed/organisation issues or some people can have undiagnosed autism , again which creates communication issues. None of these issues are "screened" for by employers and then issues recur. The worker may then worker harder to over compensate for where they have a deficit.

However if shortcomings are never addressed and workers are dismissed immediately its hard to see how anyone can improve if they need to.

Wow OP, sorry to hear: that’s a very short time frame not giving your DH much of a chance

One thing: at 18 months in a pandemic, I would assume cost cutting vs performance. Could DH try to negotiate a reference stating reason for being let go as something like ‘changing business needs’ or similar

He cannot take it to a tribunal so company has no reason to perceive threat, an amicable reference would be in all parties interests,

It’s such a strange time that if hiring I wouldn’t be wary

Good managers don't do that. Either his manager is crap at his job, your husband is really bad at his job or they're managing him out of the company. Good managers can handle fixable (!) shortcomings without triggering this nasty process.

It is not "managing out" by introducing so called performance management and then immediately firing someone. Managed out refers to a longer process where shortcomings are identified and the employee is given a strategy to improve. However failure to do so (often harshly judged) leads to the employee leaving the company. Under 2 years in a job leaves employees very exposed to underhand last minute decisions with no recourse to a tribunal. Many companies seem incapable of understanding how to improve performance. Or, of course, simply do not want to. As in ths case. Why would a company suddently say, after 18 months, that an employee is not performing adequately? Had they no inkling of this previously? It is clearly cost cutting by being dishonest and not going through any redundancy procedures.

I hope DH has a new job. Any news?

No news yet - he is applying for a job at the moment but the form asks why he left his previous job and he’s not sure how to address it. I don’t know if anyone has any suggestions?

So frustrated for him that he’s been put in this unfair situation - just worried it will make looking for work a lot harder. xx

Can he ask the HR department in the company he left what sort of reference they will give and what the legal terms are he left on?

I was terminated during the COVID lockdown doesn’t sound so bad to me. It’s true too.

Thank you - he was not sure if that would be deemed to be bending the truth as the industry he’s in, people at firms he applies to could well be in contact with the firm he is leaving.

HR has confirmed they will give him the standard basic reference (dates of employment, sick days etc)

I’m not sure what you mean by legal terms, sorry. His final letter states that his employment was terminated for poor performances xx

*perfroamce

@NewMum0305

*perfroamce

Goodness me - *performance!

I thought they might of made him redundant or asked him to resign. Just checking.

Yes, I would say that I was terminated during the COVID lockdown and not elaborate. People might consider that the company was desperately trying to save money, or that things went wrong for him do to extraordinary circumstances. I wouldn’t qualify with the words poor performance.

Both are true:
I was terminated during the COVID lockdown.
I was terminated due to poor performance.

But quite a difference in perception. If he isn’t getting jobs and he thinks it is due to negative comments from his former organisation, he should threaten his former company that he will take action.

I think the question about leaving could be addressed as “wanting a new challenge”. Or “change in job requirements” or similar. Or even “reduction in staff due to work/managerial changes”.

Most firms don’t write massively long references now. The hiring company has to do its own tests and interviews. As he’s not employed it’s fairly obvious there was a parting of the ways. Is there any chance of going back to a previous company? Any friends who could help?

He has two recruitment consultants looking for him and a few friends in the same field. Had an interview this week but unfortunately fell down on the “why did you leave your last job” question. From what he said, I think he went into way too much detail.

I really don’t know how you deal with a question like that at interview though - they had assumed he chose to leave and so he felt he had to correct them.

I suggested that next time he say something like “unfortunately it wasn’t my decision but we’re in the middle of a pandemic and I’m not the only one finding themselves looking for new work but I’m really excited to ... etc etc” ie keep it vague and move on to something positive. He doesn’t seem convinced though. Any thought welcome x

Your suggestions are good and you are right, the briefer the better.

Thank you. His newest recruitment consultant has also stressed that brief is best so hopefully it will go better next time x