Workplace Putting Me on Performance Management

vvvv on 28/03/2024 - 23:47

I work in IT and have had a recent change in management with whom things havent been working out at all. The person seems juvenile and has had no background in IT and its been really difficult to work with this person, she micromanages us a lot and expects every minor detail to be conveyed which never happens with experienced managers in my 10 years of work experience.

I had to go for a blood test for diabetes recently whose appointments on weekends are not possible and on weekdays I booked an appointment in two days and informed my manager about it that even though I will be away for two hours I will make it up by working the extra hours over time which I did. The person made a big fuss about it and said she needs to be informed well in advance about it.

Also after that in a discussion I have been told I am always late where as I usually have been reporting at 9:15-9:20 for the last 6 months I have been never told about it so it really seems unfair. Not to mention that said manager is always late for meetings by 10 mins since coffees need to be picked up which is okay I guess.

Also coming to work the said manager always keep shifting priorities with our projects and has been a walking disaster at times. If I am working on project X which si supposed to go on for 1 month, I will be shoved with urgent issues and still expected to complete the project in a month. Despite repeatedly flagging these incidents I have been blatantly told that I am not meeting deadlines.

Can I go to fair work with all this information since a Performance plan seems like I have been scapegoated for the managers problems to deal with their stakeholders?

Education & Work

Comments

  • Iwantthebestprice on 28/03/2024 - 23:57
    +120

    Nothing worst then a manager of IT who knows nothing about IT!

    • iforgotmysocks on 29/03/2024 - 07:45
      +27

      What about a manager of IT who is just really a badger in a trench coat

      • OzBarAnon on 30/03/2024 - 00:41
        +2

        At least the badger will leave you alone

        • Hangryuman on 30/03/2024 - 12:49
          +1

          except a definition of badger as a verb is to 'repeatedly ask (someone) to do something; pester, e.g. "Tom had finally badgered her into going"'

          • OzBarAnon on 30/03/2024 - 14:04
            -3

            @Hangryuman: "A badger in a trench coat" does not invoke the image of an annoying person who happens to wear a trench coat. Even your statement uses badger as a verb, which would not make sense in the aforementioned sentence.

          • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2024 - 17:30
            -1

            @Hangryuman: According to S. Freud in this case:
            If the OP is a male, then he does not do what exactly a woman expects from a man! it is man duty, he does not know how to make a woman happy!
            IF the OP is a female, then she is overdoing/killing the manager i.e. more beautiful than the manager, a threat for her male victim.

    • Clear on 29/03/2024 - 13:28
      +38

      I recently had a non-IT manager try to give me an official warning because I wouldn't give her a non-expiry password. They really are the worst.

      Plot twist her employer and my employer aren't the same.

    • Ulysses31 on 29/03/2024 - 16:01
      +8

      Nothing worse *than grammar nazis.

      • rumblytangara on 29/03/2024 - 16:14
        +5

        Wot about punctuation Nazis?

        • whyisave on 02/04/2024 - 16:51

          Is not punkchewasian part of grammar ?

    • Dreamcast on 29/03/2024 - 17:00
      +3

      Or a manger in general who has no idea about the work you do. Yuk!

      • Exprise on 31/03/2024 - 12:09
        +1

        It's not always the case. We have a structural engineer leading electrical engineers. She's very curious about what we work on and always learning and listening. Great leader 💯

        • Nugs on 01/04/2024 - 21:08
          +2

          Yep. Equal best manager I've had was one who made it clear from the get go that his job was to help us do our jobs and that he would (& did) leave the technical work to us. It was only a transitional position for him, but it was good while it lasted
          .

      • lonewolf on 29/03/2024 - 23:36
        +3

        This is not true in all cases. It will depend on how large the organisation and how good the higher managers are. I have been in companies where the teams have been great, all the people they service loved them but the new manager came in and had no IT knowledge , wanted to get rid of the team over time and because only he created a rapport with the higher manager and kept the team out of it (and higher management changed quite often as well), even though all the clients / staff that were supported by this IT team put in a petition (several hundred staff) about the IT team, higher manager took the side of the new manager.

        • Aneurism on 30/03/2024 - 04:28

          That sounds more like a directional restructure was looming and they hired someone with intention to execute the broader plan. There would be several reasons for that to occur that stands aside from cumulative individual performance. (Such as cost cutting due to external, economic or competitive factors)

          My original post was more for situations where there are targeted performance management plans for select team members from a larger team pool.

