Being put on PIP

[Rose38]

Yesterday I had a performance review with my manager and it went really badly. She was going on and on about mistakes I had made which were true. She is saying she wants to put me on PIP end of June and it will last 3 months and if I don't improve they can let me go.

Although I don't disagree with the issues she has mentioned, I have not been told anything in my monthly one to ones with her. Nor has she at any point let me know I need to focus on this particular area or anything.

She said yesterday that I don't seem to have grasped the basics of my job which I feel is not fair to say since only in March she signed me off as permanent. Had this been the case then surely you would at least extend someone's probation?

Just for background towards the end of April I had a really bad miscarriage. I didn't go off sick but took a day & a half holiday (to see the hospital). Physically and mentally the whole thing was draining and I guess I dropped the ball slightly at work. My manager is aware of this but when I was back at work, she didn't even ask me how I was and if everything was ok. I've basically had to update her myself when we had monthly meetings (as some ongoing issues from that miscarriage happened).

I feel like the way my performance review has been done seems a little unfair. I agree with where they have placed me and also that they won't be giving me a pay increase due to this but I feel like being put on PIP is a bit much considering the circumstances. And they didn't even give me any indication that anything was wrong or give me a chance in the lead up to rectify things.

Just really wanted a second opinion on how things work in other companies around this sort of thing. Thanks for reading.

Her year on a temporary contract would count towards her continuous employment, however that still doesn’t amount to 2 years. It would be difficult to justify going straight to PIP without prior performance concerns having been raised and soon after confirming that probation has been passed, and coupled with the pregnancy this does look suspect. In most organisations a PIP is the start of management out of the business and whilst that isn’t strictly necessary here, there is a potential for a protected characteristic to be a factor.

OP ensure that if this does go ahead the objectives are clear and measurable and that you take the opportunity to state what is required from them, e.g. training on abc by X date. This is supposed to be a support process.

I would:

1. engage with PIP process fully to improve your performance, ensuring you have clear objectives and agreeing on a plan to update on these with your manager. (Ensure your workload is appropriately pro-rated for the hours by the way).

2. Just check in with ACAS etc in terms of their feedback on how this has been conducted - thinking here of your miscarriage, lack of warning on performance. Not to raise now, but to have your ducks in a row if they do try to get rid of you. Document anything unpleasant you encounter. You may not have 2 year rights but the organisation has its reputation to consider.

3. make a basic appraisal of other job options out there (market is really bad in my area but yours might be great).

you can see from the responses on this thread that a PIP like this could mean anything. Might just be how they do things at your work if your colleagues have been through it? But fortune favours the prepared

I think you need to join a Union or contact ACAS as I think the company are trying to manage you out to prevent paying maternity leave etc. If they have put you on a PIP so close to you having a miscarriage it is definitely getting into discrimination territory.
Also need to address bullying colleague - someone else should not be nitpicking your work......

@TorroFerney yep its a load of rubbish. But it’s worth knowing this is the game. They will and can put more people in a pip if needed but if you don’t really have anyone then it’s the whole who is performing the worst (but not pip level).

It how most private sector works. I’ve always said it’s horrible if you have 5 amazing workers well above average but you can’t reward them all. Only 1 will get a high performance and a good pay rise. The other 4 won’t and so they tend to cycle round high performance ratings too to minimise how annoyed people get.

Quite honestly? I'd say they want you out. We only do PIP when we've come to that crunch point and it's the necessary process to make it happen. In your shoes, I'd be dusting off my CV and applying for other jobs.

I’ve also been ( head of a team ) used pips all the time worked fantastically everyone clearly knew the issues got support ,reviews and measures on performance

because we used them a lot nobody got hyper excited about them as they were just a process to follow that protects them and us

Well there was a section on the review where I can add a comment so I used that to mention in March I was signed off to become permanent. And obviously whatever has gone wrong has been between then and now. I mentioned about the miscarriage there. And also mentioned that had I known before I could have worked on improving things before it reached this review.
I did start off by admitting that I had made mistakes.

Just added that today so I guess I'll see what my manager says next week about it (if anything).

In the meantime I'm just putting my head down and working slowly & double checking my work.

I think that poster meant you theory was rubbish

and I’m inclined to agree

Big company or small?
how long ago did you start on reduced hours?

but if you were aware of the mistakes why did you not try to address it before being called out and put on a PIP. It reads as if you thought it was acceptable. Did you makes similar errors before your contract was made permanent?

My manager always reminds me that 99% of the work is correct and no one bats an eyelid, make one mistake the world is caving in.
of you’re repeating the same mistake then there’s an issue

No I meant I agree that I made mistakes...as I did not deny this. Because she literally gave some examples most of which I didn't know to be fair and a few I knew. In this line of work the whole team does make mistakes here and there but I see that she means mine were varied. I'm not saying at all that it's acceptable and nothing needs to happen...my thing is that around the time from being made permanent to now I had that really awful miscarriage (I've had quite a few over the years but this one was particularly bad). Again I'm not saying overlook it. The review is what it is and I know I won't get a salary increase. I just feel it would have been good to be told from the onset of the mistakes they found that I need to sort it out instead of letting it carry on and telling me it all in my review

It's a fairly large company but it's not as big as the company I previously worked for. The team I work in is not that big though..probably about 10 or 11 people.

I only just reduced my hours this month so it hasn't been long..just 4 weeks.

So you’ve decided to accept the plan and hopefully turn it around? Sorry not clear on what you’ve decided

Yes I'm just putting my head down and improving on the areas she mentioned. I did add that comment (as above in the other message I posted) in my review but more as a I want it to be noted.

Prior to the reduction in hours, you fed tell your manager that your were struggling with the hours, especially given you have two young children and a husband who does very little.

perhaps now reduced hours… the issues will ease up naturally op. So embrace the pip, get through it and enjoy working the reduced hours

Good shout op

Thanks everyone...will keep you posted on what happens.

Well I have just finished work and because I am being watched like a hawk and everything I do is being checked I have started making stupid mistakes. I think it’s totally counterproductive, might just be me. Cannot wait to get a job where I do not have to be under this scrutiny. Do not stress it.

Don’t forget a pip isn’t a case of them saying your a bit shit do better

there has to be structure to it with help ,support and regular reviews

I haven’t found that in my case to be honest. I was put on it 2 months ago and not another word about until I made a mistake then they said sorry we should have been reviewing it. I don’t know might different for other people I think I am maybe am a bit shit at this job.

It’s really important that people familiarise themselves with the company policy because if they try and discipline or sack you off the back of a pip and they haven’t fulfilled the side of it there case is dead in the water

Im pretty sure they’re making up the company policy as they go along in this place. I have walked out twice and they called me to go back. I want to scream what the fuck do you want from me. Obviously I don’t want to not have a job so I am scrambling to get one but none of this makes sense to me.

Sounds a bit of a mess...the same with the company I work for. I've been asking for the policies since I started and I've only had the odd link given to me. In fact only recently did they do an up to date absence policy. I honestly don't know how a company can function without policies in place to refer back to.

Aww. This sounds like an awful Manager and an awful company, don't fight for this job! You can do better. So sorry for what you have been through!! I would use the Three months to look for a new job where you will be valued and respected.