whose responsibilty is it to give feeback on assignments/projects?

carbon nanotube · 04-02-2012 12:18am #1

Hi Guys,

I am having a meeting next week about my work and facing my contract being terminated.

I have been given a letter that amongst other things says i have not completed projects.

On 3 times i have had work done but when the work was completed... i never heard from my boss/work colleague again.

1/ I did testing on a smart cable for 3 weeks or so and never heard as to have conclusions drawn up or results evaluated or even told to finish this assignment, it just led me to end up doing other jobs and leaving this as it was

2/ i did a schematic design, which i was told i had some errors but since i was new it was to be epxected.

when i finished this i went on vacation, got back and never hard again on its status.

3/ similar to above, i did work on another project, this was before christmas, my report says i did not have this completed.

i did have it completed, albeit a rough sketch on paper, complete with data sheets and etc. i did not get a schematic done as i was leaving on christmas holidays, i was not exactly sure when the deadline was, my colleague told me to have the schematic done the day before i left i believe.

when i got back in january i never heard from this.

is the onus on myself or my boss to follow up on these? i have a letter written out and i mention i expected to hear more from my boss on feedback.

also i did 2 x RVM (requirement verification matrices), these are easy enough copy and paste jobs but i never had any feedback on them at all.

from my point of view with no feedback on any of the above i felt as my work was irrelevant.

what are peoples thoughts here? the HR executive is with my boss for the meeting next week, maybe she will notice something is amiss here.

also the staff handbook says for warnings or the like your manager has to give in notice or warning if such an incident occurs.

to my best knowledge my boss never told me my job was on the line or i was not given any warning letters

i did have meetings with him , 4 or 5 but i was not aware they would lead to dismissal if that makes sense. I was not of the opinion they were 'verbal' or such.

the handbook definately says "employees will be made aware of what actions will be taken in the event of performance or conduct not improving."

This never happened to me, it was just a whole barrage of issues handed towards me last week.

sorry for this long winded post..:o

Thoie · 04-02-2012 12:30am

The responsibility lies on both sides - you should have been asking how things were, and your boss should have been going out of his way to tell you.

It sounds as if you sent your assignments off to a black hole and never thought about them again, while your boss, if unhappy with things, just handed them to other people to complete.

For your third example you said you had a rough sketch done, but weren't sure of the deadline. Was the request to do out the schematic by x date?

Your boss doesn't sound ideal by any means - he obviously hasn't been making things clear to you, or following up with you regularly, which is bad form on his part if you're that new.

However do not go into the meeting immediately blaming your boss. One approach to take is to say that as you hadn't heard anything back, you assumed everything was OK, which in hindsight may not have been the correct approach.

Suggest that in future you'd appreciate a regular 1:1 meeting with your boss (perhaps every week, or every two weeks) and that the time could be used for him to give feedback on any area of improvement he felt necessary, and for you to clarify deadlines/expectations.

Learn to keep track of each of your projects, and raise each of them at 1:1s and ask if they are now completed. Don't cross them off your list until you have confirmation that nothing more is expected of you in relation to them.

Summary: Don't go in on the offensive, offer suggestions as to how this kind of surprise can be avoided in future.

looksee · 04-02-2012 12:36am

I don't know anything about your area of work, but I do know a bit about projects and responsibility. To just look at your three examples:

1. If you are doing on-going testing, surely you need to keep a record of results or how are you going to know what the conclusion is? What would be the point of testing if you are not going to 'say' to someone what you have established? What did you think was the purpose of the job?

2. Someone spoke kindly to you instead of bawling you out. So you considered yourself off the hook. If you want to keep your job you take the smallest hint - like you were given - and put the errors right. If you haven't done it before you go on holiday - and it should have been - the company presumably isn't going to stop while you take a holiday - then you should have actively chased it up when you got back. You are given a job you do the job and finish it, not expect someone else to follow you round cleaning up after you.

3. You were told the job was needed before your holiday. You didn't ask (your responsibility) when the deadline was, you did a rough job and walked away.

