being dismissed for poor performance

Dimey

Excellent advice here Happenstance.

Important to quantify what your performance needs to be. Get your employment contract and job description out prior to the meeting, together with any written appraisals, objectives and key tasks. Then list all specific instructions and collate evidence to prove you have achieved or exceeded the performance level required.

Be confident and proud that you can do as good or better job than colleagues within your contracted hours than colleagues who can't and have to work overtime to get things done. Just turn your thinking into a positive plus rather than coming over as negative and defensive.

Make your employer feel good to have you and not want to lose you. Tell them about your successes, especially where you've helped where others have failed. Your employer may be being blinded by feedback from a prejudiced line manager or an over zealous HR person.

Go into the meeting with ideas to improve productivity all round so they can see you have the right attitude. Don't rise to the bait by being defensive or argumentative. Don't talk me & you, talk we & us to show you are invested into the well being of the company.

If your stress was caused by work then explain that to the company and thank them for their support even though you appreciate they are obliged to do so.

happenstance

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

This is exactly what the new tribunal edict wants potential claimants to think, so the rules are obviously working.

When you say telecoms, is it call centre because I worked in IT.

But leaving now, rather than later, may not keep references intact, since they already have a low opinion on you. One poster is suggesting that your reference will "degrade" simply because you're taking them to a tribunal, that is simply illegal. Your reference should only be based your 5 year record, not about the mere fact they are being sued for being a sh1teh0le employer.

Yes the new rules are certainly working on me if there intention is to make the employee feel powerless, and I considered myself switched on until this roller coaster started.

No its not call center, probably shouldn't say more on the role to remain anonymous.

I know that legally a tribunal should not affect references but worried it actually will do in reality. Its like when I got signed off sick for a month, when I came back they told me I was a low performer but obviously they are not going to say its because I was off sick as thats illegal. They just seam to use performance as an excuse and feels like I cant challenge the managements opinion.

makeyourdaddyproud

First of all don't beat yourself up about it. You have a great attitude, and I'm sure it will work out for you but there seems no point now in worrying about this employer, especially if one day old stubble is now starting to count against you.

Mobilise your next move by preparing your CV and getting it onto jobsites etc.

However, if asked about the experience of a previous employer you didn't like for a good reason then do not be afraid to say so. Explain why things didn't work out and where you fell short into the bargain. A later "null" reference will show your honesty and transparency.

And, MITSTM, the chip on me is not to be eaten yet.

ILW

happenstance wrote: »

Yes the new rules are certainly working on me if there intention is to make the employee feel powerless, and I considered myself switched on until this roller coaster started.

No its not call center, probably shouldn't say more on the role to remain anonymous.

I know that legally a tribunal should not affect references but worried it actually will do in reality. Its like when I got signed off sick for a month, when I came back they told me I was a low performer but obviously they are not going to say its because I was off sick as thats illegal. They just seam to use performance as an excuse and feels like I cant challenge the managements opinion.

Not sure if I should go into this but a manager called me into a meeting a few weeks where he complained that I wore polo necks and chinos despite them being listed as in the dress code for business casual and said i needed to shave. I wore the clothes I feel comfortable in and don't like to shave every day as I get a rash and sensitive skin. In this meeting he was very threatening saying things like "you do know i'm your boss" and "i have a stake in your future". Then after the meeting he stood on the back of one of my shoes and tripped me up. I think that was deliberate but no way to tell. I tell all of this to HR and they just say the manager has confirmed he was not threatening and did not mean to trip you up. Seams like they just ignore me and take managements side.

Your attitude really is not doing you any favours.
I would look for something in the public sector.

Dimey

ILW wrote: »

Your attitude really is not doing you any favours.
I would look for something in the public sector.

I can see your philosophy and need for lower stress 9-5 hrs fitting into the public sector better than where you are now.

You are currently in a sector where the culture is to work 12+ hours a day as the norm. Communications is a high stress buzzy 24hr business, like advertising and other .com companies.

If your skills are technical IT then you are easily transferable.

happenstance

ILW wrote: »

Your attitude really is not doing you any favours.
I would look for something in the public sector.

I know that's a fair enough point as I'm suborn and dont take kindly to people trying to have authority / superiority over me or telling me I must shave daily.

happenstance

Dimey wrote: »

I can see your philosophy and need for lower stress 9-5 hrs fitting into the public sector better than where you are now.

You are currently in a sector where the culture is to work 12+ hours a day as the norm. Communications is a high stress buzzy 24hr business, like advertising and other .com companies.

If your skills are technical IT then you are easily transferable.

Thanks, yes that's the kind of culture it is and its no longer for me. Im thinking about public sector or being self employed.

happenstance

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

First of all don't beat yourself up about it. You have a great attitude, and I'm sure it will work out for you but there seems no point now in worrying about this employer, especially if one day old stubble is now starting to count against you.

Mobilise your next move by preparing your CV and getting it onto jobsites etc.

However, if asked about the experience of a previous employer you didn't like for a good reason then do not be afraid to say so. Explain why things didn't work out and where you fell short into the bargain. A later "null" reference will show your honesty and transparency.

And, MITSTM, the chip on me is not to be eaten yet.

Thanks, it's not really getting to me as they don't want me and I don't want them, just dont like feeling like i'm being treated unfairly. I'm currently preparing for the meeting and its actually therapeutic to get all this stuff out of my system and in words

makeyourdaddyproud

happenstance wrote: »

I know that's a fair enough point as I'm suborn and dont take kindly to people trying to have authority / superiority over me or telling me I must shave daily.

That's the attitude I like in a person. Who wants someone that rolls over and plays dead all the time? I didnt shave every day in my IT job.

Sadly, the ones telling you your attitude sucks are probably those same aspiring employers or bosses that want you work your fingers to the bone for nothing extra in return - dont accept it.

happenstance

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

That's the attitude I like in a person. Who wants someone that rolls over and plays dead all the time? I didnt shave every day in my IT job.

Sadly, the ones telling you your attitude sucks are probably those same aspiring employers or bosses that want you work your fingers to the bone for nothing extra in return - dont accept it.

Well management do love the people that brown nose, I always think whats in it for me. It got to the point working 6 days a week and on the one day off just resting and not doing any hobbies just seamed like a waste of a life.

It's like they all want hard worker bees, they dislike any individuality or creativity.