Employee Meetings

janetc

I am new to HR - about a year.
I have an issue with a manager and several of his employees that I need some advice on and quickly!

The most recent issue is this:
The manager has been requested to hold weekly meetings with his customer service employees. He has tried to accomodate schedules and keep the telephones open for clients as much as possible. He recently requested the employees to attend a 1/2 hour meeting right after closing time on Wednesday (ot would apply) and received, I think some very inappropriate responses . . .
EX:
WHY IN THE AFTERNOON? SCHOOL WILL BE OUT, WE ALL LIKED IT IN THE MORNING BETTER. I HAVE THINGS TO DO IN THE EVENINGS!
(this employee has no children in school)
EX:
I CAN'T STAY AFTER WORK AT ALL, YOU'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH A BETTER TIME.

Some background might be helpful for you to have, as the manager and his employees are quickly getting to where they don't (or won't) try to work with one another. However, I have to say the 1st response is not unusual from that particular employee and I've been on the receiving end of a couple.

Any suggestions?
Thank you

Shadowfax

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-04-04 AT 12:34PM (CST)[/font][br][br]If it can be reasonably done, ees are certainly entitled to enough notice of a schedule change so that they can make other accommodations for child care etc. But, either the place will be run by committee or by the mgr, someone needs to decide.

Now I get it. You want to foster all of this aggravation so the need of the off duty activity policy will be nullified. No more weddings, births, etc, everyone is too angry at everyone else. Brilliant strategy!!

Don D

Huh?
Rum and Coke this early, Shadow?

janetc

Wish I could be credited with the "brilliant strategy", but can't take credit for it since I hadn't looked at it that way.
Most managers and employees here work very well together, but right now, this particular manager and his employees are on short fuses!

lnelson

If this is to be a mandatory meeting every week at the same time then everyone should be able to accomodate unless on vacation or sick that day.

Disciplinary action should result for failure to attend.

If the ee's are having problems with their mgr it needs to be addressed and resolved by HR or Supervisor of Mgr. It will only get worse if not handled.

JMO,
Lisa

deniseE

I have to agree....a mandatory meeting is just that mandatory...those who can't cope can look for work.

However, in the interest of compromise....perhaps one lunch 1/2 hour could be dedicated to meeting. A working lunch....I'm sure we're all familiar with that concept!! Then no one has to stay late and everyone still gets lunch.

lynn2008

The "working lunch", paid of course, sounds like it may the be ticket, but of course will raise of issues.

We had/have similar issues with departmental team meetings, but had telesales cover the phones, but you may not have that luxury.

As others state, set it and enforce it.

DeniseE must have the soulmates of some of our CSR's with those comments.

Gillian3

Yep, mandatory means mandatory. With all the stuff that people have to deal with outside of work, though consideration needs to be given to childcare issues etc. etc. and a compromise worked out if possible. If not, turnover will be the result. If the manager and the employees are not getting along, the way the manager manages should get as much attention as how the employees respond - after all, the problem, or part of it, may lie there.

Leslie

Some of those responses are very rude, if not downright insubordinate!

Gillian3

True, but sometimes the behavior of a manager creates employee responses that are inappropriate. That may not be the case here, but maybe so. Interpersonal relationships usually have two or more sides.

janetc

Gillian,
From what I can see, the behavior of the manager AND the employees has been bad. I used to work for this manager and he was nothing but kind to me. On the other hand, I've seen him be rude to others . . . and can't decide if it's just "giving back" what he gets or not.
As I said before, I'm been on the receiving end of some of this woman's e-mails and she really has no tact . . . for example when I sent an e-mail to the employees letting them know the company was providing lunch last Friday to celebrate "summer" I gave the hours lunch would be left out. I also indicated if there were problems with the hours to let me know. Her response was
WE'RE ON THE PHONES UP HERE AND I DON'T GET MY REGULAR LUNCH UNTIL 1:30 WHEN IT'S OVER. SO WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME I EITHER GET NOTHING OR COLD LEFTOVERS. IS THAT CORRECT?

To which I responded:
I did not mean to imply that you would not get any food. I will work something out with your manager and make sure everyone is taken care of appropriately.

Her response:
I WILL FIX A PLATE AND TAKE IT BACK TO MY DESK AND EAT IT BETWEEN CALLS. I WILL NOT FIX IT AND SET IT ASIDE TO EAT LATER.

