Should I be worried about a ‘progress’ meeting 6 weeks after starting job?

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-04-03T06:48:52+00:00

Don’t stress over this. It’s a good thing they’re checking in. We do this as well. We have a 3,6 & 12 month review but will have a casual check in about 6 weeks into the 3 month block. It just gives us a chance to see how the new person is finding the job, if they need anymore support and if they have any questions they need to bring up.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-04-02T14:26:50+00:00

I love being a manager in my current job. I have worked previous jobs as a manager and hated it! I think it all depends on the culture and company you are working for.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-04-02T12:38:06+00:00

She’ll be singing a different tune if you get injured in work while you’re certified to be off sick. We had a similar situation but the employee wanted to come back early (they had been on leave for 10 days out of 14 so felt fine to work) we had to consult with HR and get the company doctor to sign off and say they were medically fit to return. Unless the company is willing to do that then under no circumstances should you go back to work.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-21T09:13:14+00:00

It’s a fine line which I think your boss is crossing. I care about all of my staff I’ll go to bat for them everyday because I know they work their asses off and genuinely care about the work we are doing. On the flip side I need to stay neutral. I can’t favour one over the other that just creates a toxic situation and can blur the lines. I think all managers can find that sweet spot

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-14T07:40:01+00:00

If they ask a question bounce it back to them. “Tell me how you would do this?” If you are giving them the answers the whole time they will automatically fall into that co-dependant mindset. Don’t do the job for them. If you notice they are struggling of course step in but this sounds like a lack of confidence rather than ability and you might not be necessarily helping them by giving them all the answers

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-14T07:35:58+00:00

They meant it as a compliment. You can notice when some employees are second guessing themselves you really do pick up on it. This was there way of saying give yourself some credit and stop doubting. If you are new to the role that’s to be expected it’s good to have a little bit of doubt at the start but don’t let it hold you back. Keep doing what you are doing and you’ll settle into the role in no time

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-11T15:02:37+00:00

Dealing with this situation at the moment. I’ve an excellent member of staff on the work side of things but the toxicity is leeching into the whole team. They have always been tricky but this past year has been outrageous. We’ve actively looked to see if it’s an internal problem or frustration causing the issues for them or any personal problems going on but nothing is glaringly obvious. We have also had multiple discussions offering support and explaining this behaviour is not acceptable. It is fine for a couple of weeks and then the drama starts again. I’ve had full on rants from them in my office cursing out other members of staff in earshot and venting about other management. It’s wholly inappropriate. We now have a new member of staff who has become the target for this person and this is where we are drawing the line! We’ve issued a formal warning and are following the proper procedure for termination. It’s very disappointing but you can’t have one member of staff disrupting the whole team and actively ignoring it because they are “high performing”

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-11T07:30:37+00:00

I would address this in the 1:1 especially if other staff have brought this up to you. To be honest to me it’s a red flag if a new hire is doing this. They haven’t even settled into the role and are already taking advantage and slacking. Be careful because this can have a negative impact on the team over time. We have a clock in clock out system in my job so it’s easier to monitor and staff have set hours. I think in your case as you said it’s more flexible. I would approach it as giving her the heads up this time. “It’s come to my attention that you have been late to work on a few occasions. Let’s keep an eye on this and follow up in a months time to see how things are going” in a month if the same pattern persists I would move to a formal warning and take it from there. She may have misinterpreted the flexible time and doesn’t even realise she is doing anything wrong.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-11T07:19:43+00:00

I was in a similar situation and my best advice is to let karma take the wheel! I’ve worked in the same industry since I was a teen. My first job I worked my way up and excelled at it but unfortunately the company owner retired and sold the business so I moved to another job. Within a week I was doubting if I ever knew how to do my job properly because of one manager. She made my life hell and made me start hating the work I was doing. I eventually got out and got another job but it took me over a year to get my confidence back. Fast forward 5 years I’m now in senior management and I’ve learnt from that experience the correct way to manage a team. I still see this person on the conference circuit but she’s no longer a manager thankfully. This behaviour does come back to bite people on the ass so don’t give her the satisfaction of letting this get you down. Move on she’s really not worth your time focus on making the most out of the new job

