Been asked to mutually part ways

[Milennialworkinprogress]

Company has said either go on a performance plan (which is hard to complete) or mutually part ways after 3 years.

Was never communicated that my performance was in question so it's taken me by shock and was delivered in a meeting with no warning.

What should I do? I don't want to stay, but I want to make sure I leave with the best possible compensation.
I have 3 months notice.

Not at offer stage as yet just clear my face no longer fits (is happenning to a lot of people, new management have been bought in from a competitor and they're having a clear out and bringing in their own people). This has been rumbling since back end of last year. In Feb just before annual review, where I had been led to believe I was successfully working towards a promotion, I found out that I was the only team member on equivalent roles and responsibilities who hadn't already been promoted and I was on the lowest salary - also the only woman of course. I kicked off about that a bit but they refused to promote me, no budget yadda yadda and said new manager would enage in coaching etc to get me there.

Pretty much radio silence since and I just kept my head down and carried on working as normal. But am obvioulsy now being frozen out, emotionally bullied etc. I decided at that time back in March/April to leave gracefully at this point and look for a new job but had a financial reason to do with stock options for not wanting to leave before end of August so was just trying to limp through until then (considered a discrimination case but it's a small industry and I'm not really after the limelight so decided against it). Performance review was 'successfully contributing' (with no right of reply to anything as they made it read only on the day they finally did the review). Have had no verbal or written warnings. Am a member of a small independent union that I joined back end of last year as saw all this coming.

Anyway, hardly hear from this new manager since March but had a one to one last week where everything seemed fine, he was just talking about a new team process etc. asking for my advice on it etc. Mentioned that had big managemnet meeting later that week. This week's one to one at beginning of week he verbally said (on a Zoom) I'm doing a 6 month review and I want to put you on a performance coaching plan (aka PIP I am assuming). Some made up nonsense about 'theres been complaints about your work, but they're anonymous so I can't tell you what they are' etc nonsense and that HR had advised him to do this. I said ok, what's involved, and he said he didnt know. I said ok, well why don't you get back to HR and find out and send me over the details and we'll take it from there. Haven't heard anything since.

There is a massive purge going on at the moment so HR are very busy. The 2 guys I work with went last week. One settled for 3m pay, the other (better negotiator) refused a PIP and got severance with a tax free lump sum. I'm more than happy to go now but after 5 years service I want to maximise the compensation for being bullied out. I also want to protect my reputation as the people involved know a lot of other people in our industry (I am job hunting).

Any hints and tips about my next best course of action gratefully received.

@Milennialworkinprogress is your job something you can do as an agency contractor?

I was pretty broken after leaving a job with a settlement and so performed very badly at job interviews.

I joined an agency and the relief of not having to interview was enormous. And I discovered what a functional workplace looked like. It hugely boosted my confidence as well as making sure the bills were paid.

@AnnaMagnani which agency did you join?

Am going to start a new post for my situation, thanks for the replies - and glad it worked out for you OP.

Never feel like a failure. Unless you were in a role where you couldn't do the job this is not about you, it is aboutmis-management (certainly is in my case).

Take the severance but negotiate it. Make them squirm a little but don’t derail the process.

Suggest another month paid ex gratia and outplacement support or something.

If a settlement agreement you need to run it past an employment lawyer and they should fund this (usually about £500).

@Milennialworkinprogress probably doesn't help you as I'm a doctor.

If you work with an agency or contractor staff it's worth asking them or just googling to see who recruits temps for your line of work

OP they had made a decision, tried to do it on the cheap and you didn't fall for it and agreed a better settlement for you. That's the best outcome in this scenario, no point seeing it as a failure. It's fine in your CV and onto the next. Good luck 🤞

Op did they pay you a lump some or does that mean you have the monthly income for a further 5 months?

@b@b0zza1 sorry just saw this notification, it's a lump sum I get in a few weeks. Luckily I left at the end of the month so I got paid for last month and now get the settlement

Yes OP - it is completely normal to feel like you have failed after this and that you have not a lot of confidence. I have been through this before - redundancy and also being told I was on a PIP but then I negotiated severance instead. I came away with nearly 6 months' pay. I ended up getting a new job within 3 months, on a better salary and since then my career and salary skyrocketed as has my confidence. I used the time I had off to look for new jobs, apply to lots of agencies and do some online learning to boost my skills.

Other people I know have used their severance pay to give them the prompt to try a new career or start their own business. Even if the next role doesn't work out, they have the confidence to leave and start again somewhere else which has turned out better

Even though this is a shock and seems like a really down phase, I wish you the very best for your next role.