Urgent advice needed reg. my work situation and performance

[fin]

I’m in need of advice which is time sensitive. I just had a meeting with my boss, another colleague, and the HR head regarding my performance. I’ve asked for prayers regarding this problem since last year. They proposed a plan to advance my work performance and gave me two months, from September until October to show significant progress. They asked me to give my side, so I said that sometimes I don’t agree with the corrections the reviewer gives (I mean that’s why I assessed them as such right? It’s not as if I’m just guessing them). We have a ratings guidance which is pretty comprehensive, and I do think about my assessments before I submit my work. Sometimes I don’t agree with my reviewer when he points out my mistakes (take note this is not about pride and thinking ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’, but giving my reasons I rated so and so as such so that he’ll know the why and not think I’m just throwing darts), but most of the time I don’t say anything because he’s the senior analyst and reviewer, and I just comply with whatever edits he asks me to do, and I’m not up for arguments. HR said that I could sign and submit the document on Monday September 1st. I think they’re thinking that I’m not being meticulous in my assessments that’s why I’m make ‘mistakes’, but that’s not the case at all.

~Side story: I applied for another position in the same company months back. I passed two exams and two interviews, with only one interview to go. Due to the performance evaluations, the recruitment period was temporarily suspended. But I never heard from the hiring manager again. I don’t know if they forgot about it or I didn’t pass. They told me that there would a total of seven positions for that new team, but up to now there are only six people. The one in charge of hiring at that time told me that the six positions were filled, and that there was one position left and he hoped it would be me so that they could close the recruitment already. ~

I haven’t told this to anybody, but ever since last year, I have thought about resigning, but it’s just a matter of when. I can’t do it immediately because I need a steady stream of income, pay bills etc. Lately and including this year, I have encountered several setbacks and difficulties, like my mom getting sick, issues with my own health etc. which complicates things even more.

If I don’t meet the standards laid out in the plan, I could get terminated which would appear in my records. I’m thinking about my options:

1. Sign and submit the document – but I have to be able to meet the pointers laid out by the end of October; otherwise it’s termination time (not good). Don’t know if I should take this risk since there’s no certainty I’ll pass.
2. Submit my resignation so that this won’t appear in my records (I don’t know if it’s possible with this plan; but like I said, I have been mulling over since last year; this is not something new)
3. Option 3 – anything else?

Obviously I’m not in a good place right now, and I don’t know what to do. I’m very thankful and appreciative of the good aspects of this job, so resigning would be painful, but if I were to choose between a poor work record and resignation, it would be resignation all the way. Then there’s the next step, finding a good job. If I’m not meant to stay in this job, I accept it (a chance for a fresh start) but I have to make the right decision now (or on September 1st at that). Prayers absolutely needed, TIA for the help.

 

[runningdude]

You obviously need a steady stream of income, so I would advise against resigning unless you had a new job lined up. I would also advise seeking outside counseling to help you cope with the setbacks in your personal life that are affecting your work life. There may be impacts you are unaware of, and strategies you can use to limit the negative impacts.

I would also recommend that you try to seek informal coaching to help you meet the performance standards. Perhaps ask if you can submit early drafts of your work to get feedback before you file a formal self assessment? While this is sometimes frowned upon in an ordinary setting, it may be looked upon more favorably while you are on “probation” and trying to learn better work habits.

As for resignation rather than termination, you would still need to explain why you resigned to your next employer. It would be best to not lie or distort the truth, so I recommend following the performance improvement program to the best of your ability, so that you can either keep your current position, or at least be able to tell future employers that your did everything to keep up.

 

[Jay82]

My first thought is…Did you see this course of events happening or were you completely blind sided? Most of the time, employees have a good idea of where they stand within the company and if performance is lagging or if there is an incorrect perception performance is lagging, then that person needs to get out in front of it to make the necessary changes.

I say you need to sign the agreement and try to improve if the goals are reasonable. Ask them explicitly how you can meet the goals laid out for you. Check in with them weekly to make sure you are on target. Work extra, ask for peer reviews, do everything you can to maintain your job. Show them you care and want to work there (even if you don’t). That being said, once you stabilize your employment situation, go ahead and start looking elsewhere for jobs that you may prefer or be better suited for you.

