wwyd? Awkward Work Situation

[c0nfusedasalways]

I recently encountered an issue that has significantly affected my professional relationships at work, and I need advice on how to address it.

An employee from a training provider contacted me on LinkedIn about a funded professional course related to my field. I responded, asking for more information. However, I then received numerous emails from this individual, pressing for a Teams meeting to discuss further details. Finding this behavior a bit strange, I eventually stopped responding.

A few weeks later, my manager confronted me. The training company had contacted our head office, claiming that I (mentioned by name) was interested in their courses. This situation led my manager to believe that I might be looking for another job, which caused considerable embarrassment. I explained that I was merely making an enquiry, but the damage to my professional reputation has already been done.

I am extremely upset about how this has unfolded and want to know how to approach this situation appropriately. I feel the urge to write back to the training provider to express my frustration, but I want to handle this professionally. Is there any law against such behavior? How can I address this issue effectively?

Sounds like a potential data breach to me. I'd contact the ICO for more info.

Totally unprofessional behaviour from both the training company and your boss.

I would complain to the company, and possibly out them as seriously unprofessional on Linkdin.

I’d also speak with my boss to explain the background and ask for the company’s support in complaining

The other thing to consider is whether you want to continue working for this company given their response to this obviously dubious contact from the training company

If this is how your boss reacts to this situation then maybe you should be looking at other opportunities.

There is absolutely no harm in exploring professional development opportunities. There is also no need to be embarrassed or explain your way out this.

These sales people will go to all lengths once they have a contact. It’s how they operate and there is no law that would prevent them from approaching your company.

I say, hold your head high and don’t give it a second thought.

I think you could print out the conversation.
Ask your Manager to meet and shoe him that you were harassed by the training company.
Tell him that the company is untrustworthy. That you would like them to confirm the training company contacted and named you, as you feel it is a scam and your going the data protection route.

OP this behaviour is awful but not at all surprising (I worked in this industry for a very long time). Firstly I would speak to your boss again - stating that you enquired about the course out of interest but this doesn't have any baring on your investment in your new role and you are enjoying the work. Then I would reach out to as senior person as you can find on linkedin or similar for this training company. State factually what you know and what the impact has been. Give them a deadline to respond with a heartfelt and sincere apology. They are regulated like many other industries and their website will give you lots of info about this - my guess is ofsted if it is a funded training programme.
Once you get this back, please share it with your boss if appropriate. Feel free to PM me too - this is a terrible situation caused by a very overzealous salesperson.

Email the training company back saying you have zero interest in undertaking training due to them contacting your office and explain the problem they have created. Make clear in no uncertain terms that you hoped the training would assist you in performing better in your current role, but it is no longer appropriate in light of what’s happened. Insist they do not contact you again. Copy your boss in on the email.

Your manager sounds a bit odd. It's normal to be interested in developing yourself professionally and no reasonable employer expects that you'll want to stay in the same role until the end of time. You enquired about a training course, not a job.

If this is genuinely how your employer is, and you're not catastrophising after an awkward conversation, you really should be considering your options as it doesn't sound like a good place to work. My line manager has actively signposted training and development opportunities to me because she considers it part of her job as a people manager, and she's happy for the people she manages when they take a step up.

I don't see why they thought they could sell the course that they want you to attend to your head office, bypassing you completely. Like they thought HQ would just go 'Ok, I'll buy it for her' then demand you went on said course against your own consent?!
And somehow your boss is now involved and furious. Honestly that salesman needs to know he's losing business by doing this preposterous tactic. Your boss is shite for having a go at you about it though. Has she nothing better to do with her working day?

Perfect response

It's very pushy and irritating sales tactics but the thing about impacting your work prospects is so strange. Why would being interested in training relevant to your role mean you were looking for a new job?

I would contact the company and say they have breached data protection (assume they have!) and if they have a Facebook page, put a note on there to warn people that if you don’t reply they will contact your employer.
Then, speak to your employer and say you have complained to the company and that your only reasoning of completing a course was to progress further with them, in the future.