          • lonewolf on 30/03/2024 - 22:42
            +2

            @Aneurism: this was after a restructure had already taken place. He eventually got fired once we moved into open plan and the amount of complains mounted on him that higher management couldnt protect him anymore, even HR gave up protecting him. But it took several years.

            • Aneurism on 02/04/2024 - 23:05
              -1

              @lonewolf: @lonewolf If the person was kept due to high performance and they ravage the team and don't rebuild then he should have been smart enough to have foreseen that and used the time to find a job elsewhere. (In a situation like this upper management at least from what I have seen, upper management tend to give verbal intention of rebuilding around core people). If this occurs, this just means that the person wasn't valued enough to be given the truth.

              If this was just decision based on the buddy system instead of actual performance output, then the result is inevitable.

      • Emerald Owl on 30/03/2024 - 14:41
        +1

        Ridiculous conclusions

        • Aneurism on 30/03/2024 - 16:45
          +1

          Obviously, my viewpoint is based on my own cast heuristics based on personal experience as a worker who has consistently received high performance bonuses throughout my career, from at least 8 different IT managers (half of which had limited IT experience, and the rest with significant knowledge). Clearly, my perspective is from my own journey.

          When a manager is hired to increase performance, the easiest way to do so are to get rid of the incompetent, lazy and those who cannot hit key metric targets.

          The amusing thing is that there is a subset of people who spin their wheels and think they are productive when their output is less than bare minimum required. These people seem to only go on best behavior mode or lift their output only when their job is on the line.

          • vvvv on 30/03/2024 - 19:30
            +7

            @Aneurism: To measure output you need to be able to understand the work involved. Said manager has no background or understanding of software development. Getting rid of scrum that was in place by previous management shows how knowledgeable one could be for eg.

            • Aneurism on 02/04/2024 - 23:30
              -1

              @vvvv: @vvv Getting rid of framework does present problems if that was a historical philosophy for workflow choice.

              However, if they removed the workflow, did they communicate an alternative framework or methodology or organize training? That would seem strange unless the choice was to outsource all developers.

          • utsc on 01/04/2024 - 10:20

            @Aneurism: You might be lucky that you have not faced a bad manager yet

            • Aneurism on 02/04/2024 - 23:18

              @utsc: @utsc in hindsight I have had a good run of managers. That being said, I always hit/surpassed most targets I was given and would usually better expectations of my roles. I recall some of the others weren't treated all that well. Yes, I have had some managers that weren't strong with their direct IT knowledge.

              The way I see it, I have always managed my managers by taking care of things directly within my realm of responsibility while extending it to solve issues that also benefit the entire team. (However, the heaviest complaints came from team members that were technically weak which amplified the situations) Some I was not perfect, but I always made sure that my positives greatly outweighed my negatives.

      • ThithLord on 02/04/2024 - 09:46

        Also after that in a discussion I have been told I am always late where as I usually have been reporting at 9:15-9:20 for the last 6 months I have been never told about it so it really seems unfair.

        This is telling of OP. You're probably closer to the mark than they are

        • Aneurism on 02/04/2024 - 23:22

          Just being late isn't usually the core issue unless it comes with constantly missed appointments, meetings, not making up for lost time, or even worse, not outputting sufficient expected work output for the working hours.

          One only has a chance of getting away with being late if one is outperforming everyone else who are visible for the full number of hours. (Assuming stats are being collected to prove this. If they aren't being collected. if I were late consistently, I would have also kept my own tracking stats to show I was outperforming everyone else regardless).

          Anywyay,,, the missing piece of information is that if the OP was late, was there any evidence of them staying back to work the time missed ?

    • Franc-T on 31/03/2024 - 04:04
      +4

      I can tell you worse. A manager of IT who thinks they know everything.

    • daaaaang on 31/03/2024 - 17:56
      +2

      Ultimately, your manager has the right to set performance expectations, even if (you believe) they are misguided, in the same way that you can set expectations for anyone you hire (hairdresser, accountant, mechanic etc.)

      Your options are:

      1. Step up and meet those expectations.
      2. Leave and work for someone whose expectations align with your skills and work ethic.
      3. Get performance managed out.

      The last option is quite immature, and a surefire way to burn bridges and get a bad reputation.

      • TightAl on 31/03/2024 - 22:37
        +3

        Apply for jobs while under the PIP and give them the one finger salute when you do land a job.

