Probationary Period with Civil Service

Tabitha_T

Hello, does anybody have any personal experience regarding the 6 month probation with the Civil Service. I have concerns for a close family member who started as an (external) EO in June 2012 and was due to have their 6 month interview (hopefully to confirm permanent contract) at the end of December.

It was put back a month as there were management staffing issues, two managers have since been 'moved on' and the new office manager has explained that as the previous managers had not done their job properly there was no benchmark to measure whether or not the probationary period had been successful. The required progress meetings and monthly appraisals had not taken place (not for want of asking).

By all accounts the 'on the job' training has been a joke, major struggles to work out the correct internal procedures regarding admin etc. Conflicting advice is given by internal staff members and it seems to me that the girls who are in the lower band B are being deliberately nasty. Lost files have been 'planted' and other anomolies are taking place that are not making life very pleasant. There has been lots of nastiness from internal candidates (all women) who had originally applied for the same position and been turned down.

At the rescheduled meeting at the end of January, the new office manager said that there must be another three month probationary period to reach the required standard. The constant monitoring of her every move has been and continues to be horrible and contributing to errors which are being jumped on with relish. It almost sounds like a witch-hunt and she feels on a countdown to being 'released' from her job at the end of April. It seems that by making life very unpleasant they are hoping she may jump before she's pushed. Any advice please?

She has even thought of applying for other jobs as she is so unhappy but unsure how she could explain this disaster away on her CV. Also, it seems awful that she secured what sounded like such a good job with prospects and all the trimmings etc but it's turned out to be hugely disappointing. Thanks for reading.

Hmm71

Oh dear Tabitha, I am sorry to hear that . Sounds like the Civil Service hasn't changed or improved at all since I left there. I can only suggest that your relative contacts the HR department or her union for advice.

The "passed-over" colleagues shouldn't be treating her like this of course but quite honestly I can understand their point of view. I saw it many,many times in my eight and a half years; good workers being temporarily promoted to EO, sometimes for years, doing the work,being good at it,waiting and waiting for a promotion board then suddenly when it comes along they are somehow not quite good enough for a substantive promotion.
Someone else is brought in from outside and the now-downgraded worker is expected to train their replacement. How would you expect them to feel about it?

Of course that doesn't excuse their behaviour and the bullying needs to be stopped right now but I can see how it does happen.

If talking to an HEO hasn't helped is there an SEO she could talk to? Ask for proper training and monthly performance meetings?

zzzLazyDaisy

Following the change in the law last April, the employer can dismiss her for any reason or no reason at all within the first two years (provided the reason does not breach anti-discrimination legislation - age, race, sex, disability). Normally the employer does not even have to follow any procedures, although this may be different within the civil service, so she should check her contract/employee handbook to see whether the disciplinary/capability procedures are stated to be contractual.

If she is in the union she should also be seeking their advice.

But the bottom line is that they don't need a reason to dismiss her. If they wish to terminate her employment they will do, and she has very little rights or protection.

Tabitha_T

Hi, many thanks for your replies, I will pass the info on to her, she'll be grateful, I know.

That is so true about the temporary promotions, several members of staff have point blank refused to answer some of her queries, such is their bitterness at having been passed over and expected to train new members of staff. It is a ridiculous situation.

Hopefully there will be good news at the end of April, she really needs this job so I do hope she is successful and that things improve - however, I have my doubts, maybe she's better off doing something different......

Thanks again, Tabs

SuzyZ

I temped in civil service before I went to private sector.

Yes, I understand bitterness from workers who haven't got the role your friend/relative has, but this smacks of bullying/nastiness.

Is there really nothing she can do? Even though she's not been there 6 months. Notebook to record her treatment by others?

Maybe her direct boss would be the best person for her to have a word with in the first instance.

HR bods from what I recall were great (we were setting up a new dept whilst I was there) and they really seem 'on it' but for a new person maybe there simply isn't anything to be done.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Here's what I would do.

I'd document everything; so when she asks the question of one person, and gets a response, she notes it down in her book each and every time. When a lost file is 'discovered' she notes that it was 'found' even though the cabinet was checked yesterday.

When she needs to know about some admin procedures; by all means ask but do it by email after, copying herself into the email and file it on her email system for the record. By all means start the email 'Hi Sarah, just confirming our conversation yesterday at 12:32, I am to do x and y and then send it on to z. If I have misunderstood your instructions, please let me know by return. Thanks'.

Don't ever leave the notebook that she makes the notes in at work or by the desk alone; better still take each page home with her, date it and file it for future reference. She doesn't have to make it look like she is producing a record of misinformation and bullying, just that she is an avid note taker - but that's pretty much what she is doing.

Even better, take photos of each page and email it to herself as well so that she can say 'no, you definitely said on x day that I needed to do y, it's here in my notes.'

And anything that the boss has asked her to do, copy him/her into the request emails. Make a paper trail so that each and every interaction is logged.

chelle_bell

Things must have changed, when I started as a civil servant it was a 12 month probation period.

Yorkie1

Has she obtained a copy of the department's probation policy?

It should set out exactly what she should have expected to happen during the probation period, and the grounds on which it can be extended.

It might also be worth investigating whether she can join the union at this stage, in case they might be of use if needed in a month or two's time (check the period before which they will help, though).

tommytynan123

What Funky said and TU

I lost my job public sector 18 months back after 14 years and must have been lucky because in that time I never met anyone who was poor at their job / horrible etc. Well except for the odd ''Armed Forces Officer'' who was LM for Civilians. But they were despatched.

Good luck and just be doubly careful. Don't ever show your true feelings to staff - just smile and make notes.

calmk

I would advise you to tell your relative to take a union rep into her meetings with her line manager. I had a similar situation over 20 years ago with my employer. I was able to show that my employer was bullying me. she was not reprimanding other workers that were not achieving their targets just picking on me. I talked it through with my union rep and she gave me correct guidance to follow and i passed my probation . Still with same employer. My ex manager was sacked due to fraud investigation.

antonic

What sort of contract is she employed on ? - is it a permanent contract or a Fixed term Appointment ?

I would have a guess she has been employed on an FTA contract (as there are so few permanent appointments these days), then she can be let go with a months notice.

If she is a Union Member she needs to speak to them and get advice.

And I am with all the others, that she needs to be gathering physical evidence of whats happening in case the brown stuff hits the fan.