Am I being kindly pushed out? Can I save it?

[cato40]

Hope the people on here can advise!
Started a new job 18 months ago. Job of my dreams for the organisation of my dreams, life was perfect. Then life happened and within a few months in the new role I had to deal with marriage breakdown, losing my dad and perimenopause. I've had a hard time, managed to show up at work but my performance suffered. I didn't mess up but didn't generate the income that was expected of my role. Still no negative feedback in my PDR or formal conversation about it.

Six months forward I am now in a better place mentally and trying to do my best in every area of life. I am moving on.

However whilst my first manager was really supportive of my situation, I find that my new manager (2 months) avoids me. He knows what has been going on but never asked how I was doing or showed any interest in me in the same way he talks to other team members. I think he probably thinks I am useless. Since he came he has taken responsibilities away from me and given to a new starter, and whilst others are gasping under their busy workload, I ask to do more, and I am told to wait or just sit and watch. I have a feeling this is the start of the end for my employer to show how I am not needed , add no value and can be let go. Honestly I didn't have any meltdown at work, been rude or caused any huge troubles, yes I deal with a group of clients who are notoriously difficult and not a priority for our organisation.

I don't know what to do to save it as I love the organisation and the people. I do feel that I am not trusted, by my manager or some members of the team that sometimes ask me questions borderline with patronising. What would you do?

My manager knows I have capacity, but seems too busy to think about other things I could do, when I am being proactive he tells me someone else is already on it. He is an extremely experienced team manager, not a newbie in the role.

What else can I do?

Yes, it sounds like he's trying to manage you out. He will claim he's passed on your tasks to others.

Could you email him each time you complete your assigned tasks and ask for more? So it's documented that he's not actually giving you anything else to do.

Once you get to 2 years it becomes a bit more challenging to dismiss you. Good news is you are almost there, bad news is the deadline can be a catalyst for forcing a decision. By your own acknowledgment you are a bit on the back foot due to some really specific circumstances. It can be difficult to change the narrative around your performance, but I have seen several people doe this successfully with concerted effort. Communicating proactively around what you have done / asking for more is great. I would also actively seek feedback from you manager around what is going well / what could be better. The more concrete you can make expectations the better chance you have of defending your position.

Op are you performing at the required level now and brining in the incomes. If so for how long. And how long were you there before you started to fail. Have you ever generated what they wished?

My manager knows I have capacity

but it’s not Just about capacity. It’s also about capability. You’ve been very vague there in terms of were you meeting the targets, if so for how long and are you meeting them now and if so, for how long.

Do you generate the required income? Could you speak to his senior or HR raise it that you’re not being given the chance and explain what he’s done. It does sound like he’s trying to push you out, sadly.

I would suggest not sitting and waiting for work if possible. If you have achieved targets and completed workload look into developing your expertise - are there courses that you could get involved with? Are there efficiencies you could develop and present as ideas. Could you anticipate things to make his life easier? Yes your manager should be giving you work but if you want to make yourself indispensable then you need to find a skill set that you can add to the team and do it well on top of your day to day. That would then open the space for you to explain the blip on performance and show (not tell) that it was only a blip.

I’m afraid it definitely does sound like he is managing you out of the business.
As much as you say it was the dream job, I think now is the time to move on.
The experience you have gained will put you in a stronger position for an even better role.

Thank you for your comments. Yes I have not delivered the income that was expected. My role is a niche role where I should generate income from a specific stakeholder group the organisation wanted to pursue for a few years but never succeeded. I knew it was going to be challenging when I joined, as I am not the first but at the time I was happy to take the risk because I wanted a foot in the organisation and my personal circumstances were different (I get it that is my problem). I brought in limited income but also shown the blockers to why we aren't doing more with my assigned stakeholder group and what needs addressing to overcome that.

I have been six months in post, passed probation when my marriage collapsed, six months later I lost my dad and struggled to get back up again. It has now been 18 months since I started.

Re capabilities, just to give an example: a colleague is away travelling for 3 months, someone need attending a cross department meeting, I've offered as it is also relevant to my business area but he made plans to go himself when he is so busy and I am not. It is a working group update meeting not a pitch!

He is very new to the organisation, only been 2 months and is a mat cover to my manager who recruited me. I had a great working relationship with her, then we had an interim cover which I think never understood my role and this new manager.

It seems such an honest and transparent organisation though, why no one ever raised an issue with my performance or tried to have a conversation?? Especially when it is so hard to recruit?

Anyway I want to give this opportunity all I can, I love the organisation. Thank you for the advice about communicating proactively and asking for more. I have started doing that and will continue, I am also taking and sharing notes of our conversations.

I think you have done amazingly considering all you have been through in a short time. Unfortunately, you don't have the right manage who will empathise and support you.

As you really want to stay - you do need to get to the 2 year mark to be protected.

Can you have a check in with your manager to talk about goals for the year ahead and agree targets etc that he will hold you accountable for? I think demonstrating that you have come out of a difficult time but are now ready to commit fully to the expectations can go a long way.

@Hillcrest2022 thank you. Considering all the bad things that happened I am proud I kept it together but sad I didn't achieve the desired results and worried about the future as work is probably done with being understanding and empathic.