  • El cheepo on 28/03/2024 - 23:59
    +26

    Also after that in a discussion I have been told I am always late where as I usually have been reporting at 9:15-9:20 for the last 6 months I have been never told about it so it really seems unfair.

    What are your contracted hours as per your eba or work agreement?

    Not to mention that said manager is always late for meetings by 10 mins since coffees need to be picked up which is okay I guess.

    Bosses tend to get away with that when they are the boss…
    I don’t condone it or think its right, management should lead by example. But theres not much you can do about their crappy example.

    Can I go to fair work with all this information since a Performance plan seems like I have been scapegoated for the managers problems to deal with their stakeholders?

    And say what? Your upset because the manager rolls in late and you can’t?
    Theres no threat of termination is there? Its a slap on the wrist from thankless management.
    If your not happy, start shopping around for a new job…

    • sakurashu on 29/03/2024 - 21:00
      +10

      If they've been put on a performance plan then there is the threat of termination?

      • El cheepo on 29/03/2024 - 23:19

        I don’t work in a corporate job, but is a performance plan not a step before a written warning?

        Or does it count towards it?
        Genuinely curious.

        • sakurashu on 29/03/2024 - 23:35
          +13

          Ah, usually a PIP in IT is the precursor to being let go on performance grounds - you get until the next performance review period to show you have improved in tangible ways as agreed or you get terminated. It's almost the only way people are let go (rather than made redundant) outside of probation or a HR incident

          In terms of a "written warning" i.e. for something specific, I imagine many of these would have occurred before the PIP (or should have) i.e. being told they are not meeting deadlines

          • El cheepo on 30/03/2024 - 00:43
            +2

            @sakurashu: Interesting, thanks for the detailed explanation!
            I’ve never worked in that environment so unaware of those formalities.

            In any case, OP might as well start looking for another gig as neither he nor his supervisor are going to be getting along.

            Rarely do things work out well for the underdog ie: the OP

            Fair work wont be of use if the op if he is actually doing things that he can be sacked as thats what his company will pin it on.

        • garygaz on 30/03/2024 - 09:49
          +4

          Gives a company legal grounds to terminate you for performance reasons. It’s there to remove legal liability of a disgruntled employee trying to sue for wrongful termination.

  • CyberMurning on 29/03/2024 - 00:10
    +9

    Hmm becareful the manager may be reading this… Too much specific details she will pickup straight away who is the poster

    • elgrande on 29/03/2024 - 20:35
      +14

      Not sure why the neg, this is a geniune concern.

      As a bastard manager, I always monitor the forums to ensure my team members don't talk bad about me. /s

      • RTX9090Ti on 30/03/2024 - 21:15

        You might get sacked for spending too much time monitoring forum instead of working!

        • elgrande on 31/03/2024 - 19:00

          No, I only use Ozbargain when I'm sitting on the loo (tinkering).

        • Miss B on 01/04/2024 - 09:53

          They said they're a manager.

  • Drakesy on 29/03/2024 - 00:20
    -6

    been reporting at 9:15-9:20 for the last 6 months

    NGL, seems pretty late to me, what does your contract say? If you're in gov 8:30 is generally acceptable as the latest.

    I feel there's two sides to every story. Performance management is seriously hard for a manager to get approved and you need a LOT of evidence to justify it.

    • DingoBilly on 29/03/2024 - 07:32
      +39

      This is all up to managers and your workplace. Not sure where you think 830 is a normal time for government jobs but that's been far from my experience.

      I was meant to do 9 to 5 in my old job, and I'd come in around 10 instead and work till 6.

      If your manage isn't a moron they won't care as it's the same hours.

      • JimJim on 29/03/2024 - 10:05
        +5

        This will vary a lot from workplace to workplace, but it sounds like OP and the manager are not on the same page about it.

        At my last workplace, our standard hours were 8am - 6pm. You had to 7.5hr, but it was up to you when it fell in that timeframe e.g. you could do 8am - 4pm, or 9:15am - 5:15pm etc. That being said, it was very unusual to start at 9:30am or later, without advising people.

        • fleetfeather on 30/03/2024 - 16:34
          +1

          OP made a fat assumption that their routine would be tolerated because it had been tolerated in the past.

          You’d have to be an idiot to assume different managers arent going to manage differently. Now he’s wondering why he’s being performance managed???

          • MrTweek on 31/03/2024 - 21:49
            +9

            @fleetfeather:

            OP made a fat assumption that their routine would be tolerated because it had been tolerated in the past.

