Work situation - need advice

[worksucks2023]

Have name changed for this.

I've worked in financial services for the same company for over 20 years, been in current role for 5 years. Mid management level. Never ever had any performance issues in all of that time.

I've just had my mid year review and have been put in a category which effectively means I'm not performing. This has come completely out of nowhere, no previous conversations about issues with my performance. I'm very angry and upset. The summary that my manager has put together of the first half of the year is inaccurate and unfair. There have been some development needs flagged, which I'm ok with, but I'm not ok with being put in an underperforming category. Manager isn't very good, doesn't motivate, basically made me feel like shit to the point that I was in tears in the meeting and had to cut it short. He suggested next steps are that I work on pulling things back during the second half of the year.

BUT: I don't want what will effectively be a black mark on my record. In the business I work in, this marks you as first out the door if there are redundancies.

I haven't changed anything about how I work, but the business I work for have become more and more demanding around performance and you have to do a lot more now just to be seen as having a good performance.

My instinct says I need to challenge this with HR but I don't know if that will do me any favours in the long run. I also feel like I want out - I'm in my 50s and just don't feel able to cope with these kinds of demands any more. But I can't afford to leave unless I get a pay off.

Any advice?

You don't need to play any card for the moment. TBH from what you said in your OP it sounds like they're trying to manage you out. So in that case your aim should be to extract the biggest payout possible, and tbh they can probably be 'persuaded' to be generous as they won't want you to be difficult, particularly with regard to potential legal action.

My suggestion would be to play nice for now and keep your cards as close to your chest as possible until you have a clearer view of what they are up to. Document everything and yes have HR in as an OBSERVER if you wish (but remember HR is on the company's side, they are not on your side). Once you have a better idea of what their view is, then you can start strategising to get the best possible outcome for you. Consulting with an employment lawyer is important because so many people, even high paid well educated ones, don't realise how much they could potentially secure and allow themselves to be railroaded by the company.

If they'd wanted to manage me out there were redundancies about 6 months ago where they got rid of a number of people - they had their chance then. Or maybe I'm in the next group to go....who knows. Really trying not to let it stress me out having lost the whole weekend to worrying about it. Am trying to maintain a 'fuck the bastards' attitude on the inside, whilst attempting to show that I'm playing the game on the outside.

That's the spirit. Don't let the fuckers get you down. Don't waste your free time stressing over it either. Keep your chin up and know your worth....and if it comes to it, get every penny you can. And an expensive leaving do paid for by the company ;-)

OP well done ! Can you ask for someone else to be in the meeting, someone senior ?

He's just trying to bully you, the harder you make it the more he will back off. Having a witness to the next talk might be enough.

Don't give up a nice salary coz of one lazy arse.

I am senior! I've asked for HR to be in on the conversation. Have also asked a whole load of questions and for lots more evidence for my rating rather than the current hearsay it's been based on. That guy is going to wish he never met me.

Good stuff OP!
If you have your evidence and he doesn't - he may well give in.

And also may put you nearer the top of the list for exits if that arises so win, win.

Fuck 'em.

Glad to hear it, OP!

Well done @worksucks2023 so glad you are taking him him on. 💪

I can't tell you how much this thread helped me last weekend. I was not in a good place and doubting myself about what the best thing to do was. Female solidarity at it's very best - thankyou all.

I love this! Exactly the right attitude. And it doesn’t preclude you later on taking a different strategy but definitely best to come out fighting first!

I think you work in my organisation OP. Sounds very very similar. Good luck with challenging this, I hope it works out for you.

@KenIsAnAccessory you have my sympathies!

Where I work used to be such a lovely place to work - very focussed on staff wellbeing etc. It's completely changed in the last couple of years.

Complain if process hasn't been followed, which it doesn't sound like it has. There must be a procedure, protect yourself. That way, if there are redundancies you should be covered (at the very least you've had your say).

Gah am pissed off all over again now. HR refusing to get involved as it's 'not appropriate because it's just a mid year calibration.' Fucking useless. 😡😡😡

So send them a nice formal note back saying you are sorry they won’t help, as your focus is on making sure everyone is in agreement and communication is good and your entire focus is helping make sure you are all doing the best to help the company hit its strategic goals ya da ya da ya da. Say you will do a further reigns of conversations with your boss and copy them on your notes for the record. Basically, be the efficient, professional grown up in the room.

