How can I get my staff to pull their socks up? Bit long

[queenofdenial2009]

I work in the public sector as a senior manager and, like so many, have a diverse and fairly overwhelming workload. I have a handful of really good staff who I rely on a lot and delegate quite a lot of work to.

The two main ones however have just started being a bit crap in the last month or two and I feel like it's turning into a bit of a house of cards, ready to come tumbling down. One keeps crying and having to have time off for stress. She's been through Occupational Health (again) and is having counselling (again).

The other one acted up to my job while I had a lengthy period of sick leave over the summer and has an interview on Wednesday for another job at my level. I've had to chase her quite hard recently for work and she has been having issues in her personal life recently (trial separation with her husband). It's the business planning time of year and I got an e-mail from her today that she's decided not to write one of the two business cases that were due on Friday. Especially frustrating as I've been asking her about them at least once a week and she told me it's all under control.

The crying one has also failed to do her business case on time and is nearly in tears again. There was a misunderstanding about what the Director told them while I was off in the summer and the other one was acting up. My Director has now asked me to explain what happened and her e-mails from the summer made it very clear. This girl also has an interview this month for the job she's acting up into.

What shall I do? Keep quiet until the interviews are over or dish the dirt (and my frustration) to the Director? Until now they've been really good, but I'm not sure there operating at the level they want to be paid at.

Sorry, this is a bit long now.

[moondog]

Please don't talk about 'my staff'.
It is sooo irritating.

[unavailable]

"One keeps crying and having to have time off for stress. She's been through Occupational Health (again) and is having counselling (again)."

You dont sound very supportive of your staff. As you acknowledge both of them were good in their jobs until recently, you know they are not serial malingerers or incompetent.

I think you should be trying to find out why their performances have tailed off, and what you can do to support them, rather than looking to "dish the dirt" as you put it.

How did they do when you were away on sick leave?

[frogetyfrog]

I hate to say it but wonder if they have both had enough. It may be how you manage them, or too much work being delegated, or maybe they are unappreciated, or maybe it could be anything! But I have recently had a change of management to somebody who thinks they are good and supportive etc, but actually we all think he is crap! I have gradually gone from practically running the place and being efficient, keen and motivated, to, quite frankly, not giving a shit. My work reflects this. It is a direct result of the very poor management we now have and as soon as I am able I will leave. All the good staff have now gone elsewhere. Personally I would stop blaming them and their personal lives, and look closer to home as it is too co-incidental that the two main staff you relied on are both in crisis.

[queenofdenial2009]

Thanks for your comments and they've got me thinking. The intersting thing is that a few times I've been told I'm too supportive and understanding of my team's issues (home or otherwise). They (not just these two) have spontaneously told me that they like the way we work and the level of responsibility they've been given. Homestly I'm really not saying this to make myself look better - I'd much rather know if I'm doing somethign wrong.

When I was on sick leave, they did reasonably OK but truth be told no more than 60% of the job got done. Understandable as it was a new job for her and I've been doing this sort of job for a number of years.

Normally I would just leave alone and keep an eye on things before making it an issue. But with the interviews coming up, our Directors would expect me to say something if I thought they weren't ready (and I'm the recruiting manager for one of the posts).

[TimothyTigerTuppennyTail]

Sorry, but we all tell our managers crap like that. We need our jobs. It really does look like you are the problem. Sorry.

[Maveta]

Its hard to know if its you or them. Have you reviewed their workloads recently, or sat down with them to try and figure out together why things have taken this turn?

I´m inclined to say that if you feel it is your responsibility to flag up the problem areas with your directors then you should do. But you should be really sure you know where the problems lie first.

[rookiemater]

Ok your boss needs to know the work related facts i.e. specific incidents over the summer he needs to know and if he is expecting a business case on Friday then if its not going to be on his desk then, what is the reason for this and when will he get it.

Unless you are specifically asked to provide an opinion about the lady who is acting up then I would steer clear, to volunteer less than flattering info just looks like sour grapes.

Your boss should be able to draw his own conclusions from this.

I would also say that some of the phrases you have chosen to use i.e. "Dish the dirt" and "pull their socks up" seem a bit heartless considering that one is clearly going through stress related illness. Believe me I know it is frustrating when as a manager you have performance issues, but the only way to move forward is to ensure objectives and expectations are clear, track progress along the way and offer support as required, then and only then if this doesn't work move to more formal performance monitoring.

[queenofdenial2009]

Your replies made me stop and think, especially as it was clear I wasn't treating them the way they should be treated or I would like to be treated.

The one who was acting up and I sat down and had a chat about work etc. She said she was fed up, felt put upon and was having unreasonable demands made on her so she didn't care anymore. But not by me, but someone who works across our region (and part funds her post in a complicated NHS way). This woman is widely recognised as being a bit of a nightmare, but the important lesson for me is that I wouldn't have asked if you hadn't prompted me, so thank you for that.

The other amazed me actually and pulled two really long days and did a great business case. I was impressed, especially as she accepted that she had made an error and dealt with the consequences. I did tell her this and I hope it helped.

You also made me realise two things on reflection. I left my abusive ex in the summer and feel angry; I was misdirecting my anger at them which was wrong and I will say so to them in the New Year. Also the stressed one, I probably have been less than sympathetic because the less charitable part of me thinks she really doesn't have things to get stressed about. However, the distress she feels is real and I need to be kinder.

Thanks MNers for making me stop and think.

[rookiemater]

Thanks for updating, sounds like you have been through a lot yourself this year so I hope you have a nice christmas break.