            What were they meant to do? If new manager wants different rules, they should at least tell people what they expect.

            • vvvv on 01/04/2024 - 10:42
              +1

              @MrTweek: Correct, a simple email or a notice in meeting saying it they expect everyone to be in at 9 am from now on should have set up the reight expectations. Pointing it out in a meeting that you are put up on Performance management all of a sudden since you are coming late shows how manager doesnt know about due process.

              • fleetfeather on 01/04/2024 - 11:30
                -3

                @vvvv: You’re a big boy, use some common sense. If you actually valued your role, you would have tee’d up a time to sit down with your new manager and get a feel for their expectations, values, and priorities.

                I just did the same with my new manager - maybe because I see the importance in developing good working relationships with others. A small amount of effort goes a long way

                Treat your performance management experience as a valuable lesson for the future

      • Drakesy on 29/03/2024 - 15:45

        We have 'flexible hours' however meetings are scheduled that start at 8:30 and if you're not there it's a career limiting move.

        • Talsek on 30/03/2024 - 18:19
          +2

          You're technically good to come in at 9:30 for most state gov Awards.

          This isn't about if it's considered career limiting, it's about if it can contribute to grounds for a PIP.

      • vvvv on 30/03/2024 - 19:57
        +1

        Correct! Been working in Sydney for 6 years and have been doing the same. Managers who have been devs like me dont care when you come in as long as work gets done.

    • drprox on 30/03/2024 - 13:25
      +2

      Weird you're copping so many negs. Whether ppl think "the norm" is 8.30 or 9 I've never known it to be 9.15-9.20 which is when OP shows up.

      • Drakesy on 30/03/2024 - 14:21
        +1

        Yeah
        9-5 is not 9.15 to 5.15

      • CommuterPolluter on 01/04/2024 - 10:57
        +1

        I work in a professional environment and a 9.15 start is pretty normal. Do you work in places where it’s lights out by 5.01?

  • 10khours on 29/03/2024 - 00:30
    +29

    If you want a more relaxed work environment then you either need to switch teams or leave.

  • USER DC on 29/03/2024 - 01:07
    +25

    Leave the workplace for a better respecting, and paying one.
    they'll learn themselves.

    • hopper on 01/04/2024 - 00:24

      Trust me, there are everywhere. You just need to know how to handle them.

      • OzHan on 01/04/2024 - 10:13

        how?

  • leiiv on 29/03/2024 - 01:11

    Can you provide more details on the "change in management"? Is it just your direct manager? What about the manager's manager or the CEO?
    Can you tell us about your performance based on your own evaluation in more details? For example, what kind of tasks you can deliver in a week or month (ball park figure)? How many LoC? Comparison with co-workers, etc..

  • AustriaBargain on 29/03/2024 - 01:20
    +9

    20 minutes late for the past six months, maybe 100 workdays, adds up to 33 hours. Are you leaving at 5.15-5.20 or whatever to make up for it? Is that even an option, if someone needs you for something then they need to wait 20 minutes each day before they can work with you or ask you. It doesn't sound like you're on Flex Time or whatever. If they want to fire you I bet they can fire you just by enforcing basic expectations.

    • bobbified on 29/03/2024 - 10:03
      +72

      It's called 'flexible working'. It's funny because the company 'notices' when someone is in after 9, but they never seem to 'notice' when someone is working late! I wonder why that is…

      • Benoffie on 29/03/2024 - 10:49
        +3

        Yes but flexible working is only flexible when the boss or company says it's ok. Not when employees do.

        Seen it too often lately - office expectation is start by 9 and yet some people are swanning in at 9-9:15 and take 15-30 mins to get started. And while those in at 7am are still in at 4 or 5pm (and accruing flex), the latecomers have disappeared.

        No wonder they get a talking to.

        • bobbified on 29/03/2024 - 11:23
          +5

          Unless someone is in a call centre or something, does a little give and take matter? Especially when the same people all turn a blind eye when you're sitting there three hours after your finish time.

          • Benoffie on 29/03/2024 - 11:25
            +1

            @bobbified: Unless your contract explicitly states 'I can come and go as I please' or 'You are free to attend between 7am and 7pm so long as 7.35 hours are worked' then no.

            This seems to be a constant issue at the moment across several workplaces I've seen. Boss sets a time. It's not uni, there's no +/- 10%.

            • bobbified on 29/03/2024 - 11:34
              +12

              @Benoffie:

              Boss sets a time

              This is not the type of boss you'd want to work for. Something so simple says a lot about them as a person.

