Approximately 5 months ago, I was brought in for a 1:1 meeting with my supervisor. I was informed that I was receiving a “verbal warning” in regards to not meeting her expectations on designs/diagrams I was completing. Several items that were discussed revolved around me not “listening” to her instruction and needing to have my diagrams reviewed. This was supposed to be regarding a customer I designed a solution for, which she assumed control of. The customer not only took 2 months to make a decision on the selected solution, changed their mind several times during this, but changed their mind several times once my supervisor took control as well. No details were given as to how to improve or exactly what was performed incorrectly by me. I was threatened that should I continue on this path, I would be written up and terminated if this continued. I was also informed that she was not going to continue to assist me in trying to learn our products and unwritten procedures, and that I was on my own to figure them out. She advised that this 1:1 would be documented, I would receive an email regarding what was discussed and that the next step would be a PIP as per company policy.
A little after this, in a meeting with her, she made the remark that regardless of me ADD, I just needed to do it, in reference to a task.
About 2-4 weeks after this, I went to my doctor and started medication for Adult ADD. I informed my supervisor of both my ADD and the medication. I worked to create templates of customer designs and between that time and today, have submitted several of these for review. The reviews by her, often come back with corrections that contradict past reviews, just days before that. Half of the corrections are vague and left to my interpretation of what is wanted. My action is often stated to be incorrect and that I am not listening.
Just 2 weeks ago, during a 1:1, I asked how my diagrams were and she stated that look great and that I was finally listening to her reviews. Then, days after, during another 1:1, I was informed that my designs and diagrams continue to not meet standards. During this last 1:1, I was threatened with termination again, should I not meet standards, with no mention of following company policy for a PIP. One of the specific actions that the meeting was about, was a customer stating I was not fulfilling their needs, which was not directed towards me, but to a co-worker that had worked with this customer before. The customer requested that this co-worker be placed in charge and all of this happened without my knowledge. The main concern I had first with this existing customer, was that their solution was not designed to include their need for HIPAA & PCI compliance. I was assigned to re-engineer their connection, noticed this and brought it to the attention of the customer. They were very upset that they have not been in compliance and wanted to know why it was the way it was. I advised I did not know. I later found out that the co-worker they went to, had designed their connection without regarding either HIPPA or PCI. This co-worker is also a personal friend of our supervisor. I believe that my supervisor saw that her friend made a mistake and is attempting to pin it on my, as a failure. This was shown in her anger and yelling at me in our 1:1 regarding this customer. I was also yelled at due to my wording in an email to the customer explaining the requirements for HIPAA and PCI. When I asked what exactly it was that I failed to do for the customer, She stated that I should not expect her to go back to a customer and request such things. I advised that I still needed to know what was done wrong, to correct my actions.
I t was required for me to complete a response to the verbal warning, and I did as instructed. I outlined that due to my learning style, I need to know what actions are wrong, so I can work to correct the. I have yet to receive a response to this.
It is my belief that when there is a follow-up 1:1, that my request will be brushed aside, as she does not have the time to do such things, and that it just need to get over my inability to learn how she directs me. I will be recording these meeting, so there is no statement that things were stated.
This constant threat of being terminated has created a hostile work environment where I feel that if I question, debate or offer my side of things, it will be met with negative results and/or termination. I feel that I am being bullied, due to not falling in a certain learning style, requesting additional coaching and possibly personal beliefs outside of my supervisor’s.