Performance Improvement Plan

[merrr]

I was called into a meeting with HR earlier this week to start the process of creating a "performance improvement plan" for my day job. During this meeting areas for improvement on my behalf were identified and now I have to come up with a rough draft of a performance improvement plan. The draft is to include 1) Steps to take for success, 2) Resources needed, 3) Barriers that may occur.

I couldn't help but think through this entire meeting [glow=red,2,300]ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?![/glow]

So I took a couple days to cool off and I've just read through my inital write up errr... I mean, report.
*I must not be reading my emails because I don't have the read receipt feature on.
*I'm not putting the leadership team as a high enough priority (because I missed adding a call in number to a meeting the week I was sick).
*I need to learn to multi-task.

My blood is starting to boil again as I write this. How do I even begin to respond to something like this?! I was thinking about it yesterday morning and I have been in this line of work for 12 years. TWELVE YEARS. And yet I'm being treated like I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground.

Resources needed...
Hmmm... How about a supervisor that actually comes to work 40 hours a week and doesn't take 2 hour lunch breaks. OOhhhh... Or maybe replace the guy that worked with me 20 hours a week and left back in August. I think providing me someone who can back me up if I need it would be a HUGE step in the right direction but how can I say that without sounding like a whiny bitch?

Barriers that may occur...
Life. The transition of an entire department that I support moving to a new building and a new model of care. A director that I support giving me strict guidelines then changing her mind and not informing me. My supervisor continuing to not show up for her 40 hour work weeks. And finally, my lack of motivation. I feel so deflated and defeated in this position. How can I want to make improvements when those around me aren't held to the same standards I am? I just don't understand.

Thank you for letting me vent... again. And please, those of you who are friends with me on facebook, don't say anything there.
Is it Friday yet?

[deannemdm]

I feel for you. I went through this a few years ago-- and ended up being let go. In under 3 years my supervisor changed 3 times and each supervised differently (hands off, micromanage, etc) and I couldn't adjust fast enough. I wasn't doing my job any differently, just the expectations (of how to do things) changed.
Good luck.

[dara1012]

Ugh....I am so sorry that you are going through this.

I have not been through it before and certainly don't know your superiors so I don't know if this approach would work, but here's what I would do if I encountered this at work. I would start by saying, "My goal here is to do a good job everyday and be an employee you can count on. I was really caught off guard by your desire to meet with me and here's why (cite some things you have been doing well). As you are well aware we have had some significant changes in my department lately. I would like to meet your expectations, and to that end I have corrected the feature on my email to indicate that I have read my emails and I am aware of the importance of ensuring call-in numbers are managed appropriately, I apologize this got missed once on a week that I was sick. I would like some more clarification about your goal for me to multi-task better. What specifically am I not accomplishing in an appropriate time frame? What items do I need to prioritize or manage more effectively? I have felt that I am meeting all of the expectations I was aware of on a consistent basis so this comment is surprising to me.

Hugs!

[deannemdm]

Maybe try to mention something about teamwork (losing member and boss around less-- maybe offer to take on some of boss's tasks since boss is obviously very busy.... or has other things going on in his/her life right now)?

[sarahisis]

I would say how you are feeling in an honest and tactful way... let them know that you have lost passion for your job because of the lack of motivation by others and increased work load due to not having the help of another person. Someone should probably become aware of your bosses lack of hours as well.

Or just do what my husband does now... smile, nod, say ok and do what's asked of you lol

[ReneeW]

UGH. That totally sucks. Sorry you're going through this. I hate to say it, but I would do my best to respond in a positive, 'Look at me I'm a team player!" attitude outwardly, even though you are justifiably ticked on the inside. At least as much as possible, like what Dara said, try to project "I want to do my best work for this company," and "I am taking this seriously and taking specific steps to improve and do as you ask." At the same time, I think you could mention, not as an excuse but as an explanation, that there have been changes and other things you're doing your best to adapt to. I hate to say it, but I would update my resume, maybe do some networking just in case. I may be a pessimist but sometimes I think companies look for excuses to write someone up so they can let them go if they need to--not because that person's not a good employee, but because they need to reduce their numbers.

[sarastwins]

You may want to start looking for a new job. A PIP is usually a starting point to move you out the door. If you are committed to staying in your job and I think you should take a step back and accept some feedback. PIPs dont just come out of no where there has to be some ongoing issue that has not been resolved by previous attempts to correct.
So what resources to do you need? Clearly defined outcomes and expections, do you need a brush up on any particular thing they are saying you are not doing up to par? Regular meetings with your supervisor to problem solve, prioritize and get feedback on progress. Make sure you also review the ploicy and procedure manual for your agency and your position description to make sure it is up to date. Barriers-include staff shortage, any problems you have such as lack of technology, out dated computer software, supervisor is not available when you need direction ect.

[cakemakermom]

Take this as the ability to grow your other businesses.

Your boss will find out how hard it is to run the department when she actually has to do work.

Otherwise, I have nothing new to say that the other ladies haven't already covered better than I can.

[merrr]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate all of your feedback. And yes, I did have some of this coming to me. I allowed the poor moral to sneak into my own feelings and did start to lose interest in the job BUT now that I've had this reality check I'm doing what I can to get myself back on track.
I am still in the process of writing a response to the PIP. There are some things that I absolutely disagree with but I need to figure out how to do this in a politically correct way.

[bumblebee23]

Wow I guess I would be pissed too but I understand what you mean by loosing your moral. I have noticed it in myself on occasion and not getting certain tasks done in a timely matter because I just don't feel up to it.

I do agree with Sarah that you need to mention the "why" of your lack of moral and just try to phrase it in the best possible way. Someone should know about your boss's lack of responsibility.

[cakemakermom]

"It's frustrating not to be able to find my boss during her scheduled work hours to bring up topics that need to be discussed."

[ReneeW]

How's your response going, Merr? Have you figured out what you want to say and how? (Good luck with that, by the way -- it's a fine line!)

[merrr]

I would LOVE to be able to bring my supervisor's flaky work attendance to light but I did that once about a year ago (remember when I had to file an HR complaint against her?) and nothing changed. It just is what it is.

I did write up a response and she and I sat down today to review it. I provided clarity for actions taken and my reasoning behind it. I have also started a new style of follow up which kills more trees because I'm printing things and putting them in a three ring binder but she was pleased to see that solution be put into place. One of the issues she had written in my PIP was that I need to focus on higher priority job duties and not file the shared network folders by the year. Unless I own the meeting that the folder belongs to I have not done that in SEVERAL years. She tried telling me that it was done recently but when I asked for specifics she could not provide any and when I asked if the tracking on the file history reflected directly to me she had no answer. At that point I also shared with her that unless I own the file I don't do that and that perhaps the former employee (who left two months ago) had moved some files around because he had the same filing style that I do. She had no leg left to stand on with that. heheheheee...
Now the real test comes to play though. I get to sit down with a director that I support (and is the main part of this complaint against me) and my supervisor later this week to see if we can discuss the event and find a plan to work together going forward.
Supervisor said today that she does value my work and this PIP was not because I am a bad employee. That's a plus, I suppose. But this really should have been brought to my attention BEFORE snowballing into a PIP involving HR.

[cakemakermom]

The truth shall set you free... and hopefully get you a new direct supervisor.

[merrr]

Oct 25, 2012 11:00:15 GMT -6 coralsmom said:

My sneaky suspisions is that the higher up (director) called her out on something and you got the blame cuz she didn't know how things were handled or knew how to find something... be prepared you may be blindsided again.

My thought exactly!!! Wouldn't be the first time she's thrown me under the bus.