What feedback were you looking for? Someone to follow you around asking if you have done the jobs you were told to do? Why would you expect feedback on bog standard, minor jobs ('copy and paste')

If you do manage to hang on to your job you would want to wake up and get your act together.

Thoie · 04-02-2012 12:47am

carbon nanotube wrote: »

to my best knowledge my boss never told me my job was on the line or i was not given any warning letters

i did have meetings with him , 4 or 5 but i was not aware they would lead to dismissal if that makes sense. I was not of the opinion they were 'verbal' or such.

Just noticed this part - what were the 4 or 5 meetings about?

carbon nanotube · 04-02-2012 1:31am

Thoie wrote: »

The responsibility lies on both sides - you should have been asking how things were, and your boss should have been going out of his way to tell you.

It sounds as if you sent your assignments off to a black hole and never thought about them again, while your boss, if unhappy with things, just handed them to other people to complete.

For your third example you said you had a rough sketch done, but weren't sure of the deadline. Was the request to do out the schematic by x date?

Your boss doesn't sound ideal by any means - he obviously hasn't been making things clear to you, or following up with you regularly, which is bad form on his part if you're that new.

However do not go into the meeting immediately blaming your boss. One approach to take is to say that as you hadn't heard anything back, you assumed everything was OK, which in hindsight may not have been the correct approach.

Suggest that in future you'd appreciate a regular 1:1 meeting with your boss (perhaps every week, or every two weeks) and that the time could be used for him to give feedback on any area of improvement he felt necessary, and for you to clarify deadlines/expectations.

Learn to keep track of each of your projects, and raise each of them at 1:1s and ask if they are now completed. Don't cross them off your list until you have confirmation that nothing more is expected of you in relation to them.

Summary: Don't go in on the offensive, offer suggestions as to how this kind of surprise can be avoided in future.

thanks,

yes i did assume everything was ok, i am there almost a year.

since i had no feedback how was i to know any better.

i brought this up at a meeting last week, but it was dissed off as saying i should bring it up and we (boss and colleague) cant be chasing you up, busy etc..

for the project at x date, i was not really given a deadline, i remember doing it that time and was told vaguely to get it done the day before i left... like in a formal manner.

i only had a rough schematic done with data sheets and etc given before i left.

my warning letter states i had not finished it at all.

the warning letter says the meeting may result in your dismissal.

carbon nanotube · 04-02-2012 1:37am

looksee wrote: »

I don't know anything about your area of work, but I do know a bit about projects and responsibility. To just look at your three examples:

1. If you are doing on-going testing, surely you need to keep a record of results or how are you going to know what the conclusion is? What would be the point of testing if you are not going to 'say' to someone what you have established? What did you think was the purpose of the job?

2. Someone spoke kindly to you instead of bawling you out. So you considered yourself off the hook. If you want to keep your job you take the smallest hint - like you were given - and put the errors right. If you haven't done it before you go on holiday - and it should have been - the company presumably isn't going to stop while you take a holiday - then you should have actively chased it up when you got back. You are given a job you do the job and finish it, not expect someone else to follow you round cleaning up after you.

3. You were told the job was needed before your holiday. You didn't ask (your responsibility) when the deadline was, you did a rough job and walked away.

What feedback were you looking for? Someone to follow you around asking if you have done the jobs you were told to do? Why would you expect feedback on bog standard, minor jobs ('copy and paste')

If you do manage to hang on to your job you would want to wake up and get your act together.

this was not really into the category i have here.

when i got back from holiday we had meetings but diffrent tasks were assigned, nothing about my work was mentioned., i assumed it was not critical.

i was told a day before (in concrete terms), this was a bit unresonable i feel. everyone had vacation for christmas not just me. when we resumed work in january again nothing about that work was mentioned.

bog standard they may be, but they were assigned to me, if i dont get feedback how am i to feel, like the work is worthless.

carbon nanotube · 04-02-2012 1:41am

Thoie wrote: »

Just noticed this part - what were the 4 or 5 meetings about?

about soldering issues, work assigned to me which i did not complete correctly for a smart cable.

i left after 5pm and was to continue in the morning.

since i am an engineer my boss figured i should have it done by then and he complained in the morning.

i told him i was going to resume the work in the morning and did not realise he was so urgent with it, i finished it that day when the meeting finished.

there was meetings about repair of products also, which took too long to do.

for any of these meeting i was given no formal warnings, letters, or nothing.

the staff handbook clearly states that you would be told what actions would be taken if performance issues were encountered.

it might be i will be told these actions at the meetings next either in my contract reviewed or terminated.

