Always on annual leave

[Abitboring]

I have a relatively new hire (but not direct report) who has been in the job since January. She took annual leave in February, April, May and June. Always about a week and always a 'holiday', so not family stuff etc. It made her training slow and difficult as there was only one full month she worked in her first five months of employment. There's been a bit of 'sorry, just got back from annual leave' as an excuse for one thing or another. It also made me wonder whether she's going to do this every year now and will effectively work part time a few months in a row.

I wouldn't mind as much if she was fully competent in her role, but she isn't. I find her a slow worker and I need to remind her about a lot of things, which I feel I shouldn't have to do if she just kept a list or something to remind herself what needs done when and how.

AIBU to be annoyed?

Just to add, I would also be considering extending her probationary period at this point, and potentially after that a performance improvement plan. You could measure her performance informally to begin with - setting her targets, what she should be achieving and when. I think you need to give her focus. I get it too - the constant interruption of a week off regularly makes it difficult to get any momentum going. This would also be an excellent way to CYA.

@GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut thanks, appreciate the few posters here who understand my side a bit as well. It's not all black and white.

I agree my manager is the main problem. I don't even know anymore why I was annoyed at the new starter. I can see in their mind they are just following a formal process and that's it. I guess all the issues, including some performance related things, got mixed into one big lump of resentment on my side and I couldn't really unpick it until some posters here helped me do that. I still think it would be decent to give heads up to your usual cover when you are going to be out, but I can see how she may not think like that.

She probably assumes you are being told.

I don't even know anymore why I was annoyed at the new starter.
Because it sounds like you care too much and she cares too little!

Right, but OP can't do any of this because they are not her manager/line manager. They aren't even in a senior role to her, only OPs manager can extend her probationary period or put her on a preformance plan.

Right now I need them to learn the process and job that is in place. They are relatively junior and inexperienced and still need to develop a better understanding as to what we actually do, how we do it and why we do it how we do it. If I let her do things her way at this stage the service would not be satisfactory and we'd be loosing business. She's not doing things differently. She's forgetting to do things that add value for the customer.

How can anyone else put that into practice if OP is the only person training her? Manager may have to sanction it but isn't going to be up for the nitty gritty!

OP is well within her rights as the person training this employee to assess how effective the training is - otherwise it's pretty goddamn pointless!!

OP is not officially training her. I don't even think she's been asked to.

OP could go to the manger to express her concerns yes, but only the actual manager could extend her probationary period or put her on performance improvement plan. OP said she barely has time for her own job as it is, why should she do the managers job?

Officially or not, it's happening!! Presumably OP is expected to provide updates to said manager as to how it's going?

She absolutely can implement a performance plan, certainly informally at least! The manager can sanction it. Senior managers don't normally do the donkey work!

Presumably OP is expected to provide updates to said manager as to how it's going?

Well clearly not since she's been there 7 months now, and wasn't even asked to train the colleague and she is now on mumsnet complaining about her.

Whatever. sigh

@JudgeRudy you have every right to be proud of what you did and do! COVID must have been especially hard and scary on the frontline.

I see how you may not view the private sector as equally important or stressful. My job isn't about life and death, but livelihoods do depend on it. We bring in money that feed families etc and while it's good to remind oneself that we are working for a profit, there is pressure to keep it up because everyone needs to stay employed for the sake of their families. It isn't that unusual to do the whole job of another person whilst they are out, you know? It's extremely common. There is no agency staff. Your comment on HR, union etc shows a lack of understanding how these things work in other sectors.

This is one of my points. Am I overstepping by trying to manage her more or manage her at all, because my manager won't do it but I need her to step up as I need her to take work off me? If she doesn't think it would be an idea to tell me about any leave booked, how is she going to accept that I somehow ended up managing her even though she doesn't report to me & then even increase the level of managing?

I need her to step up as I need her to take work off me?
No. Your manager needs her to step up. Make it the manager's problem (either your manager, her manager or both). Stop carrying the weight of the world but CYA.

Sounds to me like she is using the annual leave she is entitled to. I don't understand why it being a holiday would make it any better/worse than family stuff.

If she's used all her annual leave now, you won't need to think about it for the rest of the year.

It is not for her to think about annual leave balance that is the manager's job. If you had a issue with the dates you should have raised it with the manager.

Okay. It's difficult. As many times he doesn't step up even when I ask him and I need to get out stuff to customers. So I end up doing it all myself whilst he's busy doing other things (I know he's busy, not questioning it at all). Any wise MNetters with ideas? Got good advice so far so I feel hopeful.

How can anyone here possibly answer that? The only person who can is your boss. You need to talk to them.

I think you are getting a hard time on here OP. Frankly, sounds like her work life balance isn’t as balanced as it should be. You should stop picking up her slack. Make sure you keep a record of what you have told her and when, tell her once only, then disengage and her leave her to it. And her fuck ups. They aren’t on you.

Are you saying there is no HR etc?

If not a specific department, someone in management needs to fulfil these roles.

Is the firm you’re working for a small or tiny tin-pot organisation that is making it up as you go along? Does it meet legal regulations?

It’n not quite clear what kind of firm or organisation you are in. You’ve said it’s private sector, but that covers from multi-national corporations who certainly wouldn’t operate as you describe, to tiny businesses which have under 10 employees. Regardless, systems need to be in place for managing leave and training and any probationary periods.

OP, I’m glad you’ve realised your beef is essentially with management. It is their lack of establishing these important processes which is making your role, especially when the new colleague is absent difficult.

Those who are so negative about the new employee and her taking leave….I can only assume you don’t work for organisations that follow professional processes and have also come to see what can end up as workplace bullying as normal.

You’re finding fault with everything she does, even something you’ve not even asked her to do yet…

It’s become personal, hasn’t it? You don’t like her.

@WombatChocolate it's a corporate with HR etc but it isn't appropriate for me to raise anything with HR. I don't formally manage anyone, policies are adhered to, HR aren't there for me. They protect the management and they won't give a fuck about anything I said here. Even if I tried to drop in my boss, which I won't do, I will still lose. There is no benefit for me to contact HR.

I don't want to add one more thing to her non existent list that I might have to also chase to get done. That's all really.

You do seem to be taking this all very personally.

Have you taken holiday? If not I suggest you do.

She has not been asked to line manage nor is she being paid to take on that responibiliy

So she makes a full report to the Manager, in her opinion the new employee will / will not become a usefull member of staff and she explains why she thinks that.
Then she sits on her hands with her mouth shut to prevent accidental volunteering and lets the manager come up with a plan; because at the moment the manager is not even bothering to check in with the OP on the days the OP has to stop her work and provide cover.

To be fair to you OP, this sounds like your manager is the problem and making your job harder by not having proper processes in place.