Employment Dispute

[paddyk]

Hi. not sure if I am posting this in the right section but any help/advice would be greatly appreciated, these are the key facts:-
My employers (who are a large plc) make you undergo a PDR (personal development review) with your line manager every year. I find it quite intrusive and I feel that any information or opinions you disclose could be used against you at a later date by the HR department. I feel that some of the questions are phrased in an inappropriate manner and I am not happy to answer them
What I need know is this
(a) Am I within my rights to refuse to the PDR with my line manager and do I have to give a reason(s)
(b) what is the likely impact upon myself if I refuse ? ie disciplinary action

Just for the record I have worked for the company for 20 years and am in the trades union (tho' unsure how much practical help they would be) The PDR's have only started in the last 6 or 7 years

[Old_Geezer]

Sounds more like an appraisal than a development meeting. Used to hate those too. It's not progress, it's a fad. Good management interact with their staff continuously and know the situation without stressful confrontational type special meetings. But these things become the "must do" flavour of the day and everyone endures the management's inability to see through it and not find the courage to say, "No". As a lowly employee you just have to put up with the nonsense inflicted from above, or find a better employer. It doesn't last forever, retirement and freedom eventually arrives.

[paddyk]

Thanks for the link EDDIE. The pic in my avatar is Paddy - our black lab. He's a typical lab - placid and gentle unlike our Chocolate Lab who's completely crazy

[vulcan42]

I remember hearing a story of a person who went to a similar meeting. At the start he said "I'm going to be more assertive, if that's alright with you".

[paddyk]

^ ^ ^
Vulcan - that answer made me laugh (and also cheered me up a bit)

[EDDIE51]

paddyk Yes just like Ozzie, the most 'layed back' dog you are likely to meet.
The grand-kids climb on and try to ride on his back, he just lies there with a sloppy look on his face and lets them get on with it. Then they often lie on the floor to watch TV and use Ozzie as a pillow!

[Peter Pedant]

// Sounds more like an appraisal than a development meeting. Used to hate those too. It's not progress,//

these are combined in the NHS ( yes yes I know - - -please dont start ....)
started off as PDP and all the kissy wissy oZzie fluffy bunny bit
and we all had to be retrained as they were turned into appraisals ( summative - judgmental - fluffy bunny turns into bunny boiler sort of )

kinda pressed home what a waste of time it all was ....

( o jesus you lose your medical licence if you dont turn up - see my first answer )

[thugulike]

It could be deemed to be 'failure to follow a reasonable management instruction' and could lead to disciplinary action. Easier to just play the game. Do you have any evidence that your answers could be used against you?

[cassa333]

PDRs are a double edged sword.

On the one hand they are a lazy management tool. Rather than regular checks and assessments on your work it can be left to once a year and have no real effect. Just management ticking their own boxes of 'look what I've done. Aren't I a fantastic manager for giving you lower ranks a chance to say how good you are'

On the other it can help determine future training strategies. IF they follow through that is. PDRs should give you the opportunity to self asses and ask for appropriate training to improve your work or if you want to progress within the company how you go about that.

That of course is dependant on management taking notice and setting suitable budgets for training. Otherwise it ends up being a tool that is used as a stick.

Overall they if they are used properly they can be beneficial to both the employee and the employer. If not then they are a waste of time.

If any of it flags up that you are *** at anything then make sure they put a proper strategy in place so you can improve (failure to improve could at some point in the future be a disciplinary matter). If it shows you are fantastic at everything ask for a promotion or pay rise lol

Either way if they are part of what you have to do then you have to grit your teeth and just stop winging about it and get it done.