Probationary period extended after I hit all sales targets

Cerocco

I'll get right to the point. I was employed by a multinational last July who moved their business to a distributor in January. Both in Ireland. Whilst I did not have access to figures in the multinational I was lead to believe I was exceeding expectations hence I was kept on when the business moved to a distributor when other reps were made redundant. My question is more of a legal one. My manager is a new manager to medical sales. 1year total experience. I was in a sales meeting last week to present my quarterly figures. I have hit Q1 and Q2 targets which were my 6 month probationary period. However after the sales meeting my boss said that I was having my 6 monthly evaluation ( 1hour notice).

This is where it gets slightly complicated. The previous week she confirmed I had hit target then 4 days later she said she had mis calculated and I hadn't. On anylsis of my figures I had proved her wrong and she had to go back to her manager to confirm the new altered figures. This had made her look bad in a new post as manager with a new company. Target hit, bonus paid.

I now find myself with a hostile manager who has extended my probationary period by 6 further months even though I hit both quarterly sales targets. Reason being, according to the run rate I'm 20% behind. I heard nothing about run rate until the evaluation meeting. My boss now has not called me in a week, I've gotten 1 e mail from her and I feel I'm being pushed out due to challenging her over hitting my targets. I'm at a loss as to what to do as I've always gotten on in jobs and never had a problem

Does anyone know legally where do I stand. I know she feels threatened by my experience as I've been in the industry 14 years and she has been in it 5. We are both the same age. Female

Any advise would be greatly appreciated as I know in 6 months I'll be pushed out

Montgolfier

I transferred my job to a multi national in Ireland same company and they put me on probation for 6 months.
The continued to extend it each 6 months until the 2 year max limit. From what I understand after that point they must hire you or fire you.
I had great reports from my last job in France, they just didn't want to commit to a new contract. I not the only one this happened to.
I suspect that's what's going on with you.

amen

Document everything. I would email her (and her boss) re the run rate stating that the first time you had heard it mentioned was in your review (less than 1 hours notice), asking for the figures used to calculate the run rate.

I'd state that you exceed your targets by X% and formally ask them why your probationary period was extended as you meet the requirements to be permanent.

I'd also ask that if they feel that your performance is not what they expected then could they tell you in what areas you are not performing and how they could be improved ? Also request regular feedback on those areas.

If you are part of a team how do you compare to the rest of the team ? If you are better than the rest of the team you need to mention this somehow.

Mezcita

Cerocco wrote: »

I'll get right to the point. I was employed by a multinational last July who moved their business to a distributor in January. Both in Ireland. Whilst I did not have access to figures in the multinational I was lead to believe I was exceeding expectations hence I was kept on when the business moved to a distributor when other reps were made redundant. My question is more of a legal one. My manager is a new manager to medical sales. 1year total experience. I was in a sales meeting last week to present my quarterly figures. I have hit Q1 and Q2 targets which were my 6 month probationary period. However after the sales meeting my boss said that I was having my 6 monthly evaluation ( 1hour notice).

This is where it gets slightly complicated. The previous week she confirmed I had hit target then 4 days later she said she had mis calculated and I hadn't. On anylsis of my figures I had proved her wrong and she had to go back to her manager to confirm the new altered figures. This had made her look bad in a new post as manager with a new company. Target hit, bonus paid.

I now find myself with a hostile manager who has extended my probationary period by 6 further months even though I hit both quarterly sales targets. Reason being, according to the run rate I'm 20% behind. I heard nothing about run rate until the evaluation meeting. My boss now has not called me in a week, I've gotten 1 e mail from her and I feel I'm being pushed out due to challenging her over hitting my targets. I'm at a loss as to what to do as I've always gotten on in jobs and never had a problem

Does anyone know legally where do I stand. I know she feels threatened by my experience as I've been in the industry 14 years and she has been in it 5. We are both the same age. Female

Any advise would be greatly appreciated as I know in 6 months I'll be pushed out

This is a tricky one. The problem here is that as a member of staff who is on probation, you are in a position where legally you have not got much come back if they give you the boot.

Personally, I would get HR involved at this stage. You need them to clarify to you EXACTLY what is required in order for you to pass your probation in terms of sales targets/ performance metrics etc. Be prepared though in terms of having information to hand to show how you have performed compared to your colleagues.

You also need to have an honest conversation with your boss in front of HR. If she has a problem with you let her say it in an environment where notes will be taken. You could keep HR out of it but they problem is that if that descends into a bit of a row you could end up worse off.

Fundamentally though if she didn't like you or want you to stick around they would have ditched you at the end of your probationary period regardless of how you had performed. That's the key thing of probationary periods: if you don't "fit in" companies can let you go without too much hassle. They could have extended it by a shorter period if they really had major doubts about you.

Best of luck.

nibtrix

When you say you were kept on and moved to the other business, did you TUPE across? If you were transferred under TUPE legislation then you cannot be put on probation by the new company.

Cerocco

I was officially made redundant from 1st company but it was made clear that I wax going to be brought to the new company as I was over performing in the company. I feel the issue here is I have 13 years sales experience and knowledge in the area versus her 5 years with the same company. Friends in the area tell me she feels threatened by me and wants me gone after I stood up to her. I have to stress I was very professional strictly sticking to the facts. She called me the next day saying how disappointed she felt that I thought she did not have my back and would not support her. I tried to explain that this was just business not personal

TheBlock

Cerocco wrote: »

I was officially made redundant from 1st company but it was made clear that I wax going to be brought to the new company as I was over performing in the company. I feel the issue here is I have 13 years sales experience and knowledge in the area versus her 5 years with the same company. Friends in the area tell me she feels threatened by me and wants me gone after I stood up to her. I have to stress I was very professional strictly sticking to the facts. She called me the next day saying how disappointed she felt that I thought she did not have my back and would not support her. I tried to explain that this was just business not personal

But she didn't have your back...she was stiffing you of an earned bonus. What she meant was "why didn't you let me make an arse of you by not paying you your bonus, don't you know I'm your boss".

Looks like it'll come down to you or her, I'd be keeping an eye on your targets and performance as she's waiting in the long grass for you.

Jim2007

Cerocco wrote: »

Any advise would be greatly appreciated as I know in 6 months I'll be pushed out

Well what to you want to achieve? From what you say, you are only giving her an extra six months to build up a case against keeping you...

All I can tell you is that if it was me, I would put the gun to their heads - I would write to her, her manager and HR and it a nutshell: Make me permanent or terminate me. If your sales figures are good then I'd expect he boss will not want to loose you, even if she does.