advice/hand hold -- failing probation due to company chaos

[15animalsiswhativegot]

I recently started a new role with a small third sector organisation. I could really use a kind word and advice.

From day one, it was clear there is an underlying anxiety about income. Vendors/freelancers not paid on time. Pensions paused for new starters. Complete chaos and lack of process, very unsettled staff.

My role is new and was incorrectly regarded as a magic bullet to solve underlying financial issues. I have no income generation background. I represented my skills accurately at CV/interview, so this is an internal misunderstanding about what services my role typically provides, amplified by anxiety and too many workstreams/priorities.

From week one I was being pressured to create plans to drive immediate income and then being told my plans were disappointing. Whilst I've normally had positive inductions, getting to know my team and learning processes, I'm being asked to work outside of my skillset on impossible timelines. Two weeks into starting, I have been asked to deliver what would be six month goals in other orgs. I have tried to engage my manager with realistic (still ambitious) goals and timelines, to no avail.

In a better economy or if I had more savings, I would quit. My husband has argued that even an extra day of pay could be meaningful, and once I'm out of work it could take many months to find employment. His suggestion is to propose wild plans because I won't be there to deliver them, and aggressively apply for new roles. Just keep employed.

Whilst I agree with him, I am very worried about being let go on probation and having a negative reference. The company does not have HR (outsourced as needed) and my only reference would be my terrible manager. I have been regarded as a high performer everywhere I've worked, so this has really dented my confidence and I'm worried about having to tick a box saying I've been let go from a job.

Any advice or a handhold would help. I've been awake since 3 a.m. applying for every role that is vaguely relevant. I dread going into work every day, but I have children, a mortgage and insufficient savings to be off work more than 3-4 months.

Pensions cannot just be “paused” for new starters. There are rules around delays to auto-enrolment during probation periods but they need to be followed so I would check those out.
Is it a charity? If so, the board of trustees should be made aware of this as they have legal responsibilities for some of this.
I suspect either way - stay or go - your reference won’t be amazing, given what you say about the organisation. But lots of places now just confirm dates of employment and whether there were any disciplinaries so I wouldn’t think twice if that’s what I got as a reference for a new hire.

I understand money is a concern. If you resign, can you find another job (any job) while you search for a new role doing what you are good at?

I’m not sure I agree with your husband, you can give wild plans, but they will be monitored from the get go so you will be in the shit fairly quickly.

however I agree his thought process. Build an escalation plan. So step one, two and three, each building on the previous step. To more and more income. Google how other charities did it. What’s successful.

can I ask what is your job title, loosely. I wonder if they think it is obvious income generation would be part of it.

Thanks everyone.

1. Re: pensions. Companies can delay setting up a pension for 3 months, which they are doing, but employees have the right to start contributing straightaway if they request. I asked for it to be set up immediately, they said no we wait 3 months, I provided a link to regulations, which they are 'looking at.' No chance it's set up for month 2 pay.
2. Re: income generation. There is a BD/sales team within the org. The org leader does not rate this team so much of their work is being pushed over to me as wishful thinking to solve deep-seated issues. My work supports their work (brand mktg). I've not been in a role that directly delivers sales and I would never represent myself that way.

Start applying aggressively for other jobs and try not to give this current job too much headspace.

Short term i would try and find some kind of immediate easy win.

It sounds like an absolute car crash though and like they tricked you into the role.
Try and get out asap.

Keep looking for other jobs, you will soon see if the 3 months is realistic, your husband is just guessing.

and what about your previous employers? Would you consider going back to them?

This new place sounds like a total mess. Just get out as quick as you can. It’s not your fault.

Can you not get any kind of related agency work or do something independently. I would get out urgently the whole organisation sounds quite crazy and dangerous

If you've not even been there long enough to receive your second month's pay, then you can jump ship and leave this off your CV. Write it off as a career break of some description. What would even be the point of a reference from somewhere you only worked a few weeks.

Just focus on the job search and don't catastrophise about one crap job ruining your whole future. It won't. It's a blip.

I would get out asap - then on your CV and them you can politely say not the role for me thank you very much -it will be worse if you stay and fail probation that will look worse for you and knock your confidence even further. Can you do agency work?