Underneath we can guess why they don’t want to get involved in his mess, but if you keep being so professional he will have no choice but to row back. He doesn’t have a leg to stand on. And he’s forewarned about the end of year review process too. Kill him with your responsiveness and focus on your performance.

just saw this OP. It's a tough one.

Break down given the number of hours etc what your actual outputs are - then scale them up to show what they would be if you worked 100% instead of 80%. That is what they should really be using to compare you to other people.

Also in terms of salary you said you suspect you're on the lower end (is that also pro-rata?). Then point out what good value you are for the time/money. (knowing that they might use that info to keep you exactly where you are - because you are a cheap worker in that respect)

FWIW: my company moved, i stayed with them for a year, as agreed as a weekly commuter. I had been the longest serving member, having first worked in sales/distribution then in accounts receivables. I ended up training all the new sales people, and my own AR team. I worked 12-15 hour days to get everything done and so on.

our annual appraisal system went from S (fantastic brilliant can't live without them) through A, B, C. Anyone with A D was managed out.

And they gave me a B, wouldn't change because "well there are 3 in your team doing similar to you and we can't give you all an S" (bonus and salary increase related to grade) I was due to leave in july so i resigned on the spot right before the year end accounting. And they had the brass neck to ask me why.

So - you have challenged. You go to them with your data. And they're being arses: make sure you have a good exit strategy.

Thanks.... Yeah it's shitty but I refuse to let it ruin my weekend again. I've told my manager that regardless of HR not giving a shit I want him to respond to all of my questions and challenges in writing, after which we can have a conversation about how we move forward.

In terms of the salary, even my full time equivalent is at the lower end of the scale.

I also refuse to work my arse off for the next 7 years just to get a shitty 2% which is all a 'good' rating usually equates to. Although the bonus is usually considerably more. I'm increasingly starting to think that this is a young person's game. They could pay some keen young thing about 20k less than me to do my job. But they wouldn't have my experience or knowledge.

Something very similar happened to me and I was being managed out.

After several years of good appraisals and great feedback from colleagues and clients, out of the blue my annual appraisal was one step above performance review. They raised stuff I’d literally never heard before. I tried to discuss it with my manager but she pretty much stonewalled me and wouldn’t tell me what I needed to do to improve in their eyes. The next few months were basically my manager deliberately undermining me with our team, picking apart every single bit of work I did and finding fault with it and bullying me.

It was a horrible experience, not least because I had no idea what I’d done to deserve it and was desperately trying to fix things. They eventually made me redundant once they realised I wasn’t going to leave of my own accord (I tried!).

I’m sorry this is happening to you but in my experience, the only way to get past this is for your to leave or hope they pay you off.

That's awful @Pringleface, I really hope you got a good payoff.

I'm not leaving without a big fat cheque - I have 22 years service.

Yeah, I had 12 years. I did get a good payoff but it wrecked my confidence. I had counselling for a few months which helped a lot and I’ve changed career completely as I couldn’t bear the thought of working in that environment again.

I would make sure you keep notes on every meeting and document everything. The mistake I made was letting them see how much it affected me and trying so hard to please them.

It is so sad and shortsighted that companies treat experienced hard working people like this. I suspect it is all too common for women of a certain age too as they are often easier targets to be pushed out. I hope you get a resolution OP.

on the other hand i have been hired by my last two companies as an experienced person who has probably seen it all before and can impart my knowledge and experience on to the younger ones who haven't.
And in my current role - been here a few months - it has paid off at least twice, including our accounts receivables person nearly having a breakdown over something she'd never experienced, but i have and we solved it quickly and she has a much better grasp of her job. (I'm not in accounting)

so chin up,OP, if you do leave or are made redundant, not all hope is lost.

I've been reading up on my rights in relation to menopause symptoms. Not sure how to raise it with my manager though.....late 50's male who will have no clue how to handle it. I have a meeting with him tomorrow and am already filled with dread.

Do you think your performance has been adversely impacted by menopause?
I'd be somewhat reluctant to go down any route of tacit acceptance that your performance has not been to usual standards unless you agree that is the case.

Good luck for the meeting today btw.