Does being terminated vs. resigning affect your severance or benefits? If you resign now, are you any more likely to use them as a reference than if you are terminated? It isn’t like they are going to say you were a stellar employee at this point vs. two months from now if you end up being terminated.

It takes too long to get a job these days unless you have some really in demand skills or a very strong network that can get you the inside track somewhere. Do not quit without things in motion to secure a new job. It is almost always easier to get a job when you have a job.

Anyway, some additional general advice. Never let someone in a higher position deter you from speaking your mind or sharing your rationale even if you just go and do as they request in the end. When I was in a more junior role (and even now) my work is always reviewed by those I report to and they will make comments. In fact, I expect them to because it makes the end result better. I’ll make updates, but I will also explain why certain things were done one way vs. another. When they understand the logic behind it, sometimes they will then come back and tell me to keep the original work as is. Other times they just like to hear that effort was put into the decision and it was well thought out. Without doing this sort of thing it makes it look like you do not care or really don’t value your own opinion and are just going through the motions.

 

[E_7]

Anyway, some additional general advice. Never let someone in a higher position deter you from speaking your mind or sharing your rationale even if you just go and do as they request in the end. When I was in a more junior role (and even now) my work is always reviewed by those I report to and they will make comments. In fact, I expect them to because it makes the end result better. I’ll make updates, but I will also explain why certain things were done one way vs. another. When they understand the logic behind it, sometimes they will then come back and tell me to keep the original work as is. Other times they just like to hear that effort was put into the decision and it was well thought out. Without doing this sort of thing it makes it look like you do not care or really don’t value your own opinion and are just going through the motions.

 

[on_the_hill]

I just went through this two days ago, except from the other side–I’m the boss in the situation. I’m still very upset by what I had to do.

I think you need to really start looking hard for another job. From my perspective, it’s over. Even if you meet the performance goals by October, you’re not going to get past this situation. All they’re doing at this point is creating a written record of your poor performance. It’s a warning to you that you will be terminated.

There may be ways that you are eligible for unemployment compensation–check into them NOW. If you can resign and still receive unemployment, I recommend resigning.

Think hard about why you’re in this situation. What led to it? If you’re simply not a good match for the job, there’s not much you can do to improve your performance.

The individual I terminated felt that he was blind-sided by the firing and wished he had been given a chance. But he had been given many chances–he just doesn’t see them. I tried to coach him along for over a year, but he still didn’t seem to “get it.” Other leadership staff that I consulted with didn’t understand how he didn’t seem to fully grasp the direness of the situation months and months ago. In the end, I had to let him go.

What makes it hard on me (and I completely understand that it’s much, much harder on him) is that he’s been a ‘work’ friend for 15 years.

 

[E_7]

Fight with all your might while you apply to other jobs.

My husband is constantly being drained by the irresponsibility, disorganized, unethical, inconsiderate and selfish co-workers, management team and the boss. He is under stress and work from Monday to Sunday. After two years of this bad environment, he almost gave up and was about to resign with no other job secured until we found out I was pregnant. He became more worried and stressed, desperate you may say, until he finally got a new job thanks to God. At the moment, we are just waiting for the contract to end this coming October and we will be moving back home from Singapore to the US.

 

[E_7]

I just went through this two days ago, except from the other side–I’m the boss in the situation. I’m still very upset by what I had to do.

I think you need to really start looking hard for another job. From my perspective, it’s over. Even if you meet the performance goals by October, you’re not going to get past this situation. All they’re doing at this point is creating a written record of your poor performance. It’s a warning to you that you will be terminated.

There may be ways that you are eligible for unemployment compensation–check into them NOW. If you can resign and still receive unemployment, I recommend resigning.

Think hard about why you’re in this situation. What led to it? If you’re simply not a good match for the job, there’s not much you can do to improve your performance.

The individual I terminated felt that he was blind-sided by the firing and wished he had been given a chance. But he had been given many chances–he just doesn’t see them. I tried to coach him along for over a year, but he still didn’t seem to “get it.” Other leadership staff that I consulted with didn’t understand how he didn’t seem to fully grasp the direness of the situation months and months ago. In the end, I had to let him go.

