When preparing for a situation that involves intense emotion and could easily escalate into a difficult conflict it is a good idea to research, review and practice the information needed to be conveyed and the conversation that may take place. In other words, “plan your approach.” (Hooper 2008) When there is a situation involving an employee it is also a good practice to have some knowledge of the character of the employee. In a situation where an employee is working at a substandard level it is required that the employee be made aware that their performance is not acceptable and that continued substandard level work will result in their dismissal.
In preparation for the discussion with the employee the issue needs to be clearly defined ahead of time so that it can be clearly communicated to the employee. A written assessment of the employee’s performance with a comparison to the performance that is expected from their job position is a good start. If there is an operation manual with job descriptions listing the requirements of the job, this is a good tool to remind the employee that these expectations were in place when they started working in the position.
In this case the company has received numerous complaints regarding the employee, both from customers and from co-workers. The names can be kept anonymous but the content of the complaints should be available for the employee to read or hear. These complaints would not necessarily enter into the conversation. Complaints, particularly co-worker’s complaints, are often subjective and can have emotional catalysts that may not be necessary to introduce into the discussion. This aspect of the discussion can be kept aside unless absolutely necessary to the conversation.
Before the discussion with the employee a few more steps should be taken. A decision needs to be made regarding the proper time to approach the employee. Calling a meeting during a less stressful time of the day would be best. The meeting should be in a private area. However, knowing that the employee has exhibited confrontational behavior in the past it will be a good idea to be able to leave a door open so any raised voices could be overheard. It would be good to think out and practice the words that will be used to present the information to the employee. One possible way to approach the discussion would be to ask the employee if they are aware of the requirements of their job position and could they list those requirements. The discussion could go on with asking the employee if they feel they are fulfilling the requirements to the best of their abilities.
This would provide a point where the employee could feel that they are being listened to. At this point in the discussion it would be the best time to clearly define the reason for the meeting while showing concern for the situation plus letting the employee know that the current level of performance is not meeting the expected requirements. The manager’s comments should include any pertinent previous input from the employee. This would help the employee feel validated, and may help the employee feel less defensive and therefore less confrontational.
During the summation of the manager of the job requirements, and the current concerns, the manager should also make a clear statement to the employee that the changes needed to fulfill the job expectations have to happen soon or the employee will not be able to continue in the current position. This would provide a good time in the discussion to ask for and offer solutions. “Explore options.” (Hooper 2008) The discussion would focus on moving forward, helping the employee brainstorm solutions that would help reach the required goals. The manager and employee could map out a timeline, in this way the manager would be able to confirm the immediacy of the need for change while working together with the employee to create achievable goals.
In this way the discussion is managed with the “win-win approach” (Fisher 2000), keeping the positive goals of both the employer and employee in mind. The employer wants a well functioning team player who is a quality employee and the employee wants to keep the job. Hopefully, the employee also wants to be a productive and positive asset to the company.
References
Hooper, H. (2008) Handling Conflict in the Workplace, Creative Coaching Solutions, Retrieved 3/11/2011
Fisher, R., PhD. (2000) Sources of Conflict and Methods of Conflict Resolution, International Peace and Conflict Resolution School of International Service, The American University, Retrieved 3/14/11
Aloha Lily,
ReplyDeleteAs per our discussion two assignment, which requires our class to review and critique one another's blog posts, I have chosen your blog to review. In my opinion, your blog post, "Admin woes-Bad News Bearer" contained many of Rowse's "9 signs of an effective blog" (2008). Some of the 9 effective signs that apply to your post content are:
1-The headline draws the reader in
2-The post covers the topic in a logical sequence
3-The post was interesting to read
4-The post is believable
The post headline was clever and drew me in, and it was well written, articulate, believable and interesting to read. A suggestion that may augment the reader's experience might be to bullet point the preparation for discussion (para 2) and focus the paragraph content on the resolution portion of your post.
Your blog aesthetic is pleasing to the eye, clean in format and your goal for the blog is clear and concise. I enjoyed reading your post and I look forward to the next post. Thank you for the opportunity to share in discussion.
Mahalo, Felicia :o)