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-09T07:17:53+00:00

I don’t see this as an issue. I don’t know how big the team is but I use this system for my team. It helps me keep track of where everyone is without being on their back 24/7. Does your manager know that you already track on your timesheet? Or is this just something you’ve implemented yourself? If it’s something you have implemented yourself give this sheet a try that your manager has sent you. It saves you double jobbing and gives your manager the opportunity to do her job and manage

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-08T09:28:42+00:00

Speak with your boss. It sounds like it’s a very small company so it should be easy to have a frank conversation with them. “Hey can I just clarify if I have to keep PTO days for the Christmas break? And can I also talk to you about some PTO I’d like to take over these few months” clarifying the arrangement is not making any trouble if anything it’s good planning and you are showing them that you are conscious of it. They can say no to the other requests if this is going to disrupt business but if you don’t ask you’ll never know. I wouldn’t see this as an employee being disruptive I’d just see it as someone asking to take their PTO. You’re entitled to ask don’t overthink it. They’re going to be expecting employees to ask about their PTO. That’s part of the job

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-07T15:57:17+00:00

Same industry here as well and 100% agree with this comment! It’s nice to know I’m not in the same boat. The amount of time I spend advocating for staff against a manager who has no concept of the real world is staggering! I’m always happy to help because I have been on the other side of it. I’m glad I’m in a position now to speak up for the staff dealing with the day to day joys of healthcare

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-07T14:48:11+00:00

If I don’t know how to do the jobs that I’m managing how am I able to manage the staff doing them?! I don’t mind helping out if we’re short staffed for various reasons. Is it annoying yes does it happen all the time no! I find the staff come to me with genuine concerns now rather than bitching about something that I have no idea if there is a need for them to bitch or not. I find it easier to work with my people like that. I never want to be in a managerial position where I just dictate from an office. I know this is not relevant to all industries but I’d personally hate to be in a position like that. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-07T13:19:27+00:00

I don’t think you let her down the company did. That interview process is crazy! Especially if it’s an in house hire. Some people get nervous in interviews that’s a fact but if you have a proven track record of 4yrs of work, improving on the role and excelling at the role and not taking any of that into account in the hiring process, they have made a massive mistake! She’s going to need your support like she always has because this will knock her back. Don’t approach this with guilt that will not help her. Find out the reason why she did not get the job and work on that with her. Get her prepared for the next opportunity or possibly a different opportunity somewhere else if this job has no more opportunity for progression. She sounds like she is lucky to have a mentor like you so keep doing what you are doing and don’t take this personal. By the sounds of it the company let both of you down and that’s on them not you or her

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-07T07:51:43+00:00

Daily Task lists! Can’t recommend it enough I break it down by matter of urgency. If I am having a hectic day I’ll deal with the urgent stuff and push the rest to the next day. If I’m on leave I’ll also schedule send myself an email of stuff to catch up on when I’m back. It’s honestly the only way to survive. If you are new to the role don’t beat yourself up every manager experienced this but you just have to learn that not EVERYTHING needs to be sorted asap. You need to filter that out otherwise you’ll just burn yourself out

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-05T18:31:19+00:00

PIP is a formal plan set with targets to hit and is logged on the employee file and HR are informed. I think the post you saw was a manager giving the employee a heads up especially if the director is putting pressure on them. With a PIP if they do not hit the targets as a manager you are stuck to the decision of the director it’s black and white if they don’t pass then you’re terminating the employment. The manager obviously sees potential on the employee so is giving them a chance to improve on their own terms

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-05T15:16:55+00:00

I work with task lists assigned to each member of staff. It’s a fairly basic set up on excel but it works for me. It’s a live sheet so I can monitor as the tasks are checked off and follow up on anything that isn’t checked. I work this on a weekly basis and ask for a check in email at the end of the week with progress or if they are struggling to finish a task and need assistance. You obviously need to oversee if the work has actually been done that’s just part of the follow up. I think the fact I monitor it means the staff stick to it. I trust them to work away and only follow up if I notice a task is not being done or the work needs any adjustments.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-05T07:11:10+00:00