What makes it hard on me (and I completely understand that it’s much, much harder on him) is that he’s been a ‘work’ friend for 15 years.

 

[mountee]

The challenge you face is quite difficult and I am going to urge you to take the improvement plan and give it all you have to be successful in the next two months. Pray constantly for the strength to try to meet the goals and to be able to maintain your integrity. I believe that you are being given a chance to keep your job but changes are expected. I will pray for to be successful.

 

[ack]

I just went through this two days ago, except from the other side–I’m the boss in the situation. I’m still very upset by what I had to do.

I think you need to really start looking hard for another job. From my perspective, it’s over. Even if you meet the performance goals by October, you’re not going to get past this situation. All they’re doing at this point is creating a written record of your poor performance. It’s a warning to you that you will be terminated.

There may be ways that you are eligible for unemployment compensation–check into them NOW. If you can resign and still receive unemployment, I recommend resigning.

Think hard about why you’re in this situation. What led to it? If you’re simply not a good match for the job, there’s not much you can do to improve your performance.

The individual I terminated felt that he was blind-sided by the firing and wished he had been given a chance. But he had been given many chances–he just doesn’t see them. I tried to coach him along for over a year, but he still didn’t seem to “get it.” Other leadership staff that I consulted with didn’t understand how he didn’t seem to fully grasp the direness of the situation months and months ago. In the end, I had to let him go.

What makes it hard on me (and I completely understand that it’s much, much harder on him) is that he’s been a ‘work’ friend for 15 years.

I agree with the above. I could be wrong, but my gut feeling is that this is essentially an advance warning that you’ll be fired in two months. I’m not sure that resigning (to keep your record clean with your current employer) would be productive – this already could end up on your record in either case.

If you stay at your current company, I would spend the next two months looking for a new job intensely. Although you can’t stop your current employer from recording your problems in their own records, you can find a new job and resign on your own terms, in order to keep a firing or a gap in work history off of your resume.

 

[Lorelei12]

Personally, I wouldn’t resign, especially if you need the money and benefits. Are you in the US? If so, and you resign, you would likely not be eligible for unemployment benefits, but if you were let go for performance reasons and it wasn’t a misconduct problem, you likely would be.

I would sign the document, do everything exactly as they asked, and not make any sort of waves. I would also begin looking for another job immediately. I understand your hesitation with having a written record of the problem, but frankly it doesn’t sound like you’d get a good reference anyway, so whether that is documented or not might not matter. If you resign and a future employer wants to speak with your current employer, they can, even if you give them no contact information. This happened to me- I had not listed a former boss as a reference- not for any specific reason, just because I had better references- and they found her anyway. She actually helped me get the job, but I was irritated that I hadn’t been able to even ask her permission to be contacted or give her a heads up. My point is that a future employer might be able to find out all about your situation, even if it’s never documented, so even if you were to resign now it might not matter whether it’s documented or not. I think the best path is to do everything you can to prove to your current employer that you are dedicated and will work hard to correct the issue, and get started job hunting simultaneously.

 

[Groo]

Don’t resign. You could lose your unemployment benefits. You will certainly lose some compensation. And I don’t see that you gain anything.

There is no permanent “record” except the one internal to this particular company. Being fired is not going to appear on some government database. And whether you resign or are fired, you won’t be getting another job at this company anyway.

I would suggest doing your best to meet the stipulations in the performance plan. Also, document specifics on what you are doing to meet the stipulations. Document every single blessed thing you do to meet those stipulations.

If the company tries to fire you with cause to weasel out of paying unemployment, it will beneficial to have your documentation of what you did to meet their performance plan.
That could help if you need to take them to court or even just threaten a lawsuit.

 

[IrishAm]

I just went through this two days ago, except from the other side–I’m the boss in the situation. I’m still very upset by what I had to do.

I think you need to really start looking hard for another job. From my perspective, it’s over. Even if you meet the performance goals by October, you’re not going to get past this situation. All they’re doing at this point is creating a written record of your poor performance. It’s a warning to you that you will be terminated.

There may be ways that you are eligible for unemployment compensation–check into them NOW. If you can resign and still receive unemployment, I recommend resigning.

Think hard about why you’re in this situation. What led to it? If you’re simply not a good match for the job, there’s not much you can do to improve your performance.

