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If you are a manager, what would you do with this employee

113 replies

CrawleyJ · 10/05/2020 21:11

You hire someone full time (37.5hrs) to do a job which has always taken previous employees 37.5hrs to do.

New employee changes processes/way of working and the job gets done in a quarter of the time and to a higher standard (we can measure the metrics). Employee then requests other work to do as now under employed.

However, other employees are not happy to hand over their responsibilities as its part of their job role. When employee went on annual leave colleague covered their job role. Even accounting for new process put in place they couldn't do it in the same amount of time as new employee can.

We now have the problem of a) this job only takes a portion of the time so job role is changed to reflect that, employee leaves as needs full time hours and job cannot be done by someone else in that time. b) find other work/projects for employee to do, however other staff reluctant to hand over their responsibilities to someone else. c) Tell employee they are under employed and maybe would want to seek work elsewhere (we have no promotions coming up)

Employee was given a project to do, delivered 3 days before deadline to a v high standard.

I am at a loss as to what to do with this person (disclaimer I am not the line manager, but a line manager across and up from her iyswim!)

OP posts:
SpeedofaSloth · 10/05/2020 21:13

B), at least in the short term.

CrawleyJ · 10/05/2020 21:13

Should say, we absolutely do NOT want to get rid of this person. They consistently deliver above and beyond, but with nowhere to move them to or work towards, it's very difficult to know what to do with them!

OP posts:
returnofthemollymawks · 10/05/2020 21:13

What I would do is not post on social media as it almost certainly contravenes all guidelines. I would be sacked if I posted even a fraction of what you have posted.

Interested in this thread?

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LisaSimpsonsbff · 10/05/2020 21:15

Why on earth would you want to risk losing this person - they sound excellent?!

It sounds like actually everyone is a bit underworked, and that's why people won't hand things over - they know how it'll look when new employee does everything they do in a quarter of the time, too.

Is there really nothing that your place doesn't do but that it would improve things if they did? No enhancement work? I know that right now might not be the ideal time to try and improve things, but in the medium term?

amymel2016 · 10/05/2020 21:15

Crikey! They should like a keeper OP! Could you put them in charge of processes and see if they can improve other roles in the same way?

IntheNameof · 10/05/2020 21:16

Sounds like someone you want to nurture!
Reward that person with personal development opportunities?
Get her to shadow senior management?

Oknobutok · 10/05/2020 21:17

Have you checked they are just working in work time and not taking work home with them? They sound Ver capable and I wouldn't want to lose them. It's good to have a bit of flex in terms of capacity too.

What type of workplace is it? Are the rest of the team in a culture of complacency? Thinking like old school local authority. Sorry to those working in LA but yiu know the type and culture I mean.

trilbydoll · 10/05/2020 21:17

Move them around so they do a new job every 6 months. Soon you'll be able to replace the entire workforce with just them Grin

Tonz · 10/05/2020 21:19

B... An employee like that is a keeper

Methtones · 10/05/2020 21:19

Be very careful about changing the role given no one but this employee can do it in that time?

Are you sure it is being done fully?

RoomR0613 · 10/05/2020 21:19

returnofthemollymawks there is absolutely nothing that's particularly identifying about it.

B in the short term, but check how much is being done in their own time.

D pay what you are paying for the job anyway and find a new project or let the employee develop a new project in the time they have free. Reward them.

ivykaty44 · 10/05/2020 21:19

if I was the manager id be wondering what to do with the other employees......

Pollaidh · 10/05/2020 21:19

Yes, get them to look at other processes and see if they can be optimised too. They'll not be popular with the other staff, mind.

Mentoring from senior management. Stretch them a little, give them almost a 'graduate program' where they move from department to department getting a good idea of each, and working on a project for each.

Pleasebeafleabite · 10/05/2020 21:21

it's very difficult to know what to do with them!

Your job, by the sound of things Grin

TheRainbowCollection · 10/05/2020 21:22

Can you see whether they have any other innovation ideas for other processes/parts of the business?

It sounds like you should be seeing what else they can turn their hand to to improve your business and giving them a payrise.

KitKat1985 · 10/05/2020 21:22

B - Employee sounds awesome and other employees are clearly feeling threatened, but it makes sense to give the employee some other employees work to do. I'd absolutely not make any other employees redundant etc as that would just breed resentment, but over the passing off time if other employees leave / retire / go on mat leave etc I'd give super employee their work to do rather than hire new employees.

CrawleyJ · 10/05/2020 21:23

@returnofthemollymawks, you'll note the use of 'they' not she or he. I'm sure you'll also note the lack of any detail re sector, work involved or identifying actions.

They aren't working from home, I checked as I wondered the same thing!! There is a culture of complacency amongst the 'old guard' as it were. Employee offered to help one of them change a way of doing something to make it more efficient and was told no thank you. It was changed eventually and has made a difference but hasn't helped with people not wanting to hand over work.

I did have a discussion with them around 3 weeks ago, where they saw themselves going etc and they have made it clear they want to get on. It is just there isn't anywhere for them to go in the short-medium term and how to keep them engaged in the meantime.

Shadowing other staff members is a very good idea and something we had considered. Only sticking point is this member of staff is slightly junior and it would be an unusual thing to do

OP posts:
CrawleyJ · 10/05/2020 21:25

I'm only posting about it now as I know I will be finding things for them to do first thing as I have just checked reporting and work is all done.

There is no way for them to 'cheat the system' it's either done or it isn't and it is 100% being done and to a v high standard.

OP posts:
KitKat1985 · 10/05/2020 21:26

"you'll note the use of 'they' not she or he". Just an FYI but you have described the employee as a 'her' in your last line though, although clearly very unlikely to be identifiable from that.

KillerofMen · 10/05/2020 21:29

I left a role last year because I felt I'd accomplished all I could in that role and there were no promotion opportunities. They supported me where they could, gave me a payrise about 2 months before I left but it wasn't enough. I think all that can be done is recognise their work, reward if you can but be honest about the limitations in terms of progression.

CherryPavlova · 10/05/2020 21:30

I think you need to have an open discussion about work practices and innovation with staff as a whole. Get their buy in to modernise but one step at a time. Relieve them of some aspects of their jobs but offer opportunities for developing improvements.
Have a frank and open discussion about metrics and what they mean. They may be worried about things you haven’t thought of or may be frightened of change - that doesn’t mean you shchange though but just you have to use s nugget approach to help people through new ways of working.

RoomR0613 · 10/05/2020 21:33

Without sounding like I'm bragging, this is me (not I the actual OP though) and it's a position I've always been slightly uncomfortable about. I've always seemed to manage to do the same job in half the time of others to the same or better standard and I'm never really sure why.

Praise and acknowledgement of that goes a long way. A massive complicated spreadsheet to tackle and reorganise would also be treated as an early Christmas present and a treat.

ruddynorah · 10/05/2020 21:33

Advertise a new role called 'Organisational Development Specialist.' Encourage her to apply.

If it's u usual for juniors to shadow seniors then definitely do it. It sounds like your business needs a big shake up.

Mylittlepony374 · 10/05/2020 21:33

Ask them what they think they can do. Be honest, explain as you have above, and ask them to give you ideas. Best ideas will come from employees like this.

enragedpenfold · 10/05/2020 21:34

This is really hard. I’m in a similar position but have the fear we are about to lose employee due to workload dropping on top of the efficiencies. Last in, first out. They will additionally be hooped on an immigration front if that happens.