Good employee resigned after probation extended

[simplel]

I am a manager in a team. We have a team of 100 staff and about 20 managers. We also have an HR team.

One of our employees joined 7 months ago. They had a bit of a patchy start but once they’d settled in they’ve been excellent. They are well liked in the team and always keen to get stuck in with team events.

At their mid probation, one manager took a dislike to them on a point which has since been disproven. But because this negative feedback was in their review at month 3, HR overruled all the other good feedback from managers and insisted we extend the employee’s probation to 9 months long.

I’m told by HR that the employee was devastated but promised to continue showing they could perform at the level needed.

A month later, employee has handed in their notice and is leaving for a competitor. We need the (wo)manpower in the team and I’m gutted they’ll be going. If you were this person, what could we do to make you stay?

They are better off leaving by the sounds of it

I don’t think I would. You should have spoken with HR and had the erroneous info removed from the person’s record. They’ve been unfairly treated because of it. I feel for you but the company is at fault for being so short sighted. What a waste of everyone’s time!

Good for them

Nothing.
There would be nothing you could do at this point if I was in that employees shoes.
However I would not be trusting the manager who gave negative and false feedback in future.

You're done, lesson learned.

Yep, I’d leave. Your company sounds shit

Sounds like a nasty place to work, hope they are happy, productive and flourish at the other place.

The unfounded issue the manager had should have been wiped from their record when it was found to be unsubstantiated. The company deserves to lose this person. How you would make it better is by having a complaint raised with HR about the manager in question for making you lose a good member of your team because of their own issues.

Tbh, I’d also consider raising a grievance

Im glad this person is leaving and has found a new role. You dont deserve them, maybe the shit, lying manager will think on that in future.

It's too late - the crap should have been dealt with earlier. They have had an appalling experience at your company. No one has treated them with respect or fairness.

The only thing you could do is get the false information removed from their file, raise a grievance about the unprofessional behaviour of the other manager and confirm the employee in post with immediate effect, even then I'm not sure I'd stay in their shoes.

As everyone has said, its too late.
What you should b doing is looking into the manager and ensure that this type of bullying doesn't happen again.

Absolutely nothing - you deserve to lose him.

You wish them good luck in their new role, let them know that they are always welcome back, and then reflect upon the management/HR cock up that has upset and alienated talented member of staff.

Agree, but I think it's a woman given the '(wo)manpower' comment.

Any would anyone stay in those circumstances?

You should have pulled them aside and made it clear their work was off the right standard and you have their back. The extension is a technicality and don’t worry, just keep doing what you’re doing. You didn’t do that, so they felt under valued and voted with their feet.

Good on them. They've been badly managed and responded accordingly.

Nothing. Sounds like they dodged a bullet

As a manager, once that negative feedback was disproven you should have fought to pass the probation there and then. You failed to challenge the status quo so it’s not surprising good talent are leaving. Only shit staff stay in shit environments.

That’s a really high management to staff ratio. My last employer had 350 staff to 5 directors and 5 managers. I wouldn’t persuade them to stay but I’d maybe highlight that you have a “too many chiefs” culture that needs looking at.

I did this. Was super shit upon (absolutely nothing to do with performance though). Got some fire in my belly, didn’t say a word and moved onto a senior role in another company. That’s what happens.

Good for them

Sounds like the employee cared about the job and wanted to try hard and make an effort with the team and company.

Instead some certified bullshit from a liar has been allowed to stand and follow them for four months. Their efforts were thrown back in their face.

The eejits at HR don't know their arse from their elbow.

Constructive dismissal more like for the company processing inaccurate data and victimisation.

All you can do, OP, is make sure a decent and accurate reference is provided. And whistleblow to the CEO or ACAS.