Is this one of the governent funded free courses? I did one after seeing on Facebook, it was useful and good for my CV. However…by their behaviour towards me, the supplying company are obviously working on commission. After expressing interest, I instantly recieved an email and then phone call in quick succession. Then came lots of emails to confirm and encouraging me to start the course (all within 48 hours). If I hadn’t researched the government offer and the company details, I would have suspected scammers. The pushiness and urgency to get me signed up and started was typically of scammers or desperate commission based work ( no money was requested at any point).
I would place a bet that it is the same company that contacted you and to your employer. Glad that I didn’t reach out to them via linked in. I wanted to do the (neurodivergent related) course for my personal interest, nothing to do with my employer. I would be furious if they had used my linked in details to contact my employer or my other contacts AND mentioned me by name (this part is misuse of personal data, you publicly available linked in information is not). Have you tried finding out which government department is funding the company? Complain to them about the aggressive tactics and use of personal data. I would also complain to the company CEO requesting that they review their training provision on the legal requirements for use of personal data.
BTW the course was great, it took much longer in learning hours than they suggested and it was quite difficult in terms of volume of work, deadlines and assessment, the catch is you have pay £100 if you drop out of the course. I suspect many propel sign up in a hurry (before they have seen the course assessment requirements or the £100 non completion fee) because of the aggressive approach) and then find they can’t complete the course and get a £100 bill.

I would be more concerned about your boss's reaction.

I know for a fact if they rang mine, he wouldn't entertain it and hang up. And that would be the end of it.

Focus your efforts on learning your job and putting together a development plan to discuss with your boss. You can use that conversation to clarify your intentions around progression, training and skills, and to get their input.

But I wouldn't waste time and energy trying to complain to the training company or justify yourself.

I'm not sure how you have come to the conclusion that your professional reputation is going to be affected. If your new company see it that way then I'd look for a new job anyway.

@c0nfusedasalways
You need to go back to your manager either in person or better in writing.
Say you were taken off guard by the accusation of job hunting elsewhere.
You want to complain that the Training company was phishing your company using you as an IN. State your company should have asked you about the matter first rather than accusing you. It is dodgy sales techniques and not your behaviour at fault.
You coud say if they were selling new windows and said they'd talked to you would it have made the same impact? No.
State that their agressive sales tactics caused you to discontinue contact and they have transgressed normal business etiquet by contacting your HR.
Say you are very happy in your role and do not want this 3rd party matter to affect your standing when it is them acting in poor form.

This sounds like a serious breach of GDPR - I think you are within your rights to report them. They should be punished and not allowed to do this to others.

This sounds like a serious breach of GDPR

It isn't.

Yes it is, why post when your ignorant of the subject? Just to troll? How sad you are!

GDPR includes.

1. The need for an individual's clear consent to the processing of his or her personal data

1. The need for an individual's clear consent to the processing of his or her personal datathe right to object, including to the use of personal data for the purposes of ‘profiling

Email your manager and explain the situation. You could start by saying

Hi Manager

With regard to our conversation about x company contacting xyz, id like to formally respond and outline what took place.

Then go into detail as you did here. I'd also them contact the training company and ask for their complaints process (or find it on their website) and complain via this channel. Completely unacceptable for them to do what they did

Just explain how the (incredibly pushy) sales person has contacted you on Linkedin and you were being polite . You said you would need permission to fob them off…nothing more….. committed to the role you have etc

Please take your own advice. You are ignorant on this subject.

I've reviewed the terms and conditions from the company in question. Can anyone with more expertise see if anything stands out or if there are any breaches in my case?

[QA Legal & Privacy](https://www.qa.com/legal-privacy/)

The key bit you need is in the data protection addendum

2.3. The Data Recipient shall process Business Contact Details disclosed by
the Data Discloser for the Agreed Purpose only.

Firstly you are not a customer, you only made an enquiry and secondly you didn’t agree to them using your business contact details for any purpose (unless there was a box you ticked somewhere of course) and you certainly didn’t explicitly agree to then contacting your employer.