Performance Improvement Plan - New "tactic" to drive you out of company?

[kljx]

Hi All,

I'm very troubled by the fact that I have been enrolled in this performance improvement plan after working in the company for 9 years. Reason given was simply "I was being too difficult"!

I have always been performing well in my last few years and hence, this is really too much for me to take it. My boss suggested I go look for a job but at the same time, told me this plan is for my own good. Sound contradicting but I'm sure there is plan for me to go.

The company has not been doing well but this is no way to treat an employee. I know alot of MNC are doing this because this will in a way asking the employees to leave themselves and hence, don't have to pay retrenchment benefits. Even you are not paying retrenchment package to the affected employees, there is no need for you to do that.

I have not been sleeping well and I know the message to me is to get out of the company. I really don't know how to handle this and anyone in this similar situation and any advise whether what should I do?

[Qaz]

What are your options bro?

[kljx]

This plan was put in place for 3 months. At the end of 3 months, I'm very sure they will tell me I did not meet the requirements and I will have to leave and worst, with my records being blemished.

Thought of finding a job but the market is so small and people will go round speculating why and my boss is a real petty guy and am sure I will be badly hit by his bad mouth. Which is why I'm still hesitating what steps should I take. Haiz....

[poor and stupid]

Many people tio these kinds of stuff liao, no choice time to go. Its cheaper to replace you with a new citizen hehe

loyalty doesn't pay i guess

maybe you should start looking for a job as a backup plan for yourself

maybe after the 3 months they might still keep you?

but your boss already suggested for you to look for a job, so i think its quite obvious

Rather than straight away assuming this is some conspiracy from ur co. to sack you, shouldn't you also reflect and see if there is any merit in the complaint?

You did not expand on what is meant by "being difficult" and how you disagree with the assessment. Rather your only line of defence seems to be "I have been around for 9 years". This means nothing.

I have a few years recruiting before & came across many similar cases like yours in the past. I would say from experience about 1/3 are genuine kena sabo by company to cheat them of their retrenchment package & 2/3 remaining there really is something wrong with the person, just that they not willing to admit.

[kljx]

"being difficult" - well, the comments quoted was I have been very open and like to challenge to see results. as for "I have been around for 9 years" - what I would expect comments like this was being brought up during half yearly appraisal and not only now. You get what I'm trying to say? All these years, I have been promoted for quite a number of times but all these issues have never been brought to my attention. If this has all along been discussed, I will have no objection to this PIP at all.

Anyway, water under the bridge, I guess there is no turning back for me.

Since you are in recruiting for years, can you recommend or give me advise how I should take or handle this? Even if I leave, I don't want to leave with a bad impression coz ultimately my past 8 years appraisal has always been excellent.

[Qaz]

Bro, if not for this PIP, wat would draw u to find another job?

take this opportunity to make use of ur 9 yrs experience to find a better job.. job market may be small, but u only need 1.. this may be a blessing a disguise, go ahead and go for higher positions!

In the meantime, make best use of the PIP and try to learn something fm it and improve urself further... when u eventually leave for a better job, make them regret it.. leave a legacy behind!! go for it bro!

[poor and stupid]

I am assuming you are quite old considering you have 9years of experience. It is very difficult to find job for the "experienced" already so just try to stick as long as possible. But just in case you cant find any, there are lots of jobs like operators and general worker, if you dun mind the <1.5k pay come join me!!

Originally Posted by kljx

"being difficult" - well, the comments quoted was I have been very open and like to challenge to see results. as for "I have been around for 9 years" - what I would expect comments like this was being brought up during half yearly appraisal and not only now. You get what I'm trying to say? All these years, I have been promoted for quite a number of times but all these issues have never been brought to my attention. If this has all along been discussed, I will have no objection to this PIP at all.

I know perfectly what you are trying to say, and it is a rather common story I have heard many times.

Base on my observations, most bosses do not like to criticize their subordinates directly. They may be secretly unhappy with your performance or received complaints about you, but choose to stick with the lousy but bearable known than risk firing & getting an unknown replacement. This can go on for years until pressure from the top comes to manage out poor performers. As a result many people have false impression they were doing well and expressed shock & anger when the chop comes.

As for your “promotion”, it is quite hard for me to judge as many companies practice “title promotion”, i.e. employees are promoted in their titles regardless of their performance but behind the scenes HR retains their record as unpromoted. This is done by HR to market the message to employees that the company values “talent” and provides a lot of “opportunities”.

I’m not saying that you definitely belong to the 2/3 something-wrong-but-not-willing-to-admit category. You could be genuinely saboed by company, but just providing another angle of possibility you may want to consider.

Since you are in recruiting for years, can you recommend or give me advise how I should take or handle this? Even if I leave, I don't want to leave with a bad impression coz ultimately my past 8 years appraisal has always been excellent.

I would suggest you go on a 2 approaches. Firstly, invest more time to find out if the concerns cited in your PIP are valid. Do not dismiss them as a conspiracy to sack you just based on the fact that your boss has never scolded you or you picked up some promotions along the way. If there are genuine concerns, you might still address them.

Secondly, start looking out by posting your CV on the common job portals & recruit agencies. I am assuming you are at a junior level, so most of the agencies you find on newspapers like Robert Walter, Michael Page, Kelly etc should be fine. Just state that you have been around many years in current co. and would like to broaden your horizon by seeing if there are good opp in the market. Do not cite things like PIP or your allegation of management tactics to manage you out, agents will not empathize with you and might even have reservations on presenting you to the client because of perceived negativity.