My probation period was extended by a month, should I be concerned?

Question

I was initially put under performance improvement plan due a number of reasons outlined by my manager.

I am nearing the end of my probation period in next few weeks & my manager told me that he wants to extend the probation period by 30 days. His reason was that I am still not there where he expects me to be so he wants to give me more time. Also, the change in contract would just be that it will say that it's a final warning.

Let me say one thing here, I have been trying my best to work by book.

Now, onto the main question, is this a red flag?

Moreover I have couple of interviews lined up & I am planning to resign in a next couple of weeks since I can't really do job hunt while working full time & have substantial savings to last me at least 6 months.

Answer 1

is this a red flag?

Yes it is, your PIP is never going to end well. it's unclear why they are extending, perhaps looking for a replacement or trying to get something completed, but you're better off finding another job.

Answer 2

Sounds like you should be thankful you haven't been fired already, and your boss is giving you a chance to meet his expectations, but then again you are planning to quit even without a new job so it sounds like you don't even want this job. Anyway it sounds like he would have fired you if he had thought you weren't going to be able to meet his standard. I personally would find it hard to put in the effort to improve my performance if I was just planning to quit soon. Furthermore it doesn't seem like you want to use this boss as a reference seeing as you didn't please him with your performance and are planning to quit even though he chose to see if you would improve instead of straight up firing you. But to answer your question I'd say yes this is a very big red flag.

Answer 3

Now, onto the main question, is this a red flag?

It depends on the context of what you mean by "red flag".

That fact that your manager is telling you that you haven't come up to speed enough to end your PIP and go back to normal employee status is probably a bad thing. You have tried your best but still haven't succeeded. That's not uncommon with a PIP.

The fact that you haven't simply been let go is a good thing. Few folks placed on a PIP end up sticking around (at least in my locale). It might mean that they recognize your efforts, and that you could get there with a bit more time (assuming you actually wanted to do so).

Either way, it seems like this is a good thing for you, since you are planning to leave anyway. You now have the ability to remain on the payroll right up until you resign.

How that fits into a "red flag" depends on what you mean by the term. I'm not sure why you would care either way.

Answer 4

Not getting your logic on cannot interview. You can take a vacation day on PIP. Worse case is they let you go for taking a vacation day but you still get paid up till then and get to interview while you are (technically) employed.