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?

I don't blame them.
They thought you were undecided so they made a decision for themselves.I did exactly the same and was offered more money to stay.

Why haven't you referred to her as "she" in your OP @simplel?

This happened to me almost word for word! I couldn't afford to quit at the time, and pride made me want to show that I was an asset to the firm. I worked really hard and was promoted (in title only) almost immediately on passing probation, made myself irreplaceable within that role and THEN left. Zero regrets.

An apology, pay rise and being told the member of staff who took a dislike to them is leaving at the end of the month.

If they were my friend I would would be telling them that they’re making the right decision.

Best thing you can do is just let the person move on. I expect there is absolutely nothing you can offer them anyway. Who wouldn’t want to leave after that experience?

And why wasn’t this manager who had an issue with the newbie dealt with and it put on her record or sacked imo

Good for them. They knew they deserved better and it sounds like they probably did. Every cloud and all that - they've had the last laugh. I'm in a similar situation with a colleague at work and I'm really hoping the same thing works out for them. What goes around comes around.

My thoughts exactly

Human Remains Strikes Again!

Wow. It's amazing how many people are dealing with the exact same scenario at the moment.

Nothing.

you should have stood up for the employee when they were being treated badly.

it’s too late now

More money and an apology. Somehow backdating my record to say I’d passed my 3 month probation.

Probation goes both ways. Good on her for getting herself out so quickly. What she learned was that your organisation doesn’t treat people with respect or behave fairly.

This one is a lost cause.

You can push for an internal review of the situation to try and prevent reoccurrence

Life is too short for a childish & toxic workplace like this.

A 360 review of the other manager would be a good idea since there may be some other issues with that person that are undisclosed. You may lose more staff if you don't look into it

Exactly. 360 review them. Let everyone have their chance to speak

Nothing. This employee has a good sense of self worth and didn't like what your company allowed to happen to them

A young friend was in this same position recently, even the detail of the extended probation being down to "dislike" by a single manager. The extended probation and a manager being allowed to get away with acting on "dislike" caused her a lot of stress over the months.

She got another job, too.

Do you know how stressful it is to have your probation extended? Especially when you are working well?

Why would this employee want to work in a company that allowed a single manager to make difficulties for employees like this. Have you raised this manager's behaviour with HR? With the manage? Perhaps you should, because they were the problem here.

We nicknamed our HR the Stasi, as they treated staff appallingly, had no idea how awful they behaved and frankly destroyed everything they came in contact with! They ignored any issue with management and targeted staff, to the extent they lost so many good employees we needed to keep adverts open! You should have kicked back and challenged the extension of probation.

Good on that woman.

You reap what you sew.

Having 20 managers all overseeing a team of 100 sounds like a terrible structure as well.

You have a dickhead or two working with (for?) you. Deal with them and let your soon to be ex employee go with grace and a fantastic reference.

How on earth you’re the first person to openly clock this I have no idea.

Absolutely nothing would sway me. Good on her for knowing her worth.

What action was taken against the useless lying manager?

Nothing. It is clear that in your company managers don’t have any power and 1) HR which is a support function is overruling everyone and 2) you as his manager didn’t protect him or her from some “dislike” of another manager.
they are better off working elsewhere

Knowingly Falsely accused and you chose not to rectify but devastate

do training on this and fo better