What it came down to was that no matter what I tried to do, it wasn't good enough and she told me not to bother as she would bring her own lunch. Then on Friday when I was eating and visiting with some of the employees, she fixed a plate, sat down in front of me and ate!

So, any suggestions?

hrbanker

Janet, I would look at the overall atmosphere in the department. If the manager and employees won't work with each other, is there an underlying problem? These people have to work together and can't have hostility toward each other.

You mention the one employee has been opinionated before. Is this one person causing the problem? Unfortunatly, the loudest pain-in-the-neck usually gets everyone else riled up, many employees will leave, but not the Pain. They get their kicks out of creating havoc.

It might be worth calling the Pain in and telling them that everyone has to work together on this and you would appreciate their help (cooperation) in coming up with a solution to the meeting-time issue.

My 1/2 cent worth.

Shadowfax

Don You put coke in your rum? It's always late somewhere!

janetc

I agree there are issues with the manager, but the attitudes (both manager and employees) were already in place before I got the job . . .
I've suggested numerous options including some outside seminars for manager and employees (and yes, these employees are customer service!), some 'one on one' counseling with each employee and with the manager (which has worked, but not long term), setting goals and expectations, etc.

Since the co did not have an HR dept to begin with,I've been developing the dept from scratch. I'm in the process of formatting all the job descriptions with a corresponding performance evaluation,(working with the managers) and trying to get some structure and procedures in place. I'm thinking it will be easier to then talk to an employee about what the expectations are, what they are doing well and so on.

However, you have all answered my 1st question, which whether or not we could make these meetings mandatory. And my 2nd question, that yes, the employee responses are out of line. Now, I just have to get the manager and the employees working "as a team" and try to get the moral where it should be. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Don D

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-04-04 AT 03:10PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Hang out in the department off and on for a week, maybe an hour daily, dropping in unannounced, taking a seat and doing your paperwork. Tell the manager whatever you feel you must. Get a feel for the interraction first hand, observe, take a few notes, form an opinion with no pre-conceptions. Then you'll have a basis for whatever you decide to do next.

(edit) Also attend that after-work meeting yourself, sit in the back of the room and don't let them put you on the program. You're just there to observe.

janetc

Don,
Thank you for the suggestion . . . I will mention to the manager that I would like to attend and "observe".
I've already done some "auditing" of the customer service calls and made some suggestions for improvement to the manager. We will let the employees know on Wednesday (6/9)that this will be done on a regular basis starting a week from Monday. I really don't want this to turn into a negative, but would like to present it as a way we can improve our customer service department. There is already too much negativity going around in the department from what I've seen and heard.
I'll let you know how it goes.

smaces_twin

When I schedule meetings I always try to accomodate as much as possible. I think the supervisor should start getting bees with honey, not vinegar. It sounds like a contest to see who can be the biggest pain in the aXX. You don't win that contest in the long run by saying, "I'm the supervisor, I'm allowed to be the biggest pain in the aXX." Your supervisor is saying that by not being flexible.

AJ SPHR

But at some point you do have to assert who really is in charge. When I read the original poster's summary of a recent situation where she was giving her grief about a free lunch to celebrate summer, it tells me that this employee feels she is running things. Yes I agree you need to accommodate when you can, but at some point you have to put a stop to employees who get you dangling at the end of their strings. Know what I mean?

Balloonman

AJ is right. Who runs the business. Is it one person (the bitchy one) or a handful complaining?
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman

smaces_twin

Yes I know what you mean. Based on her response below, I think my assessment was accurate. See her last paragraph. In my opinion if you are going to be a successful manager in the long run you have to deal with different people differently. You need to have a consistent set of rules. But you need to be aware of people's tendencies when laying them out. My way or the highway is bad for business and will not work in the long run. IMHO.

janetc

After reviewing the responses I've received and thinking about it over the weekend, I determined to:
1) attend the meeting on Wednesday and observe and take notes
2) meet with the manager afterwards and help him finish up on the job descriptions for his departments
3) help him regain control of the department

Everyone is absolutely right that he must regain control over the department before the moral will improve.

Also, I had already determined that from my perspective, I would meet again with the employee and give her a written warning for a couple of items.
1) she had not kept our conversation in confidence as requested
2) the tone and content of her e-mails to me were not appropriate
3) she must understand that if I am to be her advocate, she must be willing to work with me

I would advise her the warning will go in her personnel file and while she would not be put on probration, any infraction of the above would warrant she be put on probation.

