Feedback

[Insecurexyz]

I've recently had feedback that while I am valued and produce high quality work, they often wonder whether it was a mistake to promote me a year ago or so and whether I would have been better suited staying in my original position. I've recently had time off due to a family issue, following a few months of doing silly hours for my work and come back. I was wondering if this is effectively a way to tell me to look for a role elsewhere?

Who gave you the feedback, and did you ask any questions about their reasoning at the time? (I realise it's hard to think on your feet when someone says something unexpected and anxiety driving).

My line manager, as a part of a back to work meeting. I had a difficult year in which the team was understaffed for various unfortunate reasons, which particularly affected my portfolio and had a large workload without much chance for delegation. They felt I was in my comfort zone doing the more junior work (which is true, however at the time we were told we had to as there was none else to do it).

That isn’t feedback, it’s a regret expressed in a shitty way and if that’s all that was said it sounds like pretty poor management.

Is that all they said or was there more detail?

Feedback is more along the lines of…

“this is something you could do better…”

and great feedback is that
AND
“this is how you could do better / this is what we need from you”
and
“here’s some tools to achieve it, or a discussion about what you need (training / support) to be able to achieve it.”

If they haven’t given detail and support, can you ask for it - push for it? If they don’t give it, that’s when I would be questioning whether it’s the kind of environment you want to continue to be in.

I think it was wholly inappropriate for your manager to say this out loud to your face.

Thank you for all your responses. It sounds like it would be best to get less invested in my workplace, and to consider next steps.