Letter of disciplinary for performance

[D1ngle]

Hi All, I would really appreciate some advice on my situation please.

 

I have worked for a company for three plus years and my performance has always been measured as among the top in a team of 12. The company has always been struggling though and the whole region short of target (they have had many management changes). Then in Jan/Feb my role changed slightly and although I'm still among top in the team I'm still way short of expected target (the majority are even worse).

 

I have never been asked or questioned on my performance (actually praised as recently as June and told I was under no job pressure) then out of the blue I received a formal letter complaining about my performance implying that they had spoken to me multiple times already (they never have).

 

The last two-three months have been hard, but no worse than others in the team. If you take my yearly results and results from before the changes then again they are among the best.

 

I have been told to I am having a disciplinarian review meeting early in August where the outcome will likely be a Performance Improvement Plan. I have been told I can take a Union rep.

 

I am the only one in the whole team having this procedure taken against me.

 

I doubt it will be a true "help" plan and more likely a "mange you out" PIP and will be set at levels unachievable by anyone in the company. Also after the PIP it's likely my performance will be better than other in the team not on PIP.

 

The employer seems not to want an informal chat before this meeting.

 

My questions are:

 

General advice?

 

Am I at risk of being fired in the meeting?

 

How long would a PIP last?

 

I can get a Union rep to attend with me for £350 + VAT. Are they worth it and what benefit would they be?

 

I can get a solicitor to advise at additional cost also.

 

What should I prepare for this session?

 

Anything else?

 

To be honest this has dented my trust in the Company and I doubt I want to work there, but I don't want to be in a situation where I am on 30days to find a job.

 

Thanks for any advice and all is appreciated!

 

Thank you

 

D

[JurgenMK]

Bit of a strange one as normally a PIP is implemented and steps/support to improve performance outlined. Only when the PIP is unsuccessful and performance not up to required standard this could lead to disciplinary action. Are you talking about sales targets? To follow those up with disciplinary action in my view would be completely out of line.

 

What happens to the other colleagues not achieving their targets? And what is our union rep's view on all of this?

[D1ngle]

Bit of a strange one as normally a PIP is implemented and steps/support to improve performance outlined. Only when the PIP is unsuccessful and performance not up to required standard this could lead to disciplinary action. Are you talking about sales targets? To follow those up with disciplinary action in my view would be completely out of line.

 

What happens to the other colleagues not achieving their targets? And what is our union rep's view on all of this?

 

Thank you for the reply.

 

Yes sales targets. The whole team is below.

 

This is the main issue, but they are trying to say other areas also, but they have never said that these areas are measured.

 

The letter made it sound like they had already discussed this with me but no one has ever mentioned anything. The letter reads more like an after pip letter than first step.

 

 

No one else is having this happen to them so I am the first and only.

 

The union rep hasn't said anything as I have to pay first. However I wanted to get advice on here before spending the money. Are they a good help and is ot worth them attending if this is the first step?

 

Thanks again

 

D

[JurgenMK]

I am not a salesperson but a service manager, so I can't really speak for a sales environment. However, every corporate company I worked for implemented PIP's following performance reviews or as and when an issue was identified. You then must be given the opportunity to improve within agreed time-scales and the company has to outline as well which support would be available to you to achieve objectives and targets. To address a performance issue with a disciplinary straight away is in my view completely out of order. What does your HR have to say to that? There should also be a performance policy in place. And finally, if they give the impression that this has been discussed before, I would ask for (in such cases mandatory) documentation.

 

P.S.: Good read http://humanresources.about.com/od/performancemanagement/a/PIP.htm

[D1ngle]

I am not a salesperson but a service manager, so I can't really speak for a sales environment. However, every corporate company I worked for implemented PIP's following performance reviews or as and when an issue was identified. You then must be given the opportunity to improve within agreed time-scales and the company has to outline as well which support would be available to you to achieve objectives and targets. To address a performance issue with a disciplinary straight away is in my view completely out of order. What does your HR have to say to that? There should also be a performance policy in place. And finally, if they give the impression that this has been discussed before, I would ask for (in such cases mandatory) documentation.

 

P.S.: Good read http://humanresources.about.com/od/performancemanagement/a/PIP.htm

 

Thank you for you help, I appreciate it.

 

We have no HR in this region. I have never seen a performance policy.

 

They have been taken to court a few times and lost. They treat people very poorly.

 

Thanks D