Two people in our small office consistently come in late, leave
early and take two hours for lunch.
Q:
Two people in our small office consistently come in late, leave early and take two hours for lunch. As the human resources manager, I’ve told my boss that we need to put a stop to this, because other employees are starting to complain about unfair treatment. My boss gripes about this tardiness, but if I ask him to confront the employees, he always says “It won’t do any good” or “Maybe we should just get rid of them.” His refusal to deal with performance issues is driving me crazy. What can I do?
A:
When faced with performance discussions, many otherwise fearless managers turn into complete cowards. If your boss dreads the idea of an unpleasant conversation, you could offer to talk with the employees as part of your HR responsibilities. However, he must be willing to impose appropriate consequences if the tardiness continues. If your office lacks personnel policies, you might also draft some basic guidelines and present them to your boss for approval. Explain that written rules will not only help to clarify expectations, but will also provide legal protection. To cover the current situation, be sure to define standard work hours and include a “progressive discipline” policy. Should your boss still continue to tolerate these transgressions, then you must bring in more firepower. Have your rule-abiding employees describe how their absent colleagues create business problems, like unanswered phones or neglected customers. This might finally prompt some action.
But if all else fails, wait for the next time that he proposes to “just get rid of them.” Quickly reply that you absolutely agree, then offer to process their termination papers after one final warning.
Q:
How do I get my co-worker to stop annoying me? She is very self-centered, whiny and needy. I have told her this and given her the cold shoulder, but she can’t take a hint. I just want her to leave me alone. How can I make that happen without creating tension in the office?
A:
When you informed your co-worker that she is self-centered, whiny and needy, did she reply that you are rude, insensitive and immature?
Because if you actually made such hurtful comments, that’s exactly what you are. Although you can avoid people who annoy you in your personal life, you don’t get to choose your work colleagues. So instead of reacting emotionally, you must develop strategies for managing these relationships.
For example, when your self-absorbed co-worker tries to engage you in irrelevant conversation, calmly say “I’m sorry, but I’m really busy right now, so I don’t have time to talk.” Then return to your work. If she persists, keep repeating this statement. Because your feelings toward this woman seem to go beyond mere annoyance, you may want to consider why she makes you so angry. If you can determine the reason for your intense reaction, you might learn a lot about yourself.