The individual I terminated felt that he was blind-sided by the firing and wished he had been given a chance. But he had been given many chances–he just doesn’t see them. I tried to coach him along for over a year, but he still didn’t seem to “get it.” Other leadership staff that I consulted with didn’t understand how he didn’t seem to fully grasp the direness of the situation months and months ago. In the end, I had to let him go.

What makes it hard on me (and I completely understand that it’s much, much harder on him) is that he’s been a ‘work’ friend for 15 years.

Wise advise; I fear the die is cast and it is just a matter of time. I disagree, however, about the part recommending resigning. It is always easier to get a job when you have a job. Once you are unemployed, it gets harder. You are in my prayers.

 

[on_the_hill]

If the company tries to fire you with cause

The states generally recognize at-will employment. An at-will employee can be fired any time for any reason. The only obstacle would be if the employee can prove discrimination (age, sex, race, etc.), and some states have exemptions for certain circumstances. Otherwise…the boss says “you’re fired,” for any reason at all and there’s nothing you can do about it, whether you’re stocking shelves at the supermarket or the general manager at GM.

 

[Lorelei12]

The states generally recognize at-will employment. An at-will employee can be fired any time for any reason. The only obstacle would be if the employee can prove discrimination (age, sex, race, etc.), and some states have exemptions for certain circumstances. Otherwise…the boss says “you’re fired,” for any reason at all and there’s nothing you can do about it, whether you’re stocking shelves at the supermarket or the general manager at GM.

While this is true, there is a difference between being fired for misconduct and being fired for performance-related issues. Generally you can still collect unemployment if you are fired because you were not a good fit for the job, lack of skills, etc. but not if you are fired for things like being intoxicated on the job, sexual harassment, not showing up for work, etc. I think the OP would be unwise to just quit, when even if he is fired it sounds like he would at least be able to collect unemployment.

 

[Groo]

While this is true, there is a difference between being fired for misconduct and being fired for performance-related issues. Generally you can still collect unemployment if you are fired because you were not a good fit for the job, lack of skills, etc. but not if you are fired for things like being intoxicated on the job, sexual harassment, not showing up for work, etc. I think the OP would be unwise to just quit, when even if he is fired it sounds like he would at least be able to collect unemployment.

Yeah, I don’t see any benefits to quitting without another job lined up.

 

[PolarGuy]

One of the first rules of the workforce: absent being asked to do something unethical, never quit without having another job lined up.

 

[fin]

Thank you to all of you who replied. Yes you are right, even if this poor record would not appear officially, future employers can still contact my boss and ask about my performance. Btw I am not in the US to those who asked. I will continue thinking about this, and I have started looking for other jobs. Resignation sounds better than termination. Employers commonly ask the reasons, and I would just say the truth, that I could do a better job elsewhere rather than stay and just play catch up.

 

[fin]

No I was not blindsided by this, and I know I am to blame as well, but I did try to make modifications, perhaps they did not see it. All the should haves and could haves come up, like I should have resigned early on etc. Resignation was and is still in the radar, I just could not dive into immediately given my commitments. I have until tomorrow to think this over.

 

[mommy_k]

I agree not to leave without another job lined up.

Can you also put your feedback on the document before signing it? You don’t have to agree with what they wrote.

If it comes down to being terminated, I would have a character reference typed up for them to sign, with things like: you are prompt, couteous, have a good work ethic and things like this.

Character is highly regarded by future employers, so don’t be afraid to ask for them to sign this.

Best of luck to you-

 

[fin]

Hi mommy k, thanks I will keep that in mind. I remember my boss mentioned it in the previous evaluation, that he did not have a problem with my work ethic and behavior.

This is over and done with, but I have thought about their hiring process. I heard about this position from my other temp colleagues (in the same company) at that time. Those who applied told us they did not pass, that there were many applicants, and how the exams and interviews made them nervous. i mentioned that I was interested in the job and the girl urged me to apply, since according to her, she knew I write well. I was very happy when I did get the position, though with some hesitation. Months back my boss and a couple of colleagues were talking about a new hire, how her writing was not up to par. They said it was another higher up’s decision, and if it was up to them they would not choose her.