              • Nebargains on 30/03/2024 - 19:57
                -1

                @bobbified: Every employment contract I've signed has always said what the standard business hours are and they are the exception.

                I've always sought the OK if my manager to come in at different hours and it's always been OK.

                Sounds like OP is just late every day and not meeting the expectations. You can't just be late every day and say 'oh this is flexible working'.

                • bobbified on 30/03/2024 - 20:07
                  +3

                  @Nebargains: You're right.. every employment contract does have a time stated on it. There's a whole bunch of other policies. Some more important than others. It's whether or not the boss chooses to enforce the less important ones.

                  My boss used to rip up my annual leave forms because he knew how much work I did and never said anything or complained about the amount of work. I just got my shit done.

                  For my own teams, I make it clear to them that I really don't care what hours they work as long as come deadline time, the work is done (and they are contactable during the core hours). I recognise that not everyone functions the same so I give them the discretion to manage that side of things themselves. I actually trust my guys.

            • crentist on 29/03/2024 - 12:49
              +13

              @Benoffie:

              Boss sets a time. It's not uni, there's no +/- 10%.

              Exactly it's not uni, so why treat people like babies.
              Unless your "office" is a McDonald's kitchen, you don't need to clock watch adults arriving at their desks to do actual work.

              some people are swanning in at 9-9:15 and take 15-30 mins to get started. And while those in at 7am are still in at 4 or 5pm (and accruing flex), the latecomers have disappeared.

              This is a fiction that proves the point you were trying to refute. In one breath you've suggested that people who start at 7am spend zero time getting started, while coming in at 9.15 indicates someone is likely to be out by 4.

              What I've seen many times is that early starters are also very diligent about getting out the door at a certain time, no matter what. While the late starters will often stretch their finish times even later, either because they simply want to keep momentum going once they've started, or all too often because they're the only ones around to deal with end of day emergencies.

              Also funny that you mention that the early starters are "accruing flex". I've often heard these words from people "staying back" until 5pm. I've never heard the phrase from the cohort regularly working beyond 6pm.

              • brokenground on 30/03/2024 - 02:44
                +8

                @crentist: This is consistent with my experience. Early starters are usually very rigid about their finish times (I used to joke about the wind as they swept out the door en mass at 4:00:01 pm), whereas late starters had to be in by 10am but were quite relaxed about whether they left at 6pm or 8pm (admittedly, this was circa 2003, in the UK). People have different chronotypes and unfortunately for night owls, society (most especially Perth society) is configured for early birds.

              • Miss B on 01/04/2024 - 10:57
                +1

                @crentist: As an early starter I would concur with this. When I start early it's so I can finish early and that's my experience of others where I work too. If there is something I want or need to finish I will sometimes do voluntary unpaid overtime, but not a ridiculous amount. I don't agree with involuntary unpaid overtime (hire more staff if you need them) and thankfully neither does my employer. I will do paid or time in lieu overtime on request if I'm available. It works out so that neither my boss or I feels taken advantage of, there's give and take. I get what I need done and my boss says no worries to all of my requests for things like time off and varying work hours.

            • tikei on 30/03/2024 - 15:12
              +2

              @Benoffie: I never had strict hours to the minute like that unless it was a retail job.

              I guess if the company is tiny then maybe your presence is needed. I've only worked in large companies so everyone comes and goes with flexibility and is not missed.

              As someone else mentioned, the early people leave on the dot after they've done their 7.6 or 8 hours. The latecomers usually stay back for free.

            • CommuterPolluter on 01/04/2024 - 11:00
              +1

              @Benoffie: You sound like the kind of person who thinks we need more migration to fill our skills shortages, instead of offering the Australians already here reasonable conditions of employment.

            • Boioioioi on 02/04/2024 - 10:38
              +1

              @Benoffie: Does it really matter unless it is a time based role? Someone who works 6 hours may have the output of someone else working for 12. As long as you meet your expected output I dont think it should matter. Unless again, you work in support or a call centre or something where you get paid for the literal time

      • initiateit on 31/03/2024 - 12:00
        +3

        It's funny that in my experience the guys and gals who turn up earliest also spend that time doing sfa because they are the only ones there.

        They also clock off before every else and get into wind down mode earlier.

        As someone who is not a morning person I always did the IT graveyard shifts and copped flack from the early birds.

        Hollier than though snake oil merchants.

