Job loss due to poor performance

sweaty_betty

One of my colleagues has just been sacked due to poor performance. I believe that business is not great at the moment and that they're really clamping down on the "winning business" side of our job descriptions.

I'm a bit unsettled about this as business development has never been one of my strong points - of course I'm going to putting a lot of effort in to improve this.

I was wondering, aside from company policy (ours are currently under review) are there statutory/legal requirements on the process to be followed in the case of poor performance? It would be my worst nightmare to be sent home for good one day with no prior warning, so am hoping that some kind of performance improvement plan would be put in place, but wondering if this was automatic or could be fast-tracked?

I'm hoping that I'm worrying over nothing...

Another_not_new_user

sweaty_betty wrote: »

One of my colleagues has just been sacked due to poor performance. I believe that business is not great at the moment and that they're really clamping down on the "winning business" side of our job descriptions.

I'm a bit unsettled about this as business development has never been one of my strong points - of course I'm going to putting a lot of effort in to improve this.

I was wondering, aside from company policy (ours are currently under review) are there statutory/legal requirements on the process to be followed in the case of poor performance? It would be my worst nightmare to be sent home for good one day with no prior warning, so am hoping that some kind of performance improvement plan would be put in place, but wondering if this was automatic or could be fast-tracked?

I'm hoping that I'm worrying over nothing...

Depends on how long you have worked there. Less than two years, and you can be dismissed for pretty much any reason. And they ought to apply processes - but since you couldn't claim unfair dismissal they don't have to. But past that, on a performance basis there is guidance. In a nutshell it says that the employer sets you improvement targets (possibly with training and support), and if you don't improve, you get the next stage of warning. Like a disciplinary (because that is what it really is, although it isn't always called that).

RuthnJasper

Your colleague might have been guilty of some sort of gross misconduct or other disciplinary action but agreed to be dismissed for "poor performance" as part of a confidential agreement.

I can understand how much this sort of thing causes concern amongst colleagues. Are you able to raise your concerns with your line manager informally? If so, this is the best place to start. Also - try not to pay too much heed to office gossip about what is or isn't "going on". I've been down this path a few times before and am possibly treading it again.

My advice is to get an answer (in writing) from someone who can be properly held to account should they have been misleading anyone intentionally; and - unless you think you might also be culpable for whatever your former colleague has been accused of - try not to worry TOO much until you know for certain what's what.

Best wishes. x