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Original poster

I've messed up at work - meeting tomorrow

69 replies

Drassage · 21/02/2021 19:22

I manage a team of 10 staff, with one other person directly below me who manages them day to day but I have overall responsibility.

One of them is called 'Kate' (not her real name). Kate came to us around 18 months ago. I don't have much to do with her day to day but I had heard very good reports about her work. She was 'one to watch' according to her direct manager.

I will admit I have let staff development/talent spotting slip this last year, partly due to Covid but also due to my own circumstances. Around a month ago another department contacted me to ask if they could borrow Kate for help with a project. I didn't think much of it and said if she was happy to help she could collaborate with them.

Last week I had a letter to tell me she is handing her notice in. I haven't had time to speak with her about it yet.

I've had a message from my boss today to tell me that Kate is moving to the other department. She's been offered a development role there and my equivalent is extremely impressed with her and her work. My boss now wants to know how we have managed to let her slip out of our department and why 'we' (she means I) have not spotted and developed her ourselves.

I don't really have an answer for her. I've looked back over my emails with the other department and on the surface it does look like I've just gone 'yeah whatever have her'.

I'm going to just have to hold my hands up and cop to missing this one aren't I?

OP posts:
Original poster
Drassage · 21/02/2021 19:24

I've also messaged her direct line manager to ask what she thinks. She replied and said 'yes she's really good, I did mention it before, its a real loss'.

I've got a bloody big knot in my stomach now. We're supposed to be really hot on developing in house and retaining talent and i've messed up big time.

OP posts:
medebourne · 21/02/2021 19:28

I don't agree that you've messed up. You can't control where people move to. You don't really know why she has moved.

user18467425798532 · 21/02/2021 19:29

But she has been retained if it's only an internal move?

Original poster
Drassage · 21/02/2021 19:30

But she hasn't been retained in our department which is the issue. The argument is going to be we have lost her because I haven't spotted her for development and given her opportunities to progress. Which I haven't.

OP posts:
typicalvalues · 21/02/2021 19:31

Yes, you've messed up. Shit happens.

MaMaD1990 · 21/02/2021 19:31

I don't think you've messed up big time. Perhaps you could've spotted her talent and developed her earlier, but who's to say she just prefers the work in the other department? Just be honest with your bosses but don't think bad of yourself, people move, it's no big deal.

typicalvalues · 21/02/2021 19:32

Good for Kate that you're not longer her boss and somebody sees her potential.

AgentProvocateur · 21/02/2021 19:33

I think you have messed up. You seem incredibly hands-off and there doesn’t seem to have been much, if any, communication between you and Kate. Are you responsible for PDPs?

NanFlanders · 21/02/2021 19:33

Doesn't sound to me like you messed up. You gave her a developmental opportunity with the other department - as you should do with staff with potential. She grabbed it and flew, and is moving on and up. That's what talented staff do. And she's still in the same organisation, so she's still contributing to your organisation's success.

LawnFever · 21/02/2021 19:33

If she’s moving internally that’s still developing talent, if this new opportunity exists in another department that’s not something you’ve done wrong, you can’t stop people moving on.

Is the role she’s moving to a promotion/more responsibility? What overall opportunities are available in your dept - that’s something you could bring up in a positive way with your boss, around what you are able to offer other staff.

I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong though Smile

AOwlAOwlAOwl · 21/02/2021 19:33

But you have developed her by allowing her to be seconded to another team.

I know it would be ideal if you could have retained her in your team, but I don't see that you have done anything wrong. Kate could have moved to another company, but you have given her opportunities and the business as a whole is benefiting. I'm probably not sufficiently senior here to understand the issue!

LawnFever · 21/02/2021 19:35

@NanFlanders

Doesn't sound to me like you messed up. You gave her a developmental opportunity with the other department - as you should do with staff with potential. She grabbed it and flew, and is moving on and up. That's what talented staff do. And she's still in the same organisation, so she's still contributing to your organisation's success.
This, it’s still an internal move so trying to retain her would’ve been quite an insular idea imo - it’s all one company
Karwomannghia · 21/02/2021 19:35

If you had been more on it can you think of areas in which you would have put her forward for progression? Maybe there wasn’t an obvious time?

WonkyCactus · 21/02/2021 19:35

I work in the public sector where people move about all the time and it's so bizarre to me that your boss would be bothered about this.
Regardless, it doesn't sound to me like you have messed up, these things do happen. I hope the meeting goes well.

Itsamess8456 · 21/02/2021 19:36

Yes, you were aware how good she was and was planning on developing her and instigating new opportunities, including giving her the opportunity to collobarate with another department.

You are very gutted that she has decided to hand in her notice so quickly.

Done.

Nancylovesthecock · 21/02/2021 19:36

Is this your sole role OP? As in its essentially a performance management meeting you will be having as your performance has slipped?

Original poster
Drassage · 21/02/2021 19:37

We have a development programme which is available to all staff, a certain number per department.

She has joined it in their department not ours.

It is a promotion for her, it's a fast track upwards. Her line manager is responsible for PDR's but they feed back to me so I retain overall responsibility. And only I can recommend someone for the programme.

I have messed up, I'm just going to have to suck it up

OP posts:
doodlebug33 · 21/02/2021 19:37

I think you might have to take it on the chin. Try not to blame Covid though - presumably the other department has had the same difficulties to overcome as you?

Tell your boss you'll learn from this and tell them you'll meet up with the person directly below you to discuss each and every employee who work below you.
Good luck 🤞🏻

ChipsAndKetchup · 21/02/2021 19:38

@AgentProvocateur

I think you have messed up. You seem incredibly hands-off and there doesn’t seem to have been much, if any, communication between you and Kate. Are you responsible for PDPs?
And you ascertained all of this just from one post?

Righto.

Oblomov21 · 21/02/2021 19:39

What are your company rules? Are other depts allowed to offer someone a job, if they are only 'borrowed for a project'. Surely that secondment is only agreed if under the un-said rule that they will return to their old job. Not stolen in a sly way by the other manager?

Woodlandbelle · 21/02/2021 19:41

Surely it cannot fall on your shoulders soley. The person under you works day to day. Did they do anything to assist Kate in her promotion

Bargebill19 · 21/02/2021 19:41

Fwiw. Did anyone ask Kate if she wanted to stay in your dept? She may have personal reasons for not wanting to stay- hence moving departments. I am guessing that the two departments in question involve different aspects of the same business. Kate may have a preference for one and not the other, regardless of whatever development plans you had - she may not have stayed.

MrsKFZeeeeee · 21/02/2021 19:43

You can't control people. You gave her the opportunity to broaden her horizons , to make her own future. There was no guarantee she'd have stayed with you.
If she has stayed within the company then she's still an asset.

LaMainDeFatima · 21/02/2021 19:45

What would you do differently next time ? How can you prevent this happening again ?

Labobo · 21/02/2021 19:46

It's perfectly possible that the other department is a better fit for her, and the place where her talents shine. It's not your job to cling on to people. You could argie that you have been instrumental in allowing company talent to rise to its highest point. I'd reframe it and say, 'In our department she was good, in that department, she is exceptional. So it's in the company's interests that she stays in house in the right place and I am glad she is valued and effective and happy where she is. If we'd held on to her, she might have moved to another company within six months. If a strong opening appears for her within our department, I think we could entice her back as we had a good relationship with her.'
Brazen it out as though you were high level HR.

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