Why did my project manager tip me off about a future negative performance review? [closed]

Good day, I hope you are well I'm a software developer, working in a small team, and I've got my performance review coming up, since it marks 6 months being on the project My project manager called me spontaneously (he normally does that to convey something), and this time, he told me that a negative performance review is on its way to me in about a week or two I was a bit shocked, and not very surprised actually. I asked my manager twice what the concerns were, and he didn't wanna get into it, or maybe he didn't know, maybe he was gathering info, I don't know and I wanna find out I then asked him if I should be worried, and the bloke paused for a bit and said "I don't know", which made me feel uneasy He mentioned that he is currently writing up a report of some kind, and then he'll send it to my manager when done. Finally, a meeting will be set up with me, my manager and maybe some other person to discuss the negative performance review. He was vague about who'll attend the meeting. I'm presuming that my manager will decide. I'm unsure For added context, I work in a large consultancy for a client. My project manager and my entire team are from the same consultancy. I rarely speak to my manager. The only time we talk is when I have to do something bureaucratic like filling in a timesheet I want to know why he'd tip me off? What's going on? I'm too naïve to read between the lines It's known that my performance isn't satisfactory. They had high expectations of me, and I under delivered. In the first couple months, I had regular meetings with my manager on how to improve performance, alongside my software engineering colleague. As time went on, those meetings stopped happening. Additionally, we're not even working on anything urgent. We're doing maintenance work for a legacy application. Whether we work fast or slow, it wouldn't matter much The client has a very relaxed working culture I also live in a country with employee protection laws. Firing somebody is very hard to do, and a very bureaucratic process I'm trying to make sense of the situation: Why did my project manager tip me off? It would cause someone unnecessary anxiety, I don't see why he'd do it. I'm personally very resistant to anxiety, so bring it on, but most would freak out I imagine What is likely going to happen? Removed from the project and placed on the bench? Or following a performance improvement plan? Or getting scolded for a few days, then going back to normal? This performance review is part of something bureaucratic, it's a "box ticking" activity (for those who read the "BS jobs" book), so maybe it won't be taken seriously? I'd appreciate your insights. I'm a young and naïve fella, in need of your help

Feb 5, 2025 - 02:51

Good day, I hope you are well

I'm a software developer, working in a small team, and I've got my performance review coming up, since it marks 6 months being on the project

My project manager called me spontaneously (he normally does that to convey something), and this time, he told me that a negative performance review is on its way to me in about a week or two

I was a bit shocked, and not very surprised actually. I asked my manager twice what the concerns were, and he didn't wanna get into it, or maybe he didn't know, maybe he was gathering info, I don't know and I wanna find out

I then asked him if I should be worried, and the bloke paused for a bit and said "I don't know", which made me feel uneasy

He mentioned that he is currently writing up a report of some kind, and then he'll send it to my manager when done. Finally, a meeting will be set up with me, my manager and maybe some other person to discuss the negative performance review. He was vague about who'll attend the meeting. I'm presuming that my manager will decide. I'm unsure

For added context, I work in a large consultancy for a client. My project manager and my entire team are from the same consultancy. I rarely speak to my manager. The only time we talk is when I have to do something bureaucratic like filling in a timesheet

I want to know why he'd tip me off? What's going on? I'm too naïve to read between the lines

It's known that my performance isn't satisfactory. They had high expectations of me, and I under delivered. In the first couple months, I had regular meetings with my manager on how to improve performance, alongside my software engineering colleague. As time went on, those meetings stopped happening.

Additionally, we're not even working on anything urgent. We're doing maintenance work for a legacy application. Whether we work fast or slow, it wouldn't matter much

The client has a very relaxed working culture

I also live in a country with employee protection laws. Firing somebody is very hard to do, and a very bureaucratic process

I'm trying to make sense of the situation:

Why did my project manager tip me off? It would cause someone unnecessary anxiety, I don't see why he'd do it. I'm personally very resistant to anxiety, so bring it on, but most would freak out I imagine
What is likely going to happen? Removed from the project and placed on the bench? Or following a performance improvement plan? Or getting scolded for a few days, then going back to normal? This performance review is part of something bureaucratic, it's a "box ticking" activity (for those who read the "BS jobs" book), so maybe it won't be taken seriously?

I'd appreciate your insights. I'm a young and naïve fella, in need of your help