Who is right?

scottorr · June 2003

I had a Director come to me today because she said that one of her ees performance may be slipping and she wanted to take action. She had requested that her ee complete an assignment by the end of the day on 6/20/2003. She decided to attend a seminar on that day so she will not be around to collect the report she requested. She admits that she never told the ee that she would not be in that day but she felt that it was the ee resposibility to check in with her and that the ee should have had the report ready for today. Before I take action I want to say that I am leaning on the ee side on this one. This ee has not had performance issues in the past and I felt that the Director should have informed the ee of her change in expectations.

Don D · June 2003

You don't really expect divergent opinions on this one do you? I'll be amazed if you get them, but will stand by and watch. Shoo her out of your office and give her the look my daddy used to give me years ago when I suggested something really stupid to him.

Balloonman · June 2003

LOL, I agree with Don. Besides which if my boss was not in on Friday when an assignment was due at the end of the day, I would either leave it on his desk or give it to him first thing Monday morning. Only an idiot would expect their being out of the office should change a due date.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

gillian2 · June 2003

Tell the Director that what she proposes just might set the employee on the course of changing from a good employee to an irritated one, resulting some time in the future with the employee working for some other company.

mjindra · June 2003

I agree with Dandy Don about the look you should give her . . . it's the same look I was giving the screen when I read your post. She's targeting this person for some reason that is outside of our knowledge.

ray a · June 2003

Agreed. This is totally the director's responsibility. Sounds like a communication problem and the fault lies with the director.

scottorr · June 2003

Thanks everyone! And Don D., you never know. After a while you begin to second guess yourself. I like the look suggestion. I'll keep a closer eye on the both of their interactions.

Leslie · June 2003

Just what is she expecting from this employee besides a report, ESP?

Sally · June 2003

>Just what is she expecting from this employee besides a report, ESP?

The employee may not be able to get away with this but I've been known from time to time to inform someone that I flunked mind reading in college. That usually gets the point across.

HS · June 2003

Is the word "omnipotent" in this employee's job description?

If not, I'd tell the manager to be more specific in her job descriptions in the future! 8-}

LindaS · June 2003

I agree with the above posts but want to add that I would remind the director that SHE had a responsibility to notify those that report to her that she would be out of the office.

ritaanz · June 2003

Aha! Another employee without a crystal ball. Where is this world going?

lnelson · June 2003

Does the supervisor not being there the day the report is due a factor? The ee should still have the report done and given it to the supervisor the following work day. I do not believe this is cause for disciplinary but, a due date is still a due date no matter who is there. Unless the supervisor had vital information needed for the report in the first place.

I may be the only one feeling this but, the supervisor may have needed the report for a meeting first thing this morning and wanted to make sure it was done.

SDDCHR · June 2003

I would recommend a work improvement for the slipping performance and have the director no more then verbally counsel the ee on her expectations. Or, address it during the work improvement. I don't know where or why disciplinary action would be a factor here at all. As you stated, this ee has always been a good employee in the past.

Don D · June 2003

>I would recommend a work improvement for the slipping performance and
>have the director no more then verbally counsel the ee on her
>expectations. I don't >know where or why disciplinary action would be a factor here at all.
>

?? Both 'work improvement for slipping performance' and 'verbal counseling' are forms of disciplinary action which you say doesn't apply, but you recommend one or the other.??

LindaS · June 2003

SDDCHR - why would you recommend "work improvement" or address "slipping performance" for this employee? Nothing in the post states whether or not the employee completed the report as initially requested, and the employee should not be expected to have ESP and know the supervisor wanted the due date changed. If anyone should be receiving this kind of discipline, and that would be what this amounts to, it should be the supervisor who failed to keep her staff informed of changing deadlines, etc.

System · June 2003

Perhaps the ee's performance isn't slipping as much as the communication between the supervisor and the ee is lacking. The supervisor should have informed the ee she was going to be out of the office on the 20th, and therefore needed the report by the end of the day on the 19th.

vwindham · June 2003

Sounds to me like the supervisor is the one that needs the verbal counseling. What could be so critical that it can't wait one more day since she isn't going to even be around to do anytihng with the report until she returns? Is there an ulterior motive here?

scottorr · June 2003

The ee finished the report on the 20th. I met with the Director yesterday and informed her that if her expectations of an ee change that she needs to communicate that to the ee so that the ee can re-prioritize. I also offered her training in communication skills. By the end of the conversation she understood and agreed that her lack of communication does not mean the ee was performing poorly. Thanks everyone!

Who is right?

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