Line management issues.

[UnkleLevi]

Name change for this. I'm trying to to support the person I'm line managing but I'm slowly losing the will.

For background, they were appointed to my department whilst I was on mat leave, so I didn't hire them. She's on a temporary contract and her probationary review is next week. She makes herself available to my line manager which means they love her but her actual job is falling by the wayside. We have a small team, she has a major task she is responsible for and she's not meeting the deadlines we have agreed together (the final deadline is at the end of her temp role in 6 months