  • Ruddaga on 29/03/2024 - 02:17
    +61

    Just quit. I have this happen a few times, and once the manager wants you gone, they will just whittle at you until it starts to affect you.

    One time I was working in a call centre and they used to have prices for the top 10% - 30%. For a year I got the top 10% prize every month. And then it started to bother me that in my team there were people who would constantly not meet their KPI, and would rock up, do the bare minimum and get paid the same. Also we got a new manager who knew nothing about the job, and would just let everyone walk all over her.

    One month my performance "dropped" cos I tried not working as hard and I still was awarded the in the top 30%. My manager pulled me in and said - yeah i think I'm going to have to put you on a performance plan since you've stopped caring (this is while the other useless members in my team had failed their KPI's for months and still not been put on a plan). My mouth just dropped and I was like - yeah F you, I quit.

    Went back to uni afterwards and now earn a decent wage in a decent career. No doubt that silly woman stayed in that dropkick job and died miserable and alone.

    • Smarch on 01/04/2024 - 04:41
      +3

      Had something similar happen.

      Switched companies a while back, hit the ground running, was recognised as a great fit and was up for a performance award in my first 6 months.

      Over the next 18 months i end up having 3 different direct managers, some internal movements and one external before number 4 arrives. All was fine throughout the changes and continued to have good reviews from my direct and group level managers.

      New manager, number 4, was ok for about 2 months, then started the questions about category performance and micro-management of tasks, some were warrented as i had lost some enthusiasm with the lack of continuity with my direct managers changing so frequently, but was still turning up and putting in minus some new job zeal.

      Then the PIP got dropped on me, no warnings or reprimands prior to this.

      Never had this happen to me before so was a little shell shocked tbh, tried to knuckle down and complete the tasks provided, but nothing was ever good enough.

      After 3 weeks of this i figured nothing was going to get me over the line and quit without having anything to go to.

      A few things were weird with the whole process:

      • The new manager mentioned when going through the PIP process that they had completed a lot of these and gave me details about previous ones
      • The rub of the stories was that no one ever passed and all quit or were pushed out
      • One person they mentioned didnt understand that they were being managed out of the business until they were told at their final review that they were terminated, it had been explained to them but it hadnt sunk in.

      All made me realise that it was set up for me to fail and exit the company.

      After i resigned upper management asked for me to stay on as they were struggling to replace me, i had nothing solid to go to yet so agreed to stay an extra few weeks, also pays to not burn bridges with those that i thought i had good relationships with.

      Found a new (better) job pretty quickly after my extra few weeks were up, so ended up great for me in the end.

      I stayed in touch with people and turned out that the person that replaced me quit after 2 weeks, citing the new manager that put me on the PIP as the reason. That manager was moved on within a month or two for reasons unknown.

      Basically, someone lost faith in me and even though i had runs on the board and a good relationship with upper management, they took the new persons assesment of me and pushed me out.

      Management don't want to admit they made a mistake with their hiring and must believe that the new manager, with a fresh set of eyes
      , sees something that they have been missing, so will allow the PIP to run and move you on.

      So as @Rudagga said from the get go, just move on and find a new job as they have already made up their mind and are using the HR system to document it all so they are in the clear if there is a complaint.

  • AngoraFish on 29/03/2024 - 07:05
    +44

    Basically, your manager has decided that they want you gone.

    They will keep snipping away and nitpicking your work like the bully they are until you leave or they collect enough warnings to be able to dismiss you.

    Fair work will have no interest in the case, and even if they did the best you would normally be able to get from them is a few month's salary.

    The only good outcome here is to start looking for another job and save yourself the emotional angst. It sucks.

    • CalmLemons on 30/03/2024 - 23:09
      +5

      Yeah this. This is 101 tactic for managers. She knows what she is doing. She just wants to get rid of you for whatever reason I am not going to speculate.

  • Dollar General on 29/03/2024 - 07:33
    +26

    Just leave bro. I’ve been there and not worth the stress and anxiety.

    There are plenty of other employers that will treat you like a human

  • Hardlyworkin on 29/03/2024 - 07:34
    +5

    Can you go to Fair Work? Well you can though I'm not sure what for. I doesn't sound like any laws have been broken such as you being underpaid. It would be a stretch for anything you've said to equate to a breach of legislation, well anything that would lead anywhere that is.

    None of us can know whether the problem is you, your boss or a bit of both. My guess is the latter. If you want to keep your job then make sure you show improvement in the areas that have been identified during the performance management period.

