Performance reviews - quit while I'm behind?

Well I still have a job.
The meeting was today, not yesterday.
In any case they have outlined, albeit pretty vaguely what needs to change. I have a niggling feeling that although there are areas I can improve the relationship is less reciprocal than one-sided.
At least now I can consider my options in a bit more relaxed way.
I’ve already been in touch with a recruiter and he’s sent me a couple of jobs that look interesting so at least I won’t get a completely crappy reference if I move on.

thanks for your thoughts everyone.
 
thezappa said:
At least now I can consider my options in a bit more relaxed way.
I’ve already been in touch with a recruiter and he’s sent me a couple of jobs that look interesting so at least I won’t get a completely crappy reference if I move on.
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Nice one! That's the main thing, stay employed, play the game and start hitting those interviews albeit without too much pressure. Best of luck :)
 
It's worth noting that PIPs can end in a 'success' story. There was someone at my previous employer who went from being on a PIP to achieving an "Exceeds" rating (putting them in the top 25-30% of performers in the company) in a future year.
As mentioned though, it depends a bit on the organisation. In many cases I suspect, an employee's card is already marked and the performance review followed by PIP is just a case of following the required path to get rid of them, rather than a genuine attempt to improve their performance.

Your approach here should be:
1) Genuinely attempt to address the performance concerns
2) Keep records of how you are doing this. So if they say "you are frequently underprepared for presentations", document how you are preparing for them so you can refer to this in future. Where you are signing off documents, keep a record of where you have picked out "details".
3) In your regular 1:1s with your manager, continually checkpoint your progress. Sometimes there is a temptation to leave performance discussions for formal review cycles but where concerns are raised, it needs to be an ongoing process not twice a year or whatever
4) Where you have objectives set, be more challenging on these than you might otherwise. Make sure they are SMART and call out in writing any areas you don't feel are appropriate (e.g. if the objective is unachievable, or doesn't have a quantitative measure). The worst case scenario would be a quantitative measure that is unachievable - as they can then say e.g. "you needed to hit 90% on this benchmark but you only hit 75%" as an absolute example of where you have failed to meet an objective.
5) Explore options elsewhere as you are doing so you can land a job elsewhere or at least have strengthened your CV, market knowledge, interview skills etc
 
Personally, if I were you I'd really make an effort in the current role while starting to look elsewhere.

Also, get one of those 'today's priorities' notepads. Build a to-do list each day and work through it. Keep each days pages, as if you are being managed out you have some evidence of the extra effort you are putting in and can demonstrate what you have delivered in the role each day. It would be hard for HR to dispute this when your managers feedback to HR is purely based on their personal opinion and is probably already against you.

You also need to make the additional effort into a habit, because when you do move you need to use the fresh start as a way to really make an impact in the next role so your effort is never questioned again. Play the game
 
thezappa said:
Well I still have a job.
The meeting was today, not yesterday.
In any case they have outlined, albeit pretty vaguely what needs to change. I have a niggling feeling that although there are areas I can improve the relationship is less reciprocal than one-sided.
At least now I can consider my options in a bit more relaxed way.
I’ve already been in touch with a recruiter and he’s sent me a couple of jobs that look interesting so at least I won’t get a completely crappy reference if I move on.

thanks for your thoughts everyone.
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If you are unclear or "albeit pretty vaguely what needs to change" you need to be picking this up immediately.

The whole point of PIP is to come out with tangible goals - the What, By When and How - get it on paper and get it agreed to by all. If they can't do that, then how on earth do you know what you need to do to get off PIP? I assume HR are involved on this also? What does your Performance review policy say?


PS @HangTime - What they said is exactly the same as the above. It can work, if done correctly and of course you want it to work.
 
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Realistically guys, from what OP has said, it doesn't sound too feasible that there is much good to come from this PIP.

I mean from what he's posted so far does this sound like it is simply an objective, supportive manager trying to get the best out of him? It sounds more like a mediocre/average or possibly rather poor manager. OP might well have areas in which he can improve but from what he's posted it sounds more like the relationship has broken down somewhat already.