Thoie · 04-02-2012 2:12am

carbon nanotube wrote: »

about soldering issues, work assigned to me which i did not complete correctly for a smart cable.

i left after 5pm and was to continue in the morning.

since i am an engineer my boss figured i should have it done by then and he complained in the morning.

i told him i was going to resume the work in the morning and did not realise he was so urgent with it, i finished it that day when the meeting finished.

there was meetings about repair of products also, which took too long to do.

for any of these meeting i was given no formal warnings, letters, or nothing.

the staff handbook clearly states that you would be told what actions would be taken if performance issues were encountered.

it might be i will be told these actions at the meetings next either in my contract reviewed or terminated.

There seems to be a lack of clarity around when things were due. Hopefully the meeting next week will "only" be a formal warning, and HR will be there to explain what will happen.

You seem to be very relaxed about deadlines. I'd consider that after all those meetings it would be in your own interest to find out before starting a job what exactly is expected, and by when. Is this your first "real" job? As much as I hate the phrase, you need to be a bit more proactive. If you're running behind schedule, let your boss know in advance, rather than him having to come find you to ask. If you're asked to do something, and you don't know what's expected, ask straight away.

After someone was in a job a year I'd expect them to know what they were doing and to be able to work at a reasonable speed and be able to prioritise their tasks.

If you want to keep this job, I'd recommend going into next week's meeting with the idea of apologising, and asking for help clarifying requests and deadlines as I stated before. Keep a notebook and write down tasks and due dates as they're assigned to you.

copacetic · 04-02-2012 9:25am

As above, I'd feel you are really in trouble here and need to go in ready to accept you need to seriously change your ways.

You were assigned various tasks and appear not to have completed most of them for no real reasons. Trying to blame others that you didn't know you had to complete them isn't going to go down well. Either way you will look really bad.

What would have been expected is for you to do the tasks as quickly and completely as possible.
A rough sketch and a few datasheets should take half a day or a day for instance.

looksee · 04-02-2012 10:26am

bog standard they may be, but they were assigned to me, if i dont get feedback how am i to feel, like the work is worthless.

This is an interesting comment. Why do you need feedback to feel useful? You are supposed to be a professional - you do the job for its own sake, for your own sake, not to get a pat on the head and told how good you are.

I would think the vast majority of people in a professional environment do not get feedback in the sense you mean, certainly I don't. I have been working in a particular environment for 7 or 8 years and have had no formal feedback in that time. Provided things move on efficiently, I am meeting the targets and there are no complaints, that is as much feedback as I and any of my colleagues get. We know the guidelines, and there is support if we have any significant issues, but otherwise you get on with it, that's what you are paid for.

carbon nanotube · 04-02-2012 2:11pm

points taken guys, yes its my first job i guess, i have spent a lot of time studying but my first time really in a busy working environment.

carbon nanotube · 04-02-2012 2:26pm

Hi Guys,

I found a letter dated 1st of June 2011.

the letter raised concerns about my performance and detailed a list of projects that would be assignend to me and that i would be monitored against this work.

the end of the letter said that if a marked improvement is not noticed that formal action will be likely be taken against you.

This letter was last June, would this be wiped from records after 6 months?

i am still dissapointed with the lack of feedback against work which i had done but i guess this comes with experience and time.

Thoie · 04-02-2012 2:52pm

carbon nanotube wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I found a letter dated 1st of June 2011.

the letter raised concerns about my performance and detailed a list of projects that would be assignend to me and that i would be monitored against this work.

the end of the letter said that if a marked improvement is not noticed that formal action will be likely be taken against you.

