Singapore worker placed on PIP immediately after passing probation: ‘This makes zero sense’

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man was left furious after his boss placed him on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) shortly after he passed his probation.

The employee took to Reddit to vent his frustration and ask more experienced workers whether he should even bother staying.

In a post on the r/singaporejobs forum on Friday (Aug 21), he said his performance had been assessed by “two different people who were the same rank as his boss” before he was confirmed.

“I actually passed my probation, but then during my meeting with my boss after I passed, she told me she’s confirming me while simultaneously putting me on a PIP contract.”

“It feels so contradictory because why bother confirming me just to throw me on a PIP right away? Plus, this is just a 1-year contract role,” he wrote.

The man said he had already spoken to several colleagues about the situation, and they also felt that his boss was being overly picky about his performance.

“I talked to my colleagues about it, and they all agreed she’s totally nitpicking,” he said.

According to him, the issues his boss raised were so minor that he felt almost the entire company would be placed on a PIP if everyone were judged by the same standards.

“I worked so hard and passed on my very first try,” he continued. “Another colleague who actually went through a PIP said they only got put on one because they failed their first review, passed the second, got put on a PIP, passed, and then got confirmed. So my situation makes zero sense.

Having graduated only last year, he admitted that he was still figuring out how the workplace works and did not know whether being placed on a PIP should be taken as a sign that the company wanted him out.

“I just graduated last year, so this is all new to me, and I’m feeling really stuck.”

“Is it even worth staying at this point? What would you do?” he asked.

‘It's a red flag’

In the comments, many advised him to use this time to quietly start looking for another job while keeping things professional at his current workplace.

One told him, “Stay and look for another job, and in the meantime try to disassociate yourself emotionally from all these problems. The problem is definitely with your boss and not you.”

Another wrote, “Interview for other jobs. The PIP has less to do with your performance and is used by the company to avoid legal issues for letting go of people.”

Others, meanwhile, felt he should take the PIP as a sign that it was time to leave rather than continue putting himself under unnecessary pressure. They believed it would be better for him to resign, move on, and find a company where he would feel more valued and appreciated.

One commenter said, “PIP on a contract role? Right after passing probation? Isn't that insulting enough to you? I would tender resignation immediately.”

Another said, “Didn't know 1 contract role could get a PIP. It's a red flag. If you insist on staying, you will always be in stress mode, which is not good for health. I always believe with health, you can always find a way out.”

In other news, a Singaporean fresh graduate shared on Reddit that she feels “dejected” after failing her probation at her first full-time job, an outcome she never saw coming because she believed things had been going well.

In an anonymous post on the r/askSingapore forum, the woman shared, “I was let go from my first job after not passing my 3-month probation. To be honest, it came as quite a shock.”

Read more: ‘I feel lost and embarrassed’: Singaporean fresh grad opens up after failing probation