EE causes dissention
sk8n
32 Posts
In the process of conducting a peer review, in preparation for an annual review, I learned that this particular employee (Call her Jane for reference) is causing dissention and stirring up things by bad-mouthing me, stating opinions as fact, and calling me names to other staff members. We are a small office -- I am the executive director with ten employees (no mid-level supervisors, just me) One employee stated that this 'troublemaker' ee causes 75% of the stress in her job and she dreads coming into the office every morning. Jane told this stressed out staff member that I am "scum." Other staff reports that Jane is in a bad mood when she can't get staff to 'hate" me too.
Now Jane does her job well -- I have no complaints about her dependability, productivity, and level of meeting her job requirements. Last year her review addressed her overall negative attitude and the resulting loss of productivity on the whole staff becauseof the ill will she created, which was directed at various staff members primarily. Over the year she improved about 60% -- six months were almost excellent, with only a few digressions. The past month has been "hell" according to one employee. Evidently she became angry at me and a decision I made and is taking it out on other staff members because she can't get them to go along with her. She is very subtle in all of this.
The trouble is: she never does any of this when I am in the office, or could be aware of the behavior first hand. It is only by conducting interviews with other staff that I am now learning the degree of this undermining, disruption, negative attitude. Her review is supposed to be today, and now I am having to re-think it all in light of this new information.
Is her behavior insubordination? How do I handle information that is from confidential conversations with her peers and --bottom line: what would any of you suggest, given the circumstances? Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Now Jane does her job well -- I have no complaints about her dependability, productivity, and level of meeting her job requirements. Last year her review addressed her overall negative attitude and the resulting loss of productivity on the whole staff becauseof the ill will she created, which was directed at various staff members primarily. Over the year she improved about 60% -- six months were almost excellent, with only a few digressions. The past month has been "hell" according to one employee. Evidently she became angry at me and a decision I made and is taking it out on other staff members because she can't get them to go along with her. She is very subtle in all of this.
The trouble is: she never does any of this when I am in the office, or could be aware of the behavior first hand. It is only by conducting interviews with other staff that I am now learning the degree of this undermining, disruption, negative attitude. Her review is supposed to be today, and now I am having to re-think it all in light of this new information.
Is her behavior insubordination? How do I handle information that is from confidential conversations with her peers and --bottom line: what would any of you suggest, given the circumstances? Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Comments
I assume that the review for which you are preparing is not Jane's, it is for another staff member. If that is the case and all employees know that you conduct "peer interviews" to assist in preparing for all employee review, I suggest that you meet with Jane and tell her that the issue came up during interiews in preparation for another employee's review. Tell her that you will no longer accept such behavior, and, if it comes up again she will be terminated. If she last long enough to get to her own review, be sure to include this issue in the "peer interview" process with the other staff members.
I have written the report, including the growth since last year, and the sliding back in the past month or so with attitude, but that was my perspective before I heard what she has been doing behind my back.
All the responses to this query are great, and I intend to address it firmly and directly. I just was not sure I could use 'third party' comments to support the discussion about her insubordination.
Thanks.