Being asked to performance manage a good performer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really understand this. Assuming your employer is an at-will employer, why the need for so much documentation etc.? I was let go for “poor performance” after six months with an employer with ZERO documentation of poor performance - had been heartily praised by a client the day before being let go - and I recognized I had no recourse so I moved on.

(I am not defending your boss or this behavior - it is cowardly and toxic - just trying to understand the why.)

op - America, or most states, ARE 'at will' meaning that you CAN in theory do this, however you do open yourself up to legal risk, especially if you are a large company and there is a pattern that can be traced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you'll be the fall guy if she complains or sues. If you refuse will you get managed out? Toxic

Op - this is my concern - I don’t want to be implicated in something undefensible/ lying (plus it’s just wrong)

It’s also part of a pattern in our org of women being managed out

But if I go to hr I worry they’ll tell my boss and I’ll become a target

You don't have to go to HR to tattle on him. You can just state the facts, that you have been asked to counsel someone out and you want to know the process when their work is good, and ask if there are other openings or if she could be of assistance to a different team.

This is a good way of handling it (neutral presentation to HR with request for guidance).

[Anonymous]

I had to do this a few years back (the difference was this person was genuinely awful, to the point that they reprimanded the people who interviewed him about how they allowed this to happen). I still feel so guilty about it.

[Anonymous]

op - spoke to HR and they said i need to do it basically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had to do this a few years back (the difference was this person was genuinely awful, to the point that they reprimanded the people who interviewed him about how they allowed this to happen). I still feel so guilty about it.

That is nothing like op’s situation. OP is being asked to manufacture performance issues for a good performer. Why on earth would you hand guilt for managing a bad performer? That makes no sense at all.

Reading this forum has convinced me that promoting a person who can actually be a good manager is a rare event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op - spoke to HR and they said i need to do it basically.

You need to do what exactly? Lie and make up performance issues for this person?

[Anonymous]

Pretty obvious OP is the problem here and maybe the report is too. OP doesn't even understand that either AI slop is bad work or her job can be done by a bot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your boss has directed you to manage her out, so you need to manage her out. Your feelings on her performance are irrelevant.

This kind of sniveling amorality is why America has become so toxic, both in and out of the workplace.

"Just following orders," where have we heard that before?

Getting rid of a subpar employee isn’t the same as the third reich.

[Anonymous]

I think you'd be doing her a favor finding her another team. Sounds like you need another team, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your boss has directed you to manage her out, so you need to manage her out. Your feelings on her performance are irrelevant.

This kind of sniveling amorality is why America has become so toxic, both in and out of the workplace.

"Just following orders," where have we heard that before?

Getting rid of a subpar employee isn’t the same as the third reich.

Except OP has repeatedly said the employee is excellent and the manager who wants her out is sexist.

This is how you get tangled up in an EEO lawsuit honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something similar happened to me but in my case the person he wanted me to manage out had a tough personality and was rubbing a lot of people the wrong way. From my perspective, though, she was highly productive and hard-working, bringing in many big clients. I asked if I could give her feedback and get her some coaching to work on her interpersonal issues. And honestly? I wish I hadn’t. Something seemed to go wrong with all those big clients. She lost us a lot of money, and the coaching didn’t improve her behavior. My boss was right.

Op - the difference in this scenario was that your employee DID have obvious performance issues if they were struggling to collaborate. In this case the employee does not have any. It may be that she isn’t meeting his expectations but he is only able to articulate subjective issues like ‘she’s not good’. She works hard and does what is asked

Have you actually said things to your boss like:

I think you're wrong.

I disagree.

I think her work is very good, so you'll have to tell me what it is you are unhappy with if you want me to do something about it.

Etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the next six months, you present all of her work as having been done by a male colleague and at the end of the six months you break it to him.

Also, you can help her find a better team.

You can also report it to his supervisor.

You can document everything he does, everything he says, and you can report it to HR.

These are multiple ways that you can deal with this.

Lying to your boss like this for a gotcha, while morally satisfying, will get you fired. Now maybe if your endgame is to document his discrimination and get him fired first, if you aim for the king, don’t miss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most women are screwed in the workforce.

All the glowing WOHM life retelling does not factor in toxic male bosses and their harassment.

- SAHM

Most women are screwed at home too. So what's your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the next six months, you present all of her work as having been done by a male colleague and at the end of the six months you break it to him.

Also, you can help her find a better team.

You can also report it to his supervisor.

You can document everything he does, everything he says, and you can report it to HR.

These are multiple ways that you can deal with this.

I like this angle myself.

Or push back on the "she's not good" and tell him you can't use that as feedback. And then pledge to manage her fairly and see what he says.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:op - spoke to HR and they said i need to do it basically.

You need to do what exactly? Lie and make up performance issues for this person?

I agree with the previous poster. Are you being asked to lie? Management could be using you as a scapegoat, tread lightly on false accusations you may end up with costly legality ramifications for such lies.