Happy Sunday!
While you'd likely rather NOT think about "work" today, the Saga continues with Part 5 of our series.
Question #5: jaundicejames.com
Answer #5: How often does Fox misquote the President or how often does Rush snarl about Nancy Pelosi and “liberals?”
Every day, every hour, some poor schlub has a target on his back through no fault of his own. Most states are at-will; you can be fired at any time for any reason unless it violates the EEOC.
I bet many of our readers also find it just a little sick and ironic that the company can fire you with no notice, but YOU – You the employee must give (at least) two weeks notice or they will give you a bad reference. (Oh Noooooo… not a bad reference…!) In 2011, with social media, it outstanding to finally see former employees posting “references” on their former employers. Love it!
Often, when a new leader (and I use that term loosely) is installed, the new guy wants “his people” around. It may be a trust factor, or a comfort level. To me, it was a sign of insecurity and laziness. Why bother to get to know people and learn their strengths when you can just install your “old friends.” Methinks there is also a
wee bit o’ nepotism going on here, and sadly this is not uncommon.
There is little loyalty in Corporate America - at least to the rank and file. Often the view is “you make too much money, I can hire someone else on the cheap.” As a boss, it takes big giant “rocks” to stand up to a Senior Executive -especially one in Finance who looks primarily at “the numbers” - and explain, convincingly, how your long-term well-paid employee is worth every damn dime. These fights aren’t pretty. I have virtual battle scars to prove it!
In regard to the “newly hired,” getting rid of someone during the “introductory aka probationary period” rather than coaching or developing is the “lazy manager’s way out.” Ironically, turn-over costs are high and often overlooked by Joe-The-Controller. This is an employee for chrissakes, not someone you met “speed dating!” The “I’m not really into her anymore” is a cop out J My question to them was this: You committed to this person out of a pool of many applicants, we screened her to death, her co-workers chose her, she completed the realistic job preview, we triple checked her resume and references, why are you now so quick to terminate? You originally saw “something” - what happened? Is it a training issue? Is it a personality issue? What, dear leader, is it?
In another scenario, some bosses forget employees are human, and may go through difficult times. When a great employee “all of a sudden” starts coming in late, misses work, misses deadlines or begins to noticeably under-perform it’s time for a sit-down. Too often, managers don’t have a heart to heart discussion but choose instead, with the help of HR, to write up employees and begin the “documentation required by the Progressive Discipline Policy” to cover their ass. I call this willful ignorance.
I had a STELLAR employee who seemingly overnight turned into Ms. Hyde. She missed work, came in late, and sent snarky emails to me. Uh oh. Did I write her up? Hell no. We talked. Her teen-aged brother had just been diagnosed with cancer. The great “myth” of Corporate America is that employees “should leave their personal life” at the door. Sometimes yes, sometimes – especially when there has been a traumatic incident – requesting them to do so is requesting super-human powers.
Sometimes, it’s not wholly “the manager’s” fault. Bosses are being forced to accomplish much with little; the heat is on to cut costs and attend “100 meetings” per week. (“meetings” being a topic Ms. Underpants could devote thousands of words to – most of them four-letter) One overlooked “cost” of “right-sizing” (whoever coined that term should be banished to the 9th level of The Inferno!) is the hard but necessary work of managing PEOPLE.
In my opinion, a core issue in this instance and throughout our whole Q&A is this: When HR traded integrity and employee advocacy for a seat at the “big kids’ table” in the Executive Board Room the dynamic changed.
The role of HR in many organizations is to ensure managers can do what they want to do; HR just tells them how to follow the vague rules and minimize the risk of a lawsuit. The more money a manager makes for a company and the more the manager is in the “Cool Kids Executive Club” the less accountable the manager is in regard to their employees.
What to do? Employees can change the dynamic on a micro-level. Your boss may document, but you can too. You also have a right to inspect your “personnel” file. Call HR and make and appointment to do it! You have the right to know about every piece of paper in that file. You should never have a ‘surprise’ come evaluation time - or at the dreaded “we need to have a talk” moment. Many bosses “forget” they should be notifying employees when they add documentation to an employee file. Oopsies! If there is something “negative” in your file – you have a responsibility to yourself to write up a rebuttal of sorts. Good companies make this a standard practice – not all of ‘em out there are good companies.
Want a little “audacity?” Here’s an idea: you should be allowed to add documents to your file. Did you receive a positive email from someone in regard to a project? Did you receive a positive comment card? If your employer is big on “participation in company events” make sure you include “proof” that you played along. If your boss doesn’t include it, or it’s lost in an HR “to be filed” in-box, be pro-active and get it in your file.
In regard to “documenting,” when you document, Do NOT keep it on the company server. Email it to yourself or print out a hard copy and take it home. These things have a way of “disappearing.”
When you meet with your boss for a disciplinary or “coaching session,” request a member of HR be present. Check you employee handbook to see what it says about this. There is nothing more “dangerous” than an employee who knows the handbook better than the HR folks do. Never mind your boss - most managers haven’t even read it unless they “need to.”
If having someone present isn’t possible, take in an old-fashioned notebook and write down everything said. It is your right. You can buffer this by explaining you want to remember everything the boss says to ensure you can follow his/her directives.
When you do document, be very specific. Write like a reporter – no, not a Fox and Friends reporter – a real journalist: who,what, when, where. Leave the high drama and “feelings” out of it. Factually compare and contrast your treatment to the treatment of coworkers. If the issue is performance, ensure you are documenting your“improvements” and sending updates to the boss - make a copy for yourself too.
In the worst case scenario – termination - be ready to pull out “Plan B.” Whatever the reason – unless it’s gross negligence, illegal activity, etc. this reason (like the nebulous “performance” reason) does not necessarily disqualify you from filing (always file!) and receiving unemployment; though your company may infer it will.
Three Quick Tips regarding “Separation from The Company & Unemployment:
One: NEVER resign if they ask you to when it’s “resign or be terminated.” Well, almost never. Know your state’s rules regarding under what circumstances it is “ok” to resign. Make them fire you. Your unemployment may hinge on it. Your HR department and/or your boss will pull out all the stops and may play mind games to scare or trick you into resigning. Do not do it. We will talk about how to frame this during an interview at a later date - for now the concern is for you to be able to pay your rent after you are “separated.”
Two: Become an “expert” on your state’s unemployment rules. Do some research, talk to people. It varies by state. If you have a phone interview or must respond in writing - take it seriously. Practice. Do not act the fool a la “Judge Judy,” be professional. Do not give the person deciding the outcome of your case any reason to rule in favor of your former employer. Make sure you have specific examples prepared to illustrate your case, as the company person talking to unemployment will have your file, and your boss’s “spin.” Answer the questions directly and then “zip it.” Those of us who worked on the “dark side” breathed a sign of relief when someone “went off” ranting about the company. It often meant we “won”.
Three: Do not get discouraged if at first you are denied UE. Appeal. Most people do not. There’s no harm in trying!
For you lovely darlin's out there who are bosses, and try to be "good bosses" we applaud you. It's not easy - especially now. The under-rated benefit of being a "good boss" is that you often sleep better at night and don't avoid mirrors!
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