Civil Service Employment Issue

Hollandra

Hi,

This year I started as a manager in a newly established division. The team are great but my own manager seems to want to have input into everything but is often absent. I felt the relationship between me and them wasn't fantastic so I set up weekly one to ones. They've only been attended once or twice and i get no apologies or rescheduling when they dont. I had assumed that from that they had no issues but things appear to have deteriorated. I failed my 6 month probation and was put on a pip. I am coming through this now but am fearful that pips and pmds are being used as a tool rather than just managing or engaging with me regularly and if I end up constantly on pips that I won't be able to transfer. I feel I've been totally wrote off and trapped.

Please help. I'm not in a large main department but a local divisional office so there is no proper hr.

Big Bag of Chips

Moved to a more suitable forum.

Mrs OBumble

Approach your union.

Document everything.

Flinty997

Very hard to advise without knowing the specifics. I'm very cynical about the pmds and pips methodologies.

I think you'd have to grit the teeth and do your best to find out what your line manager is looking from you, that you're not doing, in their mind. Perhaps they don't even know themselves.

Ninthlife

Be aware that you may contact the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service

The CSEAS provides free and confidential supports to assist civil servants in managing work and/or life difficulties

 www.cseas.per.gov.ie. 

Also read the Civil Service Management of Underperformance Policy

chrisd2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058325216/civil-service-employment-issue

Does you manager have many others reporting to them, if yes, do you know if any of these have similar issues.

Many Managers in the Public Service do not know their own role or how to manage effectively, and often deflect their issues down the line.

When you had the probation meeting and PIP it should have been clearly documented what the issues were, if it not clear get it clarified immediately and in writing.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058325216/civil-service-employment-issue

Well I'm not CS, but this is the first time I've heard of a subordinate setting up a one2one with their boss.... they supervise you not the other way around, so you might just have rubbed them the wrong way around.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121441563#Comment_121441563

I wonder did the OP replace someone who used to do much of the managers job. Thus the manager doesn't want to be asked for help, or have questions, that they can't answer. A one to one would painful for them in that case.

Regardless there seems to a communication piece missing.

caviardreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121441563#Comment_121441563

Would agree with this. Depending how you suggested it, it could be clear over stepping and perhaps the manager feels they don't need to apologise as they are not "required" to attend anyway. Itis coming across that you are trying to take the upper hand and it could be construed as a lack of respect for roles and responsibilities authority and decision-making structures

Regardless you should be told what the PIP is about clearly and PIPS in the CS don't get used lightly so be aware of that

gmisk

Lots of great advise on this thread already. CSEAs and union would be where I would go, HR is extremely variable by where you are, but at the end of the day they are there to make sure the organisation is covered.

But I am someone who had their probation extended back in the day (barely any communication from manager, I was working on the wrong areas apparently, hard to know if you get no feedback for 6 months) and had to put someone on a PIP. If someone is on a PIP your manager should be checking in with you regularly to document how things are progressing (in my case we had a weekly meeting). Is this updating not happening? If not you have a crap manager. It should be clear from PIP that things are going in the right direction. Hope it works out.

Hollandra

Thanks it's a new role that's just been created in a new division.