Employee Interviewing/Company Responsibility
OneBadWebMonkey
8 Posts
We have an employee who does her job well but has informed us that is she did not receive an immediate raise in pay that she would begin interviewing for a new position elsewhere. This has come to pass and she has now begun the interview process outside our company.
The reason that her rate in pay has not increased at the speed that she desired is due to her atrocious interpersonal relationship skills. I have addressed multiple complaints from her co-workers and have coached & mentored her several times to try to resolve the issues. Our V.P. has gone so far as to call her ‘poison’ to our office and I am forced to concur.
So here is my question: when an employee has informed us in writing that they will begin interviewing and have requested time off to do so, (she left after lunch today for an interview) what responsibility does an employer have in regards to holding their position?
1) Since she intends to leave, can we begin pulling projects off of her plate?
2) Can we begin the interview process to replace her?
3) If we hire and train a new person and she doesn’t acquire a new position elsewhere, can we give her a timeline in which she needs to vacate the company?
This situation is a little different so if anyone has experienced this or has an actual, written company policy covering this issue, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Mark
The reason that her rate in pay has not increased at the speed that she desired is due to her atrocious interpersonal relationship skills. I have addressed multiple complaints from her co-workers and have coached & mentored her several times to try to resolve the issues. Our V.P. has gone so far as to call her ‘poison’ to our office and I am forced to concur.
So here is my question: when an employee has informed us in writing that they will begin interviewing and have requested time off to do so, (she left after lunch today for an interview) what responsibility does an employer have in regards to holding their position?
1) Since she intends to leave, can we begin pulling projects off of her plate?
2) Can we begin the interview process to replace her?
3) If we hire and train a new person and she doesn’t acquire a new position elsewhere, can we give her a timeline in which she needs to vacate the company?
This situation is a little different so if anyone has experienced this or has an actual, written company policy covering this issue, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Mark
Comments
FYI - Whenever an employee comes to me and tells me, or any member of management, they they better receive a raise or they will begin looking elsewhere for a job, I inform them - politely of course - where the door is and remind them to not let it hit them in the a** on the way out.
Can you afford to have her position remain vacant for a month or two while you search for her replacement? I'd start the search now.
Her letter isn't a resignation letter though so you need to get one from her. She won't want to give one until she finds a new job but you will want to make it clear that once you find her replacement, her position with the company will come to an end.
We went through a very similar situation last year and the lesson I learned was to get a letter of resignation. Don't let things drag on and don't let the ee set the timetable.
If you don't want to have to go through the disciplinary action steps, just wait and hopefully she will quit. However, you may be waiting forever. How long are you going to wait until you see whether she gets the job or not before you address it??
Nothing prohibits you from begining the interviewing process. However, if you hire the new employee and she hasn't left, is that a good thing? Are you going to have her train the person?? I hope not!!
You must be getting along ok with her there when she isn't doing her job well, so I don't know why you couldn't get along without her for a few weeks while you find her replacement?
Personally, I would take it one step at a time. It won't hurt for you to begin the interview process. However, I would wait until she leaves to actually make the hire. If you find someone and she isn't gone, you may have to tell them that you are having to put off the hire temporarily and then address her job... by starting the disciplinary process. I bet she leaves soon if you do this.
Take it one day at a time. You won't fold if she isn't there.
E Wart
I would not allow any employee to hold your organization "hostage" in this manner. I would inform the employee that due to the fact that she has essentially put you on notice that she is leaving when she secures another position, that you are beginning the recruitment process for her replacement so that you will not be left "holding the bag". We had a similar situation with an accounting employee who thought she was irreplaceable. She essentially told us she felt she was underpaid and was "looking". Our response was to immediately advertise her position in the newspaper and got numerous responses. She was shocked to say the least and we haven't heard anything else from her.
If your employee has poor interpersonal skills and she has been allowed to get away with it for a long time, she will think she can go somewhere else and act this way as well. She will probably be in for a rude awakening and will not last in a new position if she exhibits these characteristics.
Hopefully, for you, this person will find another position and leave. Your workplace will be much better for it.
We recently had two "poisionous" individuals leave our admin area. They constantly "fed" off each other and created all types of havoc. The result of their leaving is that we now have a very harmonious workplace and everyone is friendly,happy and able to get along. No one misses them at all. There are many positives to a person like this leaving an organization!!!
Their attitudes have been negative continuously but mgmt has see it as character flaws and nothing will change them. Both of them have retired this year and the rest of us are breathing a big sigh of relief.
I've been recruiting for the 2nd one's replacement since last week and have settled on a pleasent, positive individual who should enhance the good attitudes of the remaining ees in our office. Things look much brighter already! 3 cheers!
Cheryl C.
I like E Wart's suggestions. Take it one step at a time, but do start recruiting for her replacement and don't try to hide it from her, make sure she knows you have no qualms about her leaving.
On the other hand-if you are going to term her due to the fact that she is threatening to quit-will you do the same for any employee that threatens this? What does that do to morale in the company? All employees that look for new jobs will do it behind your back.
I understand your frustration-I've been there-however it will also affect your work environment and other employees.
I like the step-by-step process that E. Wart wrote.
The only morale problems I could foresee would be if you allow her to stay and drag the organization down with her drama and negative interpersonal behavior.
Consider yourself lucky that she has given you an opportunity to move her on. Thats my opinion anyways.
I would also specifiy a time frame such as resign date of 7-15-06. Which allows her 1 month to find another job if she doesn't then the company can extend the date or term her. It would be at the companies discretion.
I would start looking for a replacement for her position immediately.
I am not sure she has resigned yet.
So check this out: I received a call at home this morning from the V.P. of Operations. He said that the woman in question confronted him in his office, (we have an open door policy) where she became verbally abusive.
An argument ensued in regards to her actions and she stormed out of the building while tending her verbal resignation for everyone in the office to hear.
Crazy stuff but my job just became a great deal easier with her walkout.
Thanks again everyone!
Mark
My guess is you might have to go another round yet...
Just curious, what was the final result with this ee? Did she go away and stay away?