Hey, I started working in the automobile industry at a huge company Dealership (Absolutely new for me) exactly 2 months ago. Ever since I had joined the company there were a lot of Talks about me, rumours claiming my romantic “association” with a male friend, which is absolutely untrue. This kept going on for 2 months, to a point where it was difficult for me to sit with him even if it was for work, in these 2 months I heard various threats of “replacement” and termination, and the worst part is everybody was extremely non-confrontational about this to me.
Cut to, in a target meeting, the owner of the business publicly accused both of us of “dating” and asked us to stop, and I really couldn't cut him off at the time. Exactly that day I receive a PIP on e-mail, asking me to fulfill unacheivable targets (which was fine with me), I clarified what it meant with the authorities but returned with no reply as to why I was being put on PIP. I replied back with an email saying that I do not approve of the PIP unless I have a clarification of why the decision was taken, and also told them if it's due to the “assumptions” then it's just disrespectful to me, because I had been performing way more in numbers than my fresher colleagues, with absolutely no leaves or other issues.
This email triggered the authorities, and after a discussion of 2long hours, where they kept saying “y'all are dating because it's natural”, (WTF) we don't care about personal life, it's hampering your productivity”, and my head lied that I had asked him for clarification before sending an email, he said that the mail you've written is immature, so I replied “the owner publicly accusing me is mature, and I can't write an respectful email demanding clarification”, I fought and fought, I stood up for myself, argued, I told them I have no objections performing, but I will not tolerate nuisance about anything else, and this explanation every single day is hampering my productivity, I also asked for evidence for the assumptions they were making, and they had nothing but false stories.
The next day they ask me to take back my email, and text the authorities that “I apologise for the usage of Ill language, and for displaying inappropriate behaviour, and I also have to Apologize for raising concerns on a different matter than the PIP, I refused to back down, I said I have no problems in accepting work, but I want my concerns to be heard and I still demand clarification as to why this decision is being taken unfairly on me who has displayed performance.
All I had to do was to please their fragile egos, even in the meeting with the owner he told me that I should've accepted the very initial package they had offered me, which was way less, he still accused me of having romantic relations, he doubted my performance without checking the reports, schooled me for my late timings (which he had deducted money for), ignored the over-time I was doing for his company, and never acknowledged reason for termination, but kept making stories to display himself as a nice person.
All I had to do was back down, and apologize for something I hadn't done, even though I displayed good performance, routinely updated them the reports, is this what standing up for yourself Is like, that ultimately I had to lose my job.
I don't know if what I did was right, how long can you tolerate unfairness, was I going there to work? Or to please their egos? I'm doubting if he'd pay me my salary next month.
My question is : how do I approach this further in my professional life, is there anything I need to learn? Is it wrong to not stand up for oneself, sorry but this was my first ever job, and I feel a bit disappointed.
Tl:dr : Got fired From probation due to Accusations of romantic relations with my colleague, which they had no evidence for, and kept blaming on my performance instead.