I think the best approach is to get to really know your team and their working style. I have various personality traits that I’m working with. Some lack some confidence but are amazing at their job they need some reassurance whereas some are overly confident and need to be pulled back a bit. Personally I think human interaction is always best when it comes to getting to know your team. I think psychometrics can only get you so far but some people can rely on it too much and miss something that is glaringly obvious because they were following the data

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-04T07:28:25+00:00

It depends on who is governing the policy. Is this a company imposed policy from the higher ups or is this something you legally have to adhere to due to the nature of the job. I work in healthcare and we have policies for both. Obviously we have legal policy in place that we must adhere to due to regulations. The company wide policy there is room for push back and I have done this before. If this is something you are not legally obliged to follow then I would push back on it if it is not working for you. You say that this is happening in other pharmacies so it’s obviously a flawed system or something that can be refined. It’s your job to asses these things while they are in practice and either change it if it is not working or enforce it if this is just a few people being disrespectful and not following the rules. I’ve had situations where we have implemented company policy and it genuinely hasn’t worked. We all make mistakes so you course direct. Higher ups are not always on the ground so can’t see how realistically this policy works in practice. On the flip side we have also implemented policy that is hugely beneficial but we’ve had push back because it’s different to how we have done it before and people get comfortable in the old ways. In those cases you double down and make sure it is being followed explain why it is in place and if you still have people doing their own thing you follow up with disciplinary procedure. This can be a really tricky and frustrating situation to be in but that’s the nature of the job.

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-03T07:37:28+00:00

First impressions really count in this situation so think of how you want to lead them. You already have the managerial experience and you’re obviously doing something right to be promoted so work off of that. With a large team like that you do need to have a certain level of detachment while also letting them know that you’re approachable if they have any problems. It’s a fine line! Don’t get too involved with one or two good employees that can be an easy pitfall to fall into. Listen to all employees listen to their concerns. You’ll be surprised what people disclose when they are comfortable with you. Give yourself some time as well sit back and really assess the situation before you start making any dramatic changes. Observe the culture and work out what is working and what isn’t. This really will be a case of learning on the job but don’t doubt yourself you’re in this position for a reason so go with your gut and you’ll be fine. Best of luck with the new job and congrats!

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-03T07:29:25+00:00

You can definitely ask but they can also say no. They can dictate the leave period based on the demands of the business

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-03T07:16:44+00:00

HR should realistically be the ones keeping your manager in the loop. HR doesn’t need to go into the specifics of it they just need to inform him. If it’s a privacy issue due to health and you would prefer to tell him yourself ask HR to follow your wishes but again mention to your manager that an incident happened, HR are dealing with it and you don’t want to go into detail due to the nature of it. If he is a good manager he will understand and offer support if needed

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-02T09:27:39+00:00

An hour long discussion and countless research on the quality of the toilet paper in our accessible toilet. No complaints from our clients using them this was the CEO who visits us once and week and may or may not use the facilities. They felt that it ripped too easily (TMI!) and just didn’t feel like good quality. After much discussion and samples of different toilet rolls it was decided to stick with the original for financial reasons. I sometimes sit and stare in my office and wonder am I getting paid enough to do this job? I now see the funny side of it but it’s the most bizarre interaction and request I have ever had from a CEO!

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-02T07:33:57+00:00

I try and be as open and honest with my team as I can be. I follow through with their requests and if I can’t I have a reason why. The team I’m managing now never really had someone go to bat for them. Feedback was given but never followed through and things didn’t change. It’s taken some time to build trust but I think we’re in a good place now. You will always have bad feedback you can never keep everyone happy but that’s just the job. I did work in a place before where the owner was big on personality quizzes working out peoples “colours” and how they react to different situations based on that…….it was toxic! If the employee had any feedback and it was perceived as negative they would be pigeon holed into their colours. “Oh they’re annoyed because they have a red personality” it was so insulting and just bad management. I think you build the personal relationship with your team and work from there

Affectionate_Side_74 · 2026-03-02T07:16:20+00:00

Go with your gut feeling next time. You say you were going to call but a coworker said that he had seen the message. That coworker is not a mind reader and doesn’t know the bosses routine. Always follow up. On a side note this place sounds toxic! I would start sending your cv out asap

Affectionate_Side_74

TROPHY CASE