Redundancy Appeal Rachel Croft

Redundancy Appeal – Rachel Croft

This is to inform you that I (Rachel Croft) is appealing against the decision given to me on Friday 12th April, in making me Redundant. My back ground and reasons for appeal are as follows:

Previous Performance Ratings

As you know the partial successful marking I received in December 2011 left me reeling because at no point through my One to One's was I ever told that this was the case and also what I needed to do, do improve my rating. I felt that doing my best for Axa did not count and I was shocked by the decision, especially when we are told 'no surprises'. I even felt like the process of receiving a partial at that point came with extra blows as I wasn't to receive a bonus or pay review increase. This also had huge mental knocks especially went struggling on a part time wage and my salary being swallowed up by bills, not much left for the nicer things in life.

After some thought, I decided to raise a Grievance, which I won. This was due to my comments above and also because of Nik's lack of support, disorganisation, and the setting of an unreasonable objective. The grievance took four and a half very long stressful months to fully complete. The grievances also highlighted the inconsistency that he and the calibration meeting team members had for reaching employee's end of year markings. At no point was this error apologised for. Despite this I was left on Nik's team when I should have been moved. Nik was not told of the reasons for the outcome so how could he improve as a manager – this was frustrating and nothing improved. My stress became more intensified.

I also received an incorrect letter for my partial marking which wrongly spoke of a PIP for my under performance. This was sole destroying, especially when the outcome was decided. I had no need to receive this letter. It was an error from a higher manager who had not read this letter or thought of it's implications. Tony Slack was a gentleman and held up his hand and apologised.

By this time I was left struggling to get into work. My working conditions did not improve and I had the same issues, with the lack of support and extremely high work loads. I had started to make excuses about coming in as I couldn't cope, and I didn't feel I could tell anyone.

I did ring in with stress, as I could no longer cope, Nik then offered me support on my return. That support given, ended up in a written warning which was to be kept on file for 6 months due to my poor stress attendance record. I then went to my doctor and was certified, with work related stress and signed off sick for 6 weeks. Can I add here that at no point in my previous absences, Occupational Health was not offered to me, to support in the work place.

From my 6 weeks off, I did ask again for Occupational Health support, but again this did not happen, I had heard that AXA had overspent on budget and I was given a stress questionnaire to complete instead. This helped and this was to be fully reviewed after an agreed time with Nik and the H&S Joe Harper. This never happened.

However I was working well and taking extra work when my allocation was completed and Nik said I had done better than expected and he could not see any issue with not getting a successful at the end of the year if this continued. Again I was let down by Nik and given a partially successful.

I was very open in my end of year and said that I still didn't feel back to my old self, meaning mentally and I was very aware of protecting myself from stressful situations. Nik used this in my end of year but slightly twisted the meaning to say I hadn't been doing everything and agreed to partial. I was hurt again but too fragile to fight.

We had spoken about me not fully being on the phones, at no point was this said I would loose my successful end of year marking. I thought this was a reasonable adjustment to my work related stress. I was doing everything expected from me and more by asking for more work.

Since then I have done my best and I am working back to speed.

I thought a little discretion would have been used for scoring my sick after everything I have been through at Axa, due to manager misgivings and issues with inconsistent markings in calibration meetings. Some of which I shouldn't have been put through if markings had been done correctly back in 2011. This led to my work related stress.

Again my end of year score for 2012 does not reflect my true efforts and again I should not have been penalised. I feel like Nik is persevering in giving me a partial, and some of this is because I spoke out about his failings rather than just excepting his initial partial marking. I should have been moved to another team, as Nik and I's relationship was not working as I had lost trust in him as a manager and I felt he was using the past to mark my ratings for the year. I would also add that this rating has a significant impact on my scores for the redundancy hearings. What I am saying here is that it should have been a successful and my scores should be increased.

Nik mentioned at Steve Walkers leaving do that he had had to make decisions that week about who should go, who should have a job and who didn't deserve a job. “Who didn't deserve a job”, what kind of comment is that to make to a team member who he possibly could be referring to. This doesn't sound like a fair approach when a true scoring method has been taken with the marking for redundancy.

I see that Sharon Aspinalls team has come out of this process untouched – this just shows , yet again, the lack of support Nik has provided us over the years.

I believe that Nik has 2 survivors after redundancy, which I am surprised no – one has ever commented on or questioned. All experienced staff which includes Paul Ward, Steve Walker, myself, Katherine Eastwood all have had work stress related illnesses and this didn't flag any issues or risks that 50% of his team have been ill.

After proven inconsistency with the end of year calibration meetings the scoring for skills also raises a concern. Was the Comp framework used to help score this? I'm presuming it was used a support tool so managers could compare employee's. We should have been given time to update this as we didn't because of the roll out of Oliver.

Also I would like to raise how have I only scored a 3 at my skills and experience at Axa. I have worked for Axa for over 5 years, and have never had in my One to One's a concern raised about my skills. If this was the case, then this should have been discussed and both Nik and I agree a way in which my skills can improve. If there had have been shortfalls, then surely I should have been given these opportunities and if I was continuing to fail, I would have ended up on a PIP, which also hasn't happened. Again this is due to not being given that time and support from my team leader for developing. I do have the skills for this role admin or payroll.

Behaviours - inconsisentcy

At Steve's leaving do last Friday the 5th April. Joelle Parkinson verbally attacked Steve Walker. Saying she had never like him, he should have left ages ago and retired as the team have been carrying for ages and he was rubbish at his job. This was horrible to see. Nik didn't intervene although he did walk out at one point because she was not for stopping and continued to be nasty. Steve was clearly upset as he mentioned his depression/stress and that we must have carried him. I said it was nonsense. I text Joelle Saturday morning to say how horrible she was and her behaviour should not have to be tolerated. Nik protected her and told her not to respond he would take it up with me on Wednesday went I was back in the office- he didn't what could he say. Tom was sober because of driving if you need a sober witness. She also had a go at me and Sophie Bunting and upset Jo Graham.

Behaviours are so important for AXA, how does someone like Joelle get a successful in her year-ends and also remain with a role, as all the management, know what her her behaviour is like. Again, I feel this scoring is inconsistent.

Joelle response to a team member was "Rachel knows what I'm like after a drink why she so upset"– we still shouldn't have to tolerate this, she obviously doesn't have any remorse to change her ways.

In fact Paul Ward went for a cigarette after his redundancy meeting obviously upset and bumped into Joelle. Now Paul as we know is in a bad place and Joelle though it was funny to say “ well you were shit at your job anyway”. That is unforgivable and that hurt him

Meeting with Nik to discuss scoring

When I had my meeting with Nik to discuss my scoring, Nik had already pre-marked my

Disciplinary/Capability as a First Written Warning which wasn't accurate, as I took my letter to say it had been 'spent'. Nik then said this came for Source, but I had the evidence to say this was 'spent' and I now want this correcting on Source. I feel that Nik marked me down again, without proper investigation and this could have had a huge impact on my score, if I had not done my own research. This is a disgrace as I feel this is another, deliberate attempt to keep my scores low!

My main comment would be around unfair, and inconsistent scoring for 'Skills and Knowledge' and also my concerns around my year-end rating, which reduced my score again, and there was no consideration given to the reason as to why I was off sick. I would also add my further comment with regard to my 'scoring meeting'.

Would you please confirm 'next steps'... Rachel