Advice for Accenture employees classed as underperformer and put on a PIP

stephenliverpool1

For anyone working for Accenture, who is rated as being a low performer (i.e. bottom 10%) during their EOY laddering process, my advice is to make sure that you sign yourself off-sick with work-related stress for a few days. TBH you will probably be suffering from this without realising it if you are in this position; so you aren't being economical with the truth in reality.

There is a hidden rule within Accenture HR that means Accenture will then treat you with exceptional care and will not dismiss anyone (in the event that a person does not come off the PIP process within the 10 week timeline) that is suffering with this condition. If you are then put on a PIP, do exactly the same again.

You may have to see their Occupational Health referral people; probably still Grosvenor Health ! but hey just talk to them and say how you feel. You can also do a google search on 'work-related stress symptoms' for help.

They are playing a game with you. Make sure that you play the game back.

HTHs.

ktothema

stephenliverpool1 wrote: »

For anyone working for Accenture, who is rated as being a low performer (i.e. bottom 10%) during their EOY laddering process, my advice is to make sure that you sign yourself off-sick with work-related stress for a few days. TBH you will probably be suffering from this without realising it if you are in this position; so you aren't being economical with the truth in reality.

There is a hidden rule within Accenture HR that means Accenture will then treat you with exceptional care and will not dismiss anyone (in the event that a person does not come off the PIP process within the 10 week timeline) that is suffering with this condition. If you are then put on a PIP, do exactly the same again.

You may have to see their Occupational Health referral people; probably still Grosvenor Health ! but hey just talk to them and say how you feel. You can also do a google search on 'work-related stress symptoms' for help.

They are playing a game with you. Make sure that you play the game back.

HTHs.

This disgusts me. Advice to someone to get signed off if they're really suffering is fine, but advising to look it up to play a game is awful. No wonder people don't respect those of us who genuinely suffer. :mad:

stephenliverpool1

ktothema wrote: »

No wonder people don't respect those of us who genuinely suffer.

Really ? I was one 'of us' as well. I was signed off with work-related stress by my GP for a few weeks. He/she would only let me go back to work if I reduced my hours and I had to use an employment tribunal in order to return to work with Accenture.:mad:

ktothema wrote: »

but advising to look it up to play a game is awful.

Really ? You obviously ain't worked for Accenture. IMO dreadful company and awful HR people !

I will give you some examples of their games :

1. I attended sites leadership meetings. At the end of these meetings. they would always discuss and openly congratulate each other for anyone retiring, dismissed or resigning.

2. HR were never empowered or discussed reasons why so many people were off sick with work-related stress.

3. We were outsourced to Accenture. For every employee that left (via compulsary redundancy, VR, retirement, etc.), Accenture were given a bonus by the company that did the outsource !

4. I had a colleague (not a friend), who was was working over 70hrs per week. He/she was classed as an under-performer and placed on a PIP; even though his/her line manager and HR knew of his/her excessive workload and hence inability to have sufficient time to work on his/her PIP. Net result....he/she was dismissed under a statutory compromise after the 10 week period of being on a PIP. If I knew what I now know, I would have advised him/her of work-related stress (NOTE : IMHO, he/she was suffering from this even before he/she was put on a PIP) to avoid the dismissal ! I will be honest and advise that the individual wasn't very street smart !

So IMHO anyone that works for Accenture is more than entitled to play these games back as well.:)

HTHs and now back to watching the football.

sammyroser

Isn't it gross misconduct to talk about companies on the internet in this way? Or is your contract different to any contract I've ever had?

ktothema

sammyroser wrote: »

Isn't it gross misconduct to talk about companies on the internet in this way? Or is your contract different to ever contract I've ever had?

Maybe gross misconduct doesn't count there if you force yourself protected under the equalities act. Sadly, everywhere I worked would still sack you for gross misconduct regardless.

DVardysShadow

sammyroser wrote: »

Isn't it gross misconduct to talk about companies on the internet in this way? Or is your contract different to ever contract I've ever had?

Anything short of coming in to work this evening for an early start tomorrow before you have gone home tomorrow morning after a late finish today counts as gross misconduct.

These days gross misconduct is a great big 'so what'. Squeezing anyone beyond a certain point is going to have unexpected consequences and I think that is the sub text of the OP.

mynameistallulah

As I know someone that has been dismissed for being on long term sick due to stress, I would take the OP's post with a large pinch of salt.

To be honest I don't see what the OP has to moan about. Anyone that joins Accenture knows what they are like, and the financial reward reflects that you will have to work incredibly hard and be at the top of your game. If you can't take the heat ...

princessdon

They are certainly a "tough" company to work for, my OH did 12 mos as a solutions architect before he moved on.

Whilst I agree OP morally should not be saying what they are saying, after working 80-100 hours plus for 37 hours pay, no annual leave, demands to work whenever it does start to grind you down. My OH had no performance issues - and they were reluctant to let him go, but by that time he'd work for Asda if given the choice.

marybelle01

I wouldn't worry about it. I'd bet the policy is being rewritten by now... Company named and it probably triggered a few hundred alerts...

stephenliverpool1

sammyroser wrote: »

Isn't it gross misconduct to talk about companies on the internet in this way? Or is your contract different to any contract I've ever had?

Maybe but am I still employed by Accenture ? Trouble is that I can't remember whether I have been dismissed, taken early retirement, taken VR or been insourced back into the company ?;):)

mynameistallulah wrote: »

As I know someone that has been dismissed for being on long term sick due to stress, I would take the OP's post with a large pinch of salt.

Unless you got the outcome that you were after (i.e. full VR package, no statutory compromise, etc,), you didn't play the game successfully did you !;)

mynameistallulah wrote: »

To be honest I don't see what the OP has to moan about. Anyone that joins Accenture knows what they are like, and the financial reward reflects that you will have to work incredibly hard and be at the top of your game. If you can't take the heat ...

Really ? For info, I did take the heat and got a fantastic outcome for me. I just wish that I could remember wot the outcome was :rotfl::rotfl:.

marybelle01 wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it. I'd bet the policy is being rewritten by now... Company named and it probably triggered a few hundred alerts...

I don't share your confidence; after all it was Athur Anderson in a previous life and look what happened to that company !:)

marybelle01

Companies actually learn! And these days they trawl the net like vilutures. You may not be caught, assuming you don't work for them (and if you do I really hope your name isn't Stephen, you aren't in Liverpool and you haven't tried this trick, because that certainly narrows the field of employees they are looking for - and I wonder what other personal stuff can be gleaned from your previous 260 posts that would narrow it down (further??)? Just remember - employment law works on an employer having reasonable belief you did something - not proof or evidence.

That said, whilst I have some sympathy with the view that p(l)aying the employer back is legitimate, I have to side with those who make the point that it is exactly this sort of behaviour that has entirely undermined employers confidence in the stress diagnosis, and the reality is that it now most employers treat stress as the same as a bad back - with total incredulity and no sympathy at all. As I see it all you are doing to making sure yours follows suit. With any medical condition - feigned or real - the law does not prevent an employer from dismissing. They may have to be more careful, but they can and will dismiss. The problem with your strategy is that those suffering real conditions will bear the brunt of this. And I doubt if tribunals are any more sympathetic either - 9 out of 10 people facing disciplinary/performance/ or other issues suddenly discover they have stress. Neither employers nor judges are stupid.