Do employers appreciate honesty? Probation coming up, would like to extend and leave.

[AgualusasL0ver]

My new job hasn't lived up to expectations for a number of reasons. I have my probationary review coming up, and I want to tell my manager that I am not happy and that I will look for a new role giving them as much notice as possible, potentially longer than probation notice if I can. Its a nice place and the people are all nice. It just isn't for me.

I am a sort of middle people manager, and in review cycle so I plan to see that through, which would be mid Nov as I don't want to let my team down and not be able to deliver their feedback. But, I do feel I need to flag now and say I am looking elsewhere but wanting to do a good handover and not leave anyone in the lurch. It is mat contract anyway and the person is due back in Feb, so hopefully disruption is minimal.

I just don't like sneaking around for interviews and would rather be upfront, but I don't want to risk her saying that I leave immediately.

I’d say nothing. My company wouldn’t look kindly on your honesty and find a way of getting rid of you before February. If you are leaving anyway I’d just ride it out and keep sneaking off for interviews. Remember you are always just a number on the payroll to them so don’t worry about telling them anything.

Keep that to yourself. In my experience they will not play nice - you need to look after number one - you! Never give information that can be used against yourself.

I wouldn't. If you're on probation then they could just terminate your contract.

Just keep schtum and start looking for another job.

That is pretty disheartening isn't it. I am, based on their feedback doing a decent job and I don't want to leave anyone in the lurch, and me leaving will put pressure on the other managers who will have to take over my teams. I thought it would be decent to manage the process. But it seems unanimous.

Why not wait until February, it's not that far away.

God no!

My contract ends in June, though the person comes back in Feb.

Reasons for not waiting:

• I am utterly demotivated with the management style. I see why they do things the way they do but it is demoralising.
• I have 0 autonomy with my team, everything must run through my manager, even every email that is sent no matter how benign so micromanagement. Again, they have their set up, but I did more actual managing in a hybrid role where I was just a dotted line manager.
• Outside of this cycle right now, it is utterly, mind numbingly boring.
• We 100% also micromanage our teams, which is not my style.
• The company is dull and I am someone who enjoys the unexpected, entrepreneurial atmosphere, chaos etc. It drives me.
• I don't want to coast and it feels like I am deskilling and learning nothing. The point was this was a good opportunity with a competitor to really learn some stuff, but there is 0 opportunity and it is the kind of place that prides itself on that sort of thing.

The bottom line really, is I am miserable, I wake up every morning and wonder if I might be sick today (I would never actually call in sick without being ill), but I have had a lot of jobs, many of them contracts for 3 months (also longer term perm ones) or so and have had the most fulfulling time, built a network and maintained it so I am not used to feeling this way.

Don't do it!
Keep your powder dry.
Find another role. Give the notice the contract requires.
Any variation on that causes concern and consequences

Noooo. Definitely tell them that you’re not happy and why but do not tell them you’re looking for another job.

I am really surprised that employers don't value honesty and flexibility to minimise disruption, but the feedback in unanimous.

I would not mention that you are job hunting and want to leave.

But you could mention that there are issues you are struggling with and suggest how things could be improved.

Basically play this strategically.

That’s what notice periods are for. Your employer has already made a judgement when hiring you in terms of how long a notice period you would need to serve upon giving notice to keep disruption to an acceptable level. You owe them no more and no less than that, and they won’t thank you for your honesty.

If you want to be decent to your employer, do everything to facilitate handover, keep things nice and tidy, prepare a handover manual, and remain available for questions. But definitely put yourself first, do not risk being unemployed.

Actually just had a call that has somewhat pushed me over the edge. I feel like resigning right now, but I know that is stupid. At this point I am past caring about stability for my team etc.

As an employer, I would totally value and respect that and work with you to find a solution within my business or support you looking for something else if that wasn’t possible. You would have my trust and support for sharing this with me and be a valuable employee.
However many wouldn’t and as others have commented your role could be terminated immediately.

what’s not working with the position for you?

If it's essentially a toxic workplace i doubt they'll be open to honest constructive feedback, sadly.

I agree with others that opinions are best kept to oneself at work but it's taken me about 15 years to realise!

I have seen a lot of managers not working in the best interests of the company/owners/shareholders they work for. But unfortunately that type of manager is your boss!

Use the time left in the role detach mentally, to work on yourself, training courses etc, and to hunt for a new job.

Extreme micromanagement beyond anything I have ever seen.
Very top down, I am used to a more entrepreneurial space.
Lack of any autonomy at all even at the most basic level, which for a people manager is beyond odd.

All 3 of these things are really important to me.

All of this applies to all the direct reports at my level (4 of us), but I am the only external hire, with two recent promotes. It isn;t necessarily wrong or bad, it is just not a way I want to work and it is making me miserable.

I would not criticise them, as their way is obviously working for them, but that those are just not ways of working that bring out the best in me and i would prefer to acknowledge that.

I can guarantee if you bring up the word "micromanaging", they will deny it and get defensive! No one would admit to that.

Their perception of events will likely not match yours which is why 'being honest' wouldn't help 😔

Yeah keep quiet. You may need their reference. Might be worth a conversation about how they envisage responsibilities being split once the permanent post holder returns from ML. A six month overlaps is odd…

Read everything that you've said again... it doesn't sound like somewhere that would appreciate your honesty and keep paying you. It sounds like they'd have you out the door ASAP.

I think a lot of companies would, sadly, because they worry about a bad apple spoiling the bunch - and they will absolutely frame this as your issue; that you're not fitting in or enjoying it, rather than looking inwards to see if you are correct.

It's admirable that you want to do well by your team, but tell them when you need to, not before. And don't stay if it's making you miserable and you have other options.

Someone at my work gave our employer extra notice that he was leaving, they accepted his resignation and told him to leave 7 days later as per his contractual notice period.

They then wondered why everyone gave them absolute minimum notice afterwards 🤷‍♀️

no!

What if you don't secure another role you want?

I do accept that these are my issues, and I am not fitting - which is what I would say. They are a huge global company and this team have always been renowned in the industry for inflexibility etc, but in the interview they made it sound much more autonomous and a growth opportunity.

We are in a heavy piece of work at the moment that is something that I would normally be energised by and love but I am performing badly at it because I am demotivated by the whole package and it goes beyond the team. I am a good networker, I have maintained networks from tiny contracts and this is an organisation where networking is encouraged, but I am getting no where.

If there was even a temp role I could go to next week, I would at this point and if this was 5 years ago when temping regularly was still very much a thing I would do it.

The consensus is clear though. So I will get looking and just do the best I can with what I have until then.

February isn't long. No one recruits over winter. I'd sit it out.