What is a pip a gateway to exactly

[needtosort]

Hi,

I have an employer wanting to enforce a pip or a support plan in their words which doesn’t lead to dismissal their words not mine. But it leaves me confused, is this a support plan being used as a prior event leading to disaplinaries per se.

Is it a training plan where they tick off on competency - I remember this years ago when I have first few roles.

Should I be furnished with actual examples instead of the line whilst some improvement has been made feedback is still mixed.

Is it like when people are going through a disaplinary they just need ‘reasonable belief on things’.

I’ve asked some of my longer standing colleagues who offer solitude that we’re all trying to leave, the place has changed rapidly with stressed leaders and or I just need to stand up and be firm (though this just makes and has made things worse) but they’ve never heard of such a plan.

When it comes to job hunting or thinking of walking away as I cannot see things improving (for the protection of my health) it got to the point of a confrontation last time I physically attended the workplace. I just can’t imagine going for an interview and saying well after 2 years they decide they don’t like how I’m doing in the job. I just feel uneasy lying and 2 years can’t be hidden though I’m not minded to stay in the same sector.

Hi OP
i don’t want to be rude but some of your post is a bit hard to decipher.
A pip plan is a “personal improvement plan”. You should have had a meeting and a written plan which says what you need to improve and how long you have before being reviewed.
I’ve never been in a pip personally but hopefully some HR people will reply to you.
Did you not understand what areas you need to improve on?

A pip is not about a disciplinary. They are separate matters.

I don’t know if that helps at all.

It doesn’t always lead to dismissal. I know someone who had been on a pip twice and kept her job (wrongly imho).

You need to be told clearly where you are not meeting the requirements of the job description and work to improve that.

A PIP is a plan to improve your performance in your role when it is not meeting the expected standard. Was this explained to you? It's usually also stated on the plan. Are there particular challenges in your work that you need help with, or do you have any obstacles to improving your performance at work?

Companies have policies on these usually. It can be used to help Staff improve in their role if they are really used to what they are intended for. Unfortunately (and in my personal experience) they can be used to try and get you to resign without them having to pay you anything. I tried to beat a PIP but was made redundant in the end. My colleague put a grievance in but got a settlement! My old company are still using them not for the intended purpose as financially they are up shit creek!

The trouble has been brewing for about 5 months and threats most recently ramped up about this going to a support plan which they are keen to say doesn’t lead to a dismissal. I personally would rather go through a disciplinary than this torture.
I will try wait and see what the plan says.

In the summer of last year I was given an award and told what a good job in writing I was doing as a top call muncher (my employers patronising way of describing me), when they brought in a new rule of back to back call taking - it is now said only a snapshot of my work was monitored and that actually they may have been very lax with supervisions.

It is really hard to explain I was doing alright with my lines then I’m forced to do three that anywhere else I would not want to (think gentle debt collection in these times on one of these lines). It’s a contact centre so you can’t take 5 to think about the correct answer which what comes back to bite. One line you are do so much for the caller then anything line you are so very restricted and it hard to flip between the lines.

The training has been incredibly poor by some people 20 years my junior with just months on the line themselves before being promoted. One time the training was even abandoned mid-way through. I should have taken more notice when others were being run down. I’ve reached a stage where it seems unfair on all parties to continue on like this.

I think they think I have a problem with red tape and remaining impartial - but this seems so contradictory when my Manager then went on to explain about how they were so great in a previous leadership role that they took their employee out on a lunch time to help them learn to drive. Very blurred.

Did you not have another thread along similar lines recently? IIRC your description of your issues was similarly confusing as here. Did any of the information you got previously help at all? What exactly is different now?

They have to show they’ve given you ample time to
improve so you can’t claim unfair dismissal. Unfortunately it’s documenting. It is a real head fuck! Never been in one before!

PIP usually stands for performance improvement plan.
It's put in place when a person's performance in their role is not up to par.

You should be told where your performance is not meeting required standards. You should be offered support, training and the opportunity to get to the required level - usually within a certain timeframe.
Consequently, the process does take some time to do properly.
It doesn't always lead to dismissal.

Are you in a union? Because you have a right to bring a companion - either a union rep or a colleague- to any formal PIP meeting.

No not in a union, I’ve always had short term jobs quite happily and to a degree I now understand why that is. I do pay for employment support through home insurance and tried to speak to ACAS today. I’m not interested in making a claim against the employer, just have their help beyond we’re a mental health first aider in title only. I don’t want any more bizzare chats or being crying for 2 hours afterwards. It isn’t productive.

I’ve let a number of interviews go (I don’t want to become more miserable and be the negative one) due to not being able to attend them and I’m probably over sad at the situation having to turn down a job with only one line involvement which would have been me trying to problem solve out of the situation but just couldn’t be reassured they don’t operate the same and is it worth the same hassle, got a 10 minute appointment with the GP Friday morning and I have tried to get in touch with a lady I started in current role with who left less then 6 months in under mh who now jokes they can’t believe I’ve reached 2 years. So much for the happy picture they wanted to paint.

Not really, I’ve just lived with this threat since the day the job went permanent.
As time has gone on I find more and more staff do part on the phones and part office work so they experience ‘down time’ but it how it got to that point I’ve no idea. (ie are people off the phone cos they’ve been through occupational heath or is it length of service?)

It smells as I recall being questioned on that very short interview for going perm about my feelings towards non home working and now we hearing about the ‘spring office move’ are you going to revamp a building no one sits in. As it is on ‘ in’ days a very poor attendance is maintained I have no idea how a council are going to invoke that one when we all have contracts saying ‘anywhere worker’.

As the last one to the team who they refuse to send to occ health do they think I could be the first to push off. It all sounds funny when I went for the job I was told 17 years olds occupied the call centre but in 2 years I have seldomly met a youngster (beyond the so called trainers) the people I work with are middle aged and a majority seem even past the menopause.

I don’t know I had an interview with an employer today who expresses their concerns I’m considered institutionalised after 2 years.
But really far from the truth.