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It's impossible for a bunch of strangers on a forum to know what was going through your manager's head. Maybe he/she is being sadistic. Maybe they themselves would rather know sooner than later - so are operating under that perspective.
In the end, there's never a good time to tell an employee that they are 'failing'. In this case YOU would have preferred to not know until you got back. But as a practice, I'm sure someone else would have wanted to know before their vacation.
It's likely that this is not a sudden thing. And you taking a vacation may have been that last straw.
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No I don't think my taking a vacation is a problem.
As I said, we are in a union, and they are actually forcing us all to use our vacation time rather than accruing it.
People are being encouraged to take vacation because the company will no longer be "paying out the extra days" we don't use.
Do NOT resign. Your boss IMO is an ass to do this to you before vacation.
I had a very similar thing happen to me. My boss sent me an action plan just before I went on vacation. Needless to say I found a new job very quickly.
Thank you.
I'm sorry you had to go through this as well.
As far as vacation time goes, there is never an ideal time to tell someone their work needs improvement.
I would enjoy the time off and first day back schedule time to meet with superiors and set up a plan to achieve their goals with periodic meetings to discuss progress. Make sure the goals are quantifiable, not subjective. If both parties are sincere, you will get past this. If not, they will use this to streamline your way out the door.
In the interim, hedge your bet by getting your resume out there.
Yes, maybe they are sincere. I'm not sure.
I do feel like it's a little bit like harassment! To tell me the day before vacation!
Maybe he does like you and he is trying to ''clue you in'' for your own sake.
IMO, PIPs are rarely about ''performance''.
Someone doesn't like you, you are liked by many, you aren't a butt kisser, you show up incompetency in others, you don't fit in because you are different from the hoard in some way, etc. They just want you out.
Or maybe there is a budget cut coming or they want to bring in the bosses kid. Who knows.
They are usually a prelude to a firing or a lay-off. They would rather you quit, of course, but they just want to get you out the door.
I know people who have gone on vacation and used up all their PTO then come back to give immediate notice or not come back at all.
I'd say you are ''marked'' so play the cards to your advantage.
I SO would love to just not come back, haha!
How can I play the cards to my advantage, do you think?
I would love to do so!!
I'd be willing to bet that it is related to your posts complaining about an increased work load, and not understanding that a non-profit org is a business.
Maybe so.
We are all complaining.
Some more than me.
Some are insubordinate and actually refusing to do the work (I'm not, I just haven't been able to meet their new standards - yet).
I'd be curious if they are sending memos to some others in the office as well as me.
OP, this is directly related to previous issues in your workplace, and I would hazard a guess that the company is rolling out a plan to address the new benchmarks while you are absent, up to and including dismissal of coworkers. If that is the case, then he is giving you advance notice so you will be ready to discuss your place within the company. And a union membership does not mean you cannot be fired! If you are not meeting standards, you can see how it is addressed in your contract, but you can be terminated on the spot for a variety of reasons. One of those could be a refusal to comply with benchmarks established for the work you do. You can assert all you want that it is impossible to do, but if they don't sense a willingness to comply, why should they continue your employment? If you are terminated, and that termination somehow seems to violate the contract, you can file a grievance. But, and I say this will all earnestness, you must read your contract.
When you do return, and your boss wants to discuss your performance, you can invoke your Weingarten Rights, which allow you to have Union representation present for any discussion that may involve discipline or loss of your position. You can refuse to discuss the situation without a union rep present, and management must comply. But I would again caution that you really need to understand your contract to know what footing you are on.
Thank you.
Maybe you're right.
So you think I should refuse to meet even to discuss the performance improvement plan without a union rep present?
When the OP said a higher up doesn't like his performance, I immediately thought "someone up top just doesn't like him." I've been in the position where my direct supervisor and I got along great and he was satisfied with my work, but someone above him had it out for me. I overheard my boss's boss trying to convince him to fire me, and my boss was defending me. This obviously was in a closed door session, but the room was far from sound proof and I sat about 10 feet away, so I heard every word of what they were saying.
I'm sure OP isn't a bad employee. Someone in the power structure doesn't like how he plays the office politics game (or refuses to play office politics and just do his job, which was my case) and wants him gone.
True, I don't play office politics well.
Ironically, my particular office/site is a team of real whiners!
They complain about everything.
I tend to try to see the positive in things and have more of a can-do attitude.
My boss has said that he and the director feel I'm actually one of their more cooperative workers.
However...I wonder if it would be better to simply quit upon returning from vacation - to give one month's notice (which is customary in my industry), so that I don't have a "firing" in my background?
It's also bad to have a PIP in your background. Some applications ask if you've ever been fired or placed on a PIP. I assume that means some HR departments consider the two equivalent.
It's also bad to have a PIP in your background. Some applications ask if you've ever been fired or placed on a PIP. I assume that means some HR departments consider the two equivalent.
Wow. Really?
So maybe I should resign immediately upon returning from vacation then!
That way I can avoid even the PIP (they call it something different, but it seems it's the same thing similar)
I dont think youre going to have good references if they think your job performance isnt good.
Actually I was in another position before my current position, at the same company.
My former supervisor loves me and has given me excellent references in the past.
I know that because I've been offered a few other jobs in recent years after he was called for references.
(Stupidly I didn't accept those jobs at other companies for a variety of reasons. But it's time to start applying again AND accepting them!)
My current supervisor may even give me a good reference.
He's given me good performance evaluations.
I think he is being forced to do this by higher-ups now, it's not necessarily coming from him.
He has even in the past extended himself in friendship to me. (yes, really)
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