    If upper management are happy with the way your manager is doing things then it's either get on board or get out. Do you know if the manager was brought in with the intention to have greater oversight than the past?

  • original15 on 29/03/2024 - 08:22
    +6

    Start looking for jobs. This is simply a sign they’d be happy for you to leave. Depending on your level there may or may not be a chance of coming back from this.
    Are you genuinely rocking up at 9:20 every day?

    Also depending on rem, if you’re at a certain level they can just fire you without concern for unfair dismissal through fair work. Tech roles can be high paying so will depend on what type of tech/your pay if they can just cut you loose

  • stickingly on 29/03/2024 - 08:43
    +13

    I know what you mean as I had a similar situation in a previous job working for an IT company. We were a team of engineers supporting customers and worked fairly flexible hours, but way more than the expected minimum (including after hour work)

    The owner of the company hired a family member and put them in charge of operations. They were a nice enough person but had no idea about IT, or aptitude to learn. As a result they focused on all they were capable of, which was things like starting times, working hours, insisting we all come the office in the city regularly early in the morning for waste of time team meetings (we used to just go straight to customers from home), and adding a huge amount of extra paperwork and bureaucracy.

    This led to upset and frustrated staff and a reduction in the service levels clients were getting.

    I ended up leaving and so did some of the other engineers. Suggest you start looking for another job

  • pantsparty on 29/03/2024 - 08:47
    +7

    Life is too short to deal with this kind of crap, just find another job and probably get a payrise with it

  • Tee Rex Arms on 29/03/2024 - 09:38

    Working in IT I’d say both of you have little to no inter personal skills to be able to sort the problem out.

    • Tunblor on 30/03/2024 - 01:16
      +5

      Unhelpful generalisation.

    • OMGJL on 01/04/2024 - 01:47

      not only this is unhelpful, but it's also a typical way to stereotype people.

  • JIMB0 on 29/03/2024 - 09:39
    +14

    Your other option is to stay and be a real stick in the mud. Work to rule, call out your managers bad behaviour (question why they're late for the meeting) etc.

    Best to do this after you've secured another position.

    • El cheepo on 29/03/2024 - 10:09
      +17

      Yep, op can have some fun during their notice period.

      I love that time.
      I remember quitting a job i hated and had a horrible client treat me poorly a day before i finished. I gave them attitude back and they said their going to call and complain about me and they hope i get fired…

      I can tell you right now, nothing was as sweet as saying: My last day is tomorrow, have a lovely day AH… 😂

  • charzy on 29/03/2024 - 09:51
    +8

    If you work in IT and it's a fairly mature company (post startup phase), there'll be a process for performance plans. If you're a tenured employee with a history of high performance, I'd gather 'allies' in this scenario as it sounds like bullying.

    I'd start with have a meeting with your manager's manager in private and voice your concerns. At the very least notify them shift in workplace dynamics when the managers changed and that you want a third party to the performance plan (should you choose to stay).

    Fairwork won't do anything regarding internal politics until it's too late. Your best bet is if you've established rapport with the higher ups and state your concerns. Just remember if you're valuable to the company, you're the one holding the big stick and you just need to speak softly as opposed to your manager holding a small stick but barking over you.

    • Tunblor on 30/03/2024 - 01:23
      +1

      Gathering allies is good, unless they're impotent to assist (exec bullies often bully the other execs, form their own little cliques, etc) or if they're good mates with the bully, and they give you enough rope to hang yourself: e.g. feeding all of your complaints to the "bully", and then completely trashing your name through the rest of the organisation.

      I'd heard of this sort of thing, and then saw it happen myself to a good manager in another dept. I left that org ASAP.

  • nige0090 on 29/03/2024 - 11:41
    +10

    If you have been put on performance management, your days are numbered. They want you out.
    Get out before you are pushed out.

  • djsweet on 29/03/2024 - 12:26
    +5

    As said above, start looking for another job. Performance management is the last step in trying to get rid of someone before firing them. They are getting their ducks in a row to terminate you. Regardless of your performance or lack thereof, you will not have a job in a few months.

  • mrdean on 29/03/2024 - 12:42
    +4

    Tough situation, many have been in the same spot.

    One option is just to grin & bear it, hoping the new manager will move on quickly to another role or job.
    Another is to put in complaints to HR, always taking care to word them respectfully. Keep copies of everything in case they might come in handy later.
    If you have good relationships with fellow workers/colleagues, it might be worth getting together & talking about the new manager & how the rest of them feel about it.

