Job loss due to poor performance

A question about : Job loss due to poor performance

One of my colleagues has just been sacked due to poor performance. I believe that business is not great at the moment and that they're really clamping down on the winning business side of our job descriptions.

I'm a bit unsettled about this as business development has never been one of my strong points - of course I'm going to putting a lot of effort in to improve this.

I was wondering, aside from company policy (ours are currently under review) are there statutory/legal requirements on the process to be followed in the case of poor performance? It would be my worst nightmare to be sent home for good one day with no prior warning, so am hoping that some kind of performance improvement plan would be put in place, but wondering if this was automatic or could be fast-tracked?

I'm hoping that I'm worrying over nothing...

Best answers:

• Your colleague might have been guilty of some sort of gross misconduct or other disciplinary action but agreed to be dismissed for "poor performance" as part of a confidential agreement.
  I can understand how much this sort of thing causes concern amongst colleagues. Are you able to raise your concerns with your line manager informally? If so, this is the best place to start. Also - try not to pay too much heed to office gossip about what is or isn't "going on". I've been down this path a few times before and am possibly treading it again.
  My advice is to get an answer (in writing) from someone who can be properly held to account should they have been misleading anyone intentionally; and - unless you think you might also be culpable for whatever your former colleague has been accused of - try not to worry TOO much until you know for certain what's what.
  Best wishes. x