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Employee's belief that treatment is inconsistent
causes conflict
- by Joan Lloyd
I work in a very large department, made up of numerous small teams, each with a supervisor. Recently, through the process of outsourcing, some positions are being shifted into other areas, as well as people. One of these is a person I?ll call ?Jen.? Jen has been experiencing some personal upheaval in her life and as a result misses a lot of work. Jen is also covered under FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), and some months ago received notice that she no longer has FMLA protected time available. She was told she had used the allotted time and further absences would not be protected and would count against her attendance. I, as well as others in the group we work in, feel Jen has been abusing protected leave so she could go home early when she feels like it, or take days off that otherwise she would not be able to take without some sort of penalty. She has been given both verbal and written warnings for her attendance and for her productivity, as she spends a lot of time on personal phone calls, surfing the Internet and socializing. Jen was recently assigned to another manager. I know this manager well, and was not sure if she had been made aware of Jen?s issues and did not want to see her taken advantage of. So, I went to talk to her about it and tell her of Jen?s attendance habits?like not coming in to work on paydays, calling in sick every other Monday, leaving halfway through the day without notifying anyone, etc. She puts a full day?s hours on her timecard even if she leaves early. She told me she was aware of some of the issues, was concerned about the attendance and productivity problem, and had someone keeping an eye on Jen for her until she could get Jen relocated to a desk next to her. I felt better about talking with the new manager but now I wonder if I am going to be labeled a tattletale or busybody. It irks me to see people getting away with bad behavior and habits at the office because I don?t abuse time off policies, only call in when I am truly sick, and keep my head down and do my job. Then I see people like Jen come in whenever she feels like coming in, leave early, call in sick frequently, and spend half of her day unproductively and still get paid for it. I guess I?m irked about the unfairness I see in the workplace but do not want to be labeled a tattletale by speaking up. Did I do the right thing? Answer: I can understand how frustrated you feel when you follow the rules and work hard, while a coworker seems to be maneuvering around the system. However, it doesn?t look like she has been ?getting away with it.? On the contrary, she has been confronted on her attendance and her productivity. She has been given verbal and written warnings, which indicate that she is close to termination if she doesn?t improve. Whether you are perceived as a tattletale is hard to answer. A lot depends on your existing reputation and credibility. For instance, if Jen?s manager sees you as you describe yourself?someone who ?keeps your head down?--she may realize that you are irked about the inequity and want something done. However, if you have complained about others before, or don?t have a great work record yourself, it would be seen quite differently. In addition, the fact that you know Jen?s new manager very well indicates that you have a level of rapport and trust, so confiding in her is not as out of bounds as it would be if you had no relationship. I also want to point out that sometimes it seems as if a manager isn?t dealing with a problem co-worker, when, in fact, there is disciplinary action being taken. Most managers have been taught not to discuss one employee with another, so they don?t share what is going on. Also, when a disciplined employee is transferred, the former manager typically briefs the new manager about where he or she is in the process. A manager who has traveled down the path this far has the responsibility to not let the ball drop. It sounds as if the new manager is well aware of what is going on and has no intention of letting Jen continue down this course. In fact, I?m a little surprised that she told you as much as she did. I suspect she told you these details because of your level of concern and the fact that she knows you well and trusts your discretion. To make sure that you aren?t seen as a tattletale going forward, I?d simply focus on your own work and let the manager take the necessary steps with Jen. However, if it is really troubling you, you might go back and talk to the manager again and simply say, ?I?m concerned that you might think I?m a tattletale. It?s bothering me and I just wanted you to know I don?t plan on discussing this with anyone else or bringing it up to you again. It makes me feel better knowing you are on top of it and I appreciate that you listened to me.? That should set things straight. Joan Lloyd newest workshop for supervisors and managers, Strategies to Resolve & Reduce Employee & Team Conflict, provides real-world solutions for real-life situations. |
Dear Joan:
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