    • mrvaluepack on 29/03/2024 - 14:38
      +13

      HR are always on the manager's side. Never once think HR will help minions or non-management employees.

      • JIMB0 on 29/03/2024 - 17:59
        +3

        HR are scum, just like used car salesmen, real estate agents and LNP politicians.

    • Dreamcast on 29/03/2024 - 17:06
      +1

      This.

      If it's just you, find another job and leave. Don't let them know you're looking. If your colleagues are being treated the same, then get together and go to HR. I know I know, HR don't care about minions as above. But if you all go with the same issue, there is a chance they'll let go of the manager.

      My brother got put on performance management randomly by his new manager. He and his colleagues went to HR and the manager was removed.

  • joka on 29/03/2024 - 13:00
    +1

    That really sucks, makes you feel like you’re walking on egg shells all the time.

    Last time that happened to me, I started being passive aggressive. My boss questioned why I finished early (because I started early) so then I started strictly doing 9 till 5. He then questioned why I started coming in later (9 am) and I told him because he wanted me to stay till 5. I loved the look on his face when he realised he caused that to happen.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 29/03/2024 - 13:03
    +10

    Leave. 99% these situations never improve.

    Use that energy looking for a better workplace. Job market in general is in your favour right now.

  • freefall101 on 29/03/2024 - 13:23
    +1

    Who's mediating the performance management? I had a similar thing happen to me years ago, someone from HR was involved and basically went "WTF are you doing?" to the manager. But at the same time, I quickly corrected showing up on time and went and found another job. It's an easy job market out there right now and rebuilding from here will be near impossible.

    But working with a manager is something you have to do in life, so you should start playing the game. Showing up on time is a reasonable expectation, just start doing it. So is letting them know how progress is doing. It's quite possible your team, and you in particular, have this new manager not because she knows IT but because she knows performance. If you've worked in IT for a decade and never had to balance multiple deadlines before you've been incredibly lucky. Or unlucky, because you're not used to it.

  • pais on 29/03/2024 - 13:40
    +3

    Also after that in a discussion I have been told I am always late where as I usually have been reporting at 9:15-9:20 for the last 6 months I have been never told about it so it really seems unfair. Not to mention that said manager is always late for meetings by 10 mins since coffees need to be picked up which is okay I guess.

    If your contract says that you work from, say, 9am (or 830) and your manager has set the expectation that this is inflexible, then you don't have standing here. Sometimes expectations slide in roles so if you were rolling in at 930 every day for months on end, a quick conversation from your manager to re-baseline expectations is reasonable. A PIP can only really occur after you've discarded the more informal ways your manager is telling you that you aren't meeting expectation a, b or c.

    You should have a process by which to apply for flexible working arrangements. If you are rejected and it is reiterated that your hours of work are 9-5 then, by all means, maliciously comply and punch out at 5pm. The advice elsewhere to go to HR is not a good suggestion. HR is there to protect the company; to this end, being performance managed on the basis of tardiness puts the company in no legal jeopardy. Once you're PIP'd, it's a certainty that HR is already involved and HR is supporting the manager in addressing your behaviour.

    The rest of the stuff about non-technical leaders in IT - I can empathise with, but is fundamentally irrelevant to your performance. Shit managers are a dime a dozen, as are grey beards that think they are irreplaceable and build their own rules. There was a recent thread on r/sysadmin about a company coming down hard on a grey beard, and it resonated with me about some of the people I've worked with
    https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1bhb142/the_long_…

    To be constructive -
    a. Seek our flexible work policy. Use it.
    b. Comply with the requirements of your job. If the employer wants you in at 9am per the term of your contract, do this, then you log off at 5pm per the terms of your contract. Take your lunch. Ignore your manager's request for long term notice for medical appointments. Give no detail on what the medical appointment is as you are not obligated to.
    c. Once you're at this point, there is probably little expectation that from the company that you will be here in 6 months. PIPs seldom result in both parties living happily ever after. They likely want you to leave, and discussing minutia about your performance is quite a miserable experience. I would polish up your resume.

    Be prepared that digging your heels in won't change the company's mind, and the reality is that you are likely not as valuable to the company as you believe. Consider seriously whether you want to be here, noting that the tech market is quite poor at the moment.

  • cashless on 29/03/2024 - 13:53
    +3

    have been reporting at 9:15-9:20

    Please send me details of this job. Sounds like I need to work there

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