This letter was last June, would this be wiped from records after 6 months?

i am still dissapointed with the lack of feedback against work which i had done but i guess this comes with experience and time.

Unfortunately, probably not. I know you're probably worried, but try to do something constructive over the weekend. Do something to help you relax, then sit down and make a list of things you can do to improve. I've already given some suggestions, think about what else you can add to that.

I understand that you're disappointed in the perceived lack of feedback, but you need to get that out of your head before going into the meeting. There are existing records of meetings and written warnings, so you need to focus on your actions - not your boss', not your colleagues', just your own. By all means ask your boss for help, but try to avoid even thinking of this as "his fault" - it will leak through in your attitude whether you mean it to or not

Mrs OBumble · 04-02-2012 4:10pm

Sorry to say it, but

If you have been there just less than a year, and you got a warning letter in June which you appear to have only just remembered about - then I expect that you are going to be told that you have not met the requirements of the position, and are being let go. Because you are on probation for the first 12 months, the employer is totally within their rights to do this.

As someone said, try to spend the weekend focussing on how you can make things better.

But in the back of your mind, prepare to start job-hunting next week.

Irish_Elect_Eng · 04-02-2012 11:29pm

JustMary wrote: »

Sorry to say it, but

If you have been there just less than a year, and you got a warning letter in June which you appear to have only just remembered about - then I expect that you are going to be told that you have not met the requirements of the position, and are being let go. Because you are on probation for the first 12 months, the employer is totally within their rights to do this.

As someone said, try to spend the weekend focussing on how you can make things better.

But in the back of your mind, prepare to start job-hunting next week.

+1 Any formal disciplinary meeting coming up to the 12 month mark HR will advise the manager to let you go unless he thinks that you can improve your performance. But as you have failed to do so since June,I think the writings on the wall.

Worst Case: Termination
Best Case: Extension of probation and final warning letter.

carbon nanotube · 05-02-2012 12:15am

JustMary wrote: »

Sorry to say it, but

If you have been there just less than a year, and you got a warning letter in June which you appear to have only just remembered about - then I expect that you are going to be told that you have not met the requirements of the position, and are being let go. Because you are on probation for the first 12 months, the employer is totally within their rights to do this.

As someone said, try to spend the weekend focussing on how you can make things better.

But in the back of your mind, prepare to start job-hunting next week.

I am there over a year.

Probation should have been over, my colleague started after me and got a letter saying he is full time.

I got no letter, I went to HR thursday and she said i should have got a letter saying the same and said it must have been a mistake.

Bandana boy · 05-02-2012 1:03am

I would have a long hard think over the rest of the weekend about how you will address this meeting.
You can be one of two types of employees

1 you need to be constantly monitored ,regularly updated on the quality of your work ,chased to close out on projects.You do the bare minimal to get by and force your manager to clinically manage you to get results.

2 You take responsibility for work given to you ,you close projects on time and you ensure by follow up the quality off the work and any improvements enhancements that are needed.Your manager gives you work and it will get done.Allowing managing you to be about exposing you to different projects and expanding your knowledge and value.

Which kind of employee would you rather manage ?
Do you believe anybody who is in type 1 progresses in their career above the lowest of roles ?

Now you are in your first year of real employment and mistakes can be made and recovered from.If you approach the meeting by accepting your role in things getting this far ,explain some naivety in how things work.State you want an opportunity to put things right and how this meeting has opened your eyes ,I think you have a good chance at a second chance.

Working as a professional person has many benefits ,increased salary, flexibility, more interesting work and a career instead of a job.That comes with a cost of having to mange yourself more than a worker drone ,you need to take responsibility for your output and your own progression.

Learning that now is a good thing and whether with this company or another if you learn from this you will kick on to better things.

looksee · 05-02-2012 11:54am

^^^Excellent post

whose responsibilty is it to give feeback on assignments/projects?

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