Surprise. Surprise, Surprise-Your Mid-Year Review

The year has flown by!  You feel that you have had a very productive first 6 months.  Why wouldn't you think that?  After all, you haven't gotten any negative feedback about your work.  In fact you haven't gotten ANY feedback at all.  No news is good news... right?  So imagine your surprise when you sit down with your manager to do a semi-annual review of your performance on the job and be blindsides by what he/she has to say.  Initially, you can't focus on what is being said to you because you are trying to wrap your head around where is this coming from?  Why is this the first time you are hearing all of the negative things that you are being told.  How did this happen?  What the what is going on?  Sound familiar?  It happens more often that many people realize.  What's worse is that you are being told that you are being placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP) and you have 90 days to turn things around or you are looking at termination.  You are frustrated, angry, disappointed and frankly pissed off that you are just learning about these areas that need improvement.  Where was the manager when these so-called job deficiencies started going south?  Why weren't you counseled and made aware of the fact that you weren't cutting the mustard?  Shouldn't an employee know where they stand at all times?  Jack Welch said that he believes that every employee should know where they stand at all times.  Performance reviews should never be a surprise to an employee.  They deserve to know at all times where they stand with their job performance. 

Many times circumstances affect an employee's performance.  They could have had a death in the family, a job change, a divorce, a sickness or a sick close family member.  Maybe it could be something where their skills are not being utilized or the position isn't challenging enough.  It could even be as simple as with many companies restructuring it may have caused some employees to take on a very different role.  In cases such as this, many times the employee isn't adequately trained or there is no training at all.  No employer should ever think that because they have a high performing employee that they can just walk into another position and know exactly what to do.  Whatever the case, every employee deserves to be heard, counseled, provided the necessary training in order for them to be successful in the role. 

So whose fault is this?  The employee?  The boss?  Or is there equal blame?  I certainly believe that it falls upon both parties but the employee can't correct a deficiency if they aren't aware of it.  Don't believe the hype that it's easier to get rid of an employee and hire someone "more" suitable for the role.  Companies have a lot of costs involved in hiring and training a new employee.  Unfortunately, many managers don't look beyond the flaws and work to help get the employee on the right track.  I'd like to hear your story.