I’m halfway through a probationary period but fear I’m being bullied out
Three months ago I began a six-month probationary period with a small firm. I have a solid work background, but a redundancy three years ago led me to accepting the first permanent job I was offered. I wasn’t particularly happy, but stayed for two years trying to make it work, before accepting my current role.
The main thrust of my present job is supporting a small team. I seem to have done this to their satisfaction – meetings with my line manager have always been positive, as has the feedback from the director I support. I get on well with the team and feel that, generally, I’ve done a pretty good job.
However, my role also sits within the organisation’s general support team. While I don’t have as much to do with it on a day-to-day basis, a member has the power to say whether I pass my probationary period or not. She seems to have decided that my face doesn’t fit – and now, after three months, she has made it clear that I am not necessarily on course to a permanent role.
I feel like I am being bullied out. Although my line manager is sympathetic, her hands appear to be tied. My sense of helplessness is being exacerbated by the fact that it’s a small company, without the formal systems to protect employees.
I’ve started looking for another role, but I’m not sure how to explain away such a short period of employment. I’m also appalled at the possibility of having to justify failing a probationary period. I’ve half a mind not to disclose the role on my CV but that would mean sacrificing several positive elements.
In the space of a week I’ve gone from feeling reasonably optimistic to insecure and stressed.
Jeremy says
For a small company, yours seems to have quite a complicated approval structure. It’s also odd that the people with whom you work most closely appear to have little or no say as to whether or not you should pass your probationary period.
I can see why the situation leaves you feeling a bit unsettled. Probationary periods, by their very nature, are stressful enough; and by making those comments – halfway through – it looks as if she’s deliberately increasing the pressure to see how you cope with stress and uncertainty.
If so, it’s cruel and unnecessary. But whatever her motives, it’s essential that, however insecure you may be feeling, you do your utmost not to show it. Yet already you’re looking for another job, which is itself unsettling, and have begun to worry how to explain your failed probation (which hasn’t even happened yet) on your CV. All this is absolutely certain to affect your work when you should be calmly demonstrating competence.
You know you’re good, the feedback from your director is good, your line manager is sympathetic and you get on well with your team. Concentrate on giving this member of the support team no opportunity at all to find fault and you’ll probably be fine.
Readers say
• I can’t really get a feeling of the hierarchy and structure, or why the feedback coming from your various colleagues is so diverse. To me, it’s not really clear what the bullying is or why you say you are being bullied.
Could there be political struggles as to where the various job roles sit? Perhaps this isn’t about you personally.
I know it is hard – but keep looking forward. Khorkina
• During any probationary period, I always ensure that people have clearly defined targets. Ask for a copy of the targets you have been set (you should really have a copy already) in order to pass your probation, and work towards them. It seems politics are overriding processes here. Patchie Claw
• Have you forgotten who your boss is? While you might get on well with the people who you are “supporting” (whatever that means – fixing their problems, doing work for them, cleaning their floor?) you report to someone else. The history of service industries is littered with ex-employees who forgot that their customers are not their bosses.
Whatever it is, it doesn’t sound like “bullying”. It just sounds like you aren’t very aware of the office politics. You need to sit down with your line manager, and this person who you imagine has it “in for you”, and sort things out. Don’t go making accusations or excuses.
Accept that it’s YOU who has to change if you want to keep this job and be positive about what you’re going to do. graun
A job offer is under threat because a former employer is so slow with a reference
Just before Christmas I was verbally offered a one-year contract with a public sector organisation after being interviewed. This is subject to two references from former employers. The first was provided by my most recent employer. However, the other is dragging its heels – it uses a shared service centre for personnel services and is notoriously slow. The organisation that is offering the job is threatening to withdraw it – it needs someone quickly. What are my options?
Jeremy says
I assume that you’re in absolutely no doubt it’s only incompetence and bureaucracy that are holding things up and that, eventually, you’ll get a favourable reference. The best I can suggest is that you contact the person from the recalcitrant employer with whom you had the best personal relationship, and ask them to write a brief letter on company headed paper confirming that a reference is being processed and it will be favourable.
Readers say
• Do you really want to work for these miserable doofuses who won’t let you start without the reference and won’t do anything to obtain it? Eques
• I’ve had previous HR departments give references and all they do is confirm that you worked for the organisation, your start and end date, with no comments about your capability … and no one has ever queried it. missjy123
• Go into the HR department of this new company and say “together we will phone my old company now”. ilfenice
• If you need something and you need it fast, go get it yourself. Present yourself at this organisation (not at the service centre!) and refuse to leave until you have the reference. If you feel like it, write the reference yourself – you know all the data that needs to be in it – and have the manager sign it.
There is no need to play it by their rules. Grab the counter and refuse to leave until you get what you want. That is how I get my money back, a seat on the plane and so on.
Be very polite but, above all, show determination. Often one confuses politeness with complaisance ... someone will come up with a solution if there’s no way out. Aranzazu
• Unfortunately, as far as I’m aware, no employer has to give you a reference (let alone give you one in a certain time frame) unless it was actually written into your contract at the time that they should, or your new employer is a regulatory body. SmokeyStover