Obvs OP still needs to play the game, go along with the PIP, meet the goals, report regularly on progress but really, it's probably best to look elsewhere.
 
I had this in a job I was in for 8 years. The First 4 years went great, ended up managing a department to cover maternity and it all went well.

Then, the replacing the overall manager with someone who quite frankly was a bully and a terrible manager. During his 18 months there we lost 30% of the staff and 15% had various forms of long term sickness. He once gave me a telling off for sending staff home during a blizzard, took me 80 mins to do a 25 min car journey. We had minimum local staff in that covered until the rest got home and we logged in and worked while they walked home. He told me buses and taxis he'd phoned were still running, they weren't. Then we had another really bad snowstorm and the manager gave another TL a telling off because he didn't send them home. Lots of issues and in the end, I emailed our CEO and he was gone within 4 weeks.

Had a black mark against my name then when 2 new managers came in. I was streamlining things, 1 of the top 2 Team leaders out of 8. my team outperformed others in every area. I was put on a PIP for not organizing FUN DAYS like the other team leaders. only 2 did that, the same 2 everyone else thought were useless and should be sacked. I had 18 months of fighting, doing everything they wanted and it was never good enough. in the end I walked in, got a telling off of being off for 1 day over Xmas due to sickness (I've an autoimmune disease) despite covering Xmas day and new years day when others phoned in sick, and just stood up and said: "I quit!"

Best thing I ever did. 2 years without bonuses, without being allowed on company outings etc. Had enough, my life was worth more.
 
Companies are scared of letting people go these days when they underperform. They have to do everything possible to ensure you have an opportunity to improve, including providing any training required. It sounds like they are going through the motions to try to get rid of you in time and are trying to play it by the book documenting everything. You could make their lives very difficult if you take some advice legally. If you are with a union then you can ask for representation in these meetings and support etc. If not then you can still seek legal advice and even go to your own HR department to speak to someone if you feel it would help.

Once a company has decided to go down this path though, the damage is often already done. If you feel like they are being unfair, I would stick it out, keeping records of everything and ensure you meet the requirements they set out. I would start looking for other jobs and when a good offer comes in, I would approach them and ask them for a redundancy pay off. They may be happy to pay you off. If not, you can move on anyway.
 
jaybee said:
Once a company has decided to go down this path though, the damage is often already done. If you feel like they are being unfair, I would stick it out, keeping records of everything and ensure you meet the requirements they set out. I would start looking for other jobs and when a good offer comes in, I would approach them and ask them for a redundancy pay off. They may be happy to pay you off. If not, you can move on anyway.
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This is what a few people did after I'd had enough and walked away from my job, they had similar issues but not as severe and just said "pay me and I'll leave instead of doing all this paperwork!" :D My salary was around £60k for the 2 years I was there going through it all, they could have just paid me £30k to start with and I'd have left :D
 
If it helps, my last years review was 'somewhat-effective' rather than 'effective' (next step would be a PIP). It was a very hard year and the team in general made a lot of missteps that cost us time. The manager was managing two teams rather than just ours and the other team was his 'golden' team as such. I basically ended getting scapegoated for the failings of the team, rather than personal accountability being put in place. This year, I wised up and made sure I got 5 feedback references from people throughout the company to show I did an excellent job. No surprise, I got a decent mid-year review this time (plus I have a different manager and am pretty much the sole developer on my team now.). To be clear, our team delivered everything that was asked and the amount of effort put in was insane. Some people clearly decided to protect themselves rather than doing the right thing.

Understand in my circumstance, I'm British in an American company and I'm not used to have to 'sell' myself. I would also say that it is very hard to pull yourself up by the boot strings when you've been knocked for six by something like this. You need to approach it logically and not personally if you are capable of that. Do what they say and ask for specifics in writing.

In short, get evidence, and corporate can do nothing if you prove your case.
 
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