Bxdty

Two months ago, I joined to a new IT company with negative feedback from my previous manager, as a full-time tester.

During these 2 months, I have been working part-time for 3 weeks (4h/day) in a project. But, after 2 months, I have received super negative feedback from my team lead which I was addressed such as false-promising, deceiving, rude, and untrustworthy. And after that feedback, I was excluded from that project, and I have not been participating in any other project.

We had a meeting with the team lead and HR separately and I explained to them the situation and what I have done. It seems that my explanations convinced HR, but the lead. Now, HR conducts a meeting, and asked both of us to make a summary about my last 2 months' work in the company.

I am quite sure, I have done whatever I could for my team and this feedback is unfair. I am new in the company, and I am trying to do my best as much as I can. I am confident that I might rarely make a mistake 2 times. So, in my point of view, some part of problem was that the team lead did not provide me proper information.

However, I do not like to be insulted with these words in my workplace. Later, I asked the lead about why he has talked with me in this way?, and he said:

A top manager in company has asked him to be harsh with me, because I
had a negative feedback from my previous employer.

HR was saying that the email which I received was a feedback to learn about my mistakes, but the team lead was insisting that it was mostly an official warning. The company is flat and I do not understand who is whose superior here. But I know that the team lead has zero experience as a team lead. He just took the charge, just at the time when I joined the company.

As a suggestion for this problem, I would like to ask HR to clearly define the performance metrics and the performance measurement method.

The benefit would be:

1. I will clearly understand what I have done wrong.


2. There would be no more harsh words, and I will not say the feedback is biased. Actually, I am offended by the words which are used in the feedback and I want to make sure, it will not happen again.

I have 4 questions:

1. Is it possible to ask HR to define the performance metrics and the performance measurement method?




2. Is a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) the thing, which I am looking for?




3. Is voluntarily asking for PIP like committing professional suicide?




4. What would be your reaction if your employee asked for a PIP?

It's unlikely that HR knows enough about your job/responsibilities/project to define appropriate metrics for performance and acceptance.

You need to speak with your team lead about how you can move forwards in a postive way (for you, the team, and for the project involved). Ask about how you can improve and to what extent you need to be mentored.

Don't ask for a PIP as that goes on your HR record and it's an admission of your failure.

It's your team lead's responsibility to ensure that the team is working as effectively as possible, so ask him for help.

I have received a super negative feedback from my team lead which i was addressed such as false-promising, deceiving, rude, and untrustworthy

We know that a manager in your current company found out that your previous employer doesn't like you, and asked your current team lead to give you a verbal beating.

First off, both the manager and the team lead are out of line. I can't imagine why the manager would give such instruction, and maybe the team lead felt pressured (as you said he's new), but still out of line. You're not in the wrong in this.

When you speak with HR you must emphasize this point as clearly and strongly as possible. You were given a formal warning for something your team lead admits you didn't do.

The next step is to reconcile with the team lead. The guy doesn't sound pleasant, but you will have to live with him if you stay there, and it would go better for both of you if you have a framework for addressing these issues.

You should also talk about his expectations and the escalation strategy. You must make it clear to him that he was in the wrong, but this must not be a dominance maneuver - by either of you. Hopefully this would be done by HR, but maybe not.

I have received a super negative feedback from my team lead which i was addressed such as false-promising, deceiving, rude, and untrustworthy [...]

Hang on, was this feedback already planned t arrive around this time or this is something appeared all of a sudden?

• If this was published on a previously agreed upon date (or period), then it is the responsibly of the person (Lead / Manager) assessing you to make you aware of the assessment matrix / criteria. If that was done - then you need to revisit the claims made in the feedback and re-read the feedback from a neutral point of view. The choice of words may have been better, but do you see that the claims made are (partially or fully) true? If yes, you can talk to your lead about how you can improve on things.




• If this was handed out to you out of the blue (without any prior communication), then you need to reach out and ask for the performance measurement metrics used to measure your performance. You can also communicate in writing that, you did not receive any prior communication about the metrics and measurement and would like to have a discussion to check more on this.

In short, in either of the cases, talk. Don't be angry. If you can prove that you are able and can deliver the expected output with quality, you'll see the attitude will change.

So, to answer your questions:

1. Is it possible to ask HR to define the performance metrics, and the performance measurement method?

Ask your team lead (or whoever in charge for your performance analysis) instead. S/He will be able to guide you better.

2. Is a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) the thing, which I am looking for?

Not really, (unless mentioned in employment agreement) I do not think 2 months is sufficient enough to think about PIP. Start communicating and connecting (if you're not doing already) to your team (not only the lead) to read, understand and execute the project goals in a better way.

3. Is voluntarily ask for PIP like committing a suicide?

Mostly, yes. Don't go down that path now.

4. What would be your reaction, if your employee ask for a PIP?

It should not come to that point that an employee asks for a PIP. There would be several round of discussion and feedback before we reach that point. However, in case we arrive there, it's not going to leave a good impression, for sure.