Any other suggestions?

Thank you!

AJ SPHR

Janet, I applaud you for taking control and helping the manager take control of the situation. However, I don't think I'd jump to a written warning with the employee. I don't know all the of the details, only you do, but based on what you've written, I think I'd first meet with her to tell her that the tone and content of her emails are not appropriate.

I'd stay away from punishing her for not keeping something in confidence. I'm not an expert on this, but I believe the fact that she talks to someone else about her situation may be a protected activity and something that you cannot discipline for. I also wouldn't use a somewhat threatening tone to tell her that she must be willing to work with you. So what if she doesn't want to, instead have the manager focus on performance and results.

Laying down the ground rules is absolutely the way to go, but I think it should be the manager who establishes the ground rules and does any disciplining. HR should not be disciplining employees unless the employee reports to HR.

Good luck with this employee!

janetc

AJ
the only reason I thought I would approach her at all is because the issue with the lunch was primarily between her and I and only indirectly involved her manager. I did approach her on the tone and content of her e-mails and she brushed me off since she has continued in the same manner with recent e-mails.
As far as keeping our conversation in confidence, I did not mind if she discussed our conversation in general, but she has taken several items out of context and is letting other employees know that I've approved various activities that I have not approved of.
I am not one to take offense easily (how can you be and work in HR? : ) ), but I feel she is really trying to show me she is in charge and I wanted to lay some ground rules from the HR perspective when it involves all the employees in the company and not just in her department.
Thoughts?

AJ SPHR

I agree that I would approach her in a more serious tone to tell her that the content of her emails was inappropriate. I wouldn't make it a "warning" but just tell her that we all need to find a way to work together and you'll do all you can to help explain/resolve issues as long as they're presented to you in a professional manner, or something like that.

I'm not sure if I would broach the subject of her spreading false comments because you get into a he said/she said mode. She could easily respond by saying she didn't say anything like that, but that it was the other person who mis-heard or took it out of context.

It's a tough situation. Good luck!!

Don D

Let me squeeze in the middle. I would not ignore the fact that she is leaving your private meeting with her and running her mouth to her advantage (or so she thinks). A better way to approach it might be to say, "I want to be clear we have an understanding that our discussion in this investigation remains confidential. The last thing I think either of us would want is for miscontstrued comments and gossip to become incindiary and counterproductive to the effectiveness of the organization. I won't discuss my conversation with you with others who have no need to be involved and I expect the same of you. (pause 3 seconds for her rapid acknowledgement.) I'm glad we have that understanding."

It is not a violation of the NLRA to expect that an ongoing company investigation be treated confidentially by those interviewed and/or counseled and that they be expected not to interfere with the investigation, unless there is a bargaining unit and they could claim you have stifled their right to representation. I view her sabotage as possibly interfering with an investigation. If her conduct repeats and rises to the level of interfering with an ongoing company investigation and becomes counter to company goals and objectives, I would terminate her for that.

janetc

I attended the meeting (and stayed in the background). The meeting went very well and the manager and employees were on their best behavior. The manager had an agenda and followed it (something we've been working on), there were comments and suggestions from the employees etc.

However, I did have to get involved to some extent on a HIPAA issue (I am also the HIPAA Compliance Officer). She simply couldn't understand (or wouldn't) a certain point of law and I indicated that if she wanted me to, I would get her the actual legal documentation to support what I was saying. She backed down after that.

I did mention to her (on a separate day) that I appreciated her not discussing our conversation with other employees as I would not want anyone to be confused on policy . . .and while she didn't say much, she got the point. Also, her manager did say she has been on her best behavior this week . . .

In reflection on this whole issue, I believe this employee just has a great need to feel important (don't we all) and is trying to get that need met here at work. I'll continue to work with her while not "bending over backwards" to accomodate her. Guess I just had to blow off some steam earlier!

Thanks for all your help and comments.
Janet

Dasher

Janet, perhaps you have only been in HR for a year but the way you handled this situation was excellent! Keep up the good work. Isn't the forum great for feedback on these kinds of issues?

janetc

Since joining this forum, instead of "second guessing" myself, I've been able to read and assess, so I agree, this formum is great.

And I appreciate the compliment!