Experienced managers: Staff and their personal issues

[thestaggy]

I'm dealing with something at work and I'd just like to find out how experienced managers would treat the situation.

Off the bat I'll admit that I probably made a mistake by finding out what exactly has gone wrong, but it is a case of relationship issues at home.

All of this has affected her work performance.

What would your advise be? Is this an HR issue or simply a case of advising the staff member to take time off and then sort it out?

 

[Cius]

People are human and personal problems can and will impact work performance but that can only be pushed so far. You still need to be fair to the team as a whole who may have to carry the person with the issue. I was in a situation 2 years back when massive medical stuff started happening with my daughter. I was very worried and it impacted my work performance hugely. I was fortunate to have a kind manager who pulled me aside, asked what was happening (as it was out of character for me), and I was able to open up and explain a bit. He was supportive to me for the period it took to get it sorted (needed some time to go to the doctors). Within a few weeks things improved as we figured out the new normal and my work went back to normal.

Keep in mind in no way did he give me a free ride on my performance appraisal for the period. He was kind, but fair in his assessments for the period. As a relative high performer he was also more than willing to stick it out and allow me a bit more flexibility during the tough period but we did it in a fair way, like working flexi time, working back hours, etc.

So be human, don't be unkind, but you have to be fair at the same time. Give some slack but if it is abused you may need to reign it in and put down a harder line. Short term anyone can take a hit from a big personal event but in the long run you need to still perform to your employment contract and contribute to the company and team. I picture it as a humanistic kindness coupled with fair and firm boundaries and guidelines. If people need some leave or even unpaid leave make a plan but in the end no company can just carry people indefinitely and while some patience is warranted it can't be pushed indefinitely.

 

[Polymathic]

Really dependent on what her situation is. Encourage her to use up some of her personal days and take time off, this will allow you to delegate her tasks to somebody else.

 

[Pitbull]

I'm dealing with something at work and I'd just like to find out how experienced managers would treat the situation.

Off the bat I'll admit that I probably made a mistake by finding out what exactly has gone wrong, but it is a case of relationship issues at home.

All of this has affected her work performance.

What would your advise be? Is this an HR issue or simply a case of advising the staff member to take time off and then sort it out?

ICAS

If you have that at work. I would normally have an open and frank discussion. If I understand their issues I can better accommodate them. But I'm not a shrink or a Social worker. I normally refer extreme cases to HR who then gets the staff on the ICAS program.

 

[thestaggy]

Before I found out what the issue was I had actually begun disciplinary proceedings due to continued late arrivals and random absconding during the day. I had spoken to her about this and asked her to tighten up. Soon after she then came to me and opened up, acknowledging that is was affecting her work. I can empathise with the situation she is in and have put the disciplinary measure on the back burner.

My first thought was just to encourage her to use her available leave days and work on her issues, wasn't sure if I should escalate it to HR.

As for ICAS, I am personally not familiar with it so I'm not sure if my company is.

 

[reactor_sa]

ICAS

If you have that at work. I would normally have an open and frank discussion. If I understand their issues I can better accommodate them. But I'm not a shrink or a Social worker. I normally refer extreme cases to HR who then gets the staff on the ICAS program.

Ya I doubt many companies have ICAS. It does work ok though, although most people don't even know if their company utilitizes them.

 

[Emjay]

Before I found out what the issue was I had actually begun disciplinary proceedings due to continued late arrivals and random absconding during the day. I had spoken to her about this and asked her to tighten up. Soon after she then came to me and opened up, acknowledging that is was affecting her work. I can empathise with the situation she is in and have put the disciplinary measure on the back burner.

My first thought was just to encourage her to use her available leave days and work on her issues, wasn't sure if I should escalate it to HR.

As for ICAS, I am personally not familiar with it so I'm not sure if my company is.

You have a requirement to uphold certain standards. As long as you are not treating her unfairly and differently to any other employees, your actions were sound. You had spoken to her previously, but she chose to not come to you sooner with the problem. You acted on your knowledge and understanding of the situation. Stopping the disciplinary proceedings is great and probably the correct thing to do, but you do need to put terms to it. I would state that she is not allowed to leave early without your permission, and no more than 3 late days within the next month. And reasonable lateness (15 or 30 minutes - not hours late). That is the fairest way forward.

 

[ice_cubes]

As for ICAS, I am personally not familiar with it so I'm not sure if my company is.

Its an employee wellness assistance program where the company pays for counselling (with a professional therapist/social worker) for their employees. HR usually manages it.

ICAS is the more popular one, we use Careways.

 

[STS]

Before I found out what the issue was I had actually begun disciplinary proceedings due to continued late arrivals and random absconding during the day. I had spoken to her about this and asked her to tighten up. Soon after she then came to me and opened up, acknowledging that is was affecting her work. I can empathise with the situation she is in and have put the disciplinary measure on the back burner.

My first thought was just to encourage her to use her available leave days and work on her issues, wasn't sure if I should escalate it to HR.

As for ICAS, I am personally not familiar with it so I'm not sure if my company is.

You're a good person

 

[Lupus]

Check if your company has a wellness program? If so get her to contact them and see someone there, she must also use her personal leave days to sort out the issues as well. I had a breakdown at work and my boss took me to our wellness center and booked the shrink for me, it helped immensely, she recommended a small break just to get over the hump I was in and a few sessions with her to get over it. Suggest that to your employee, if she isn't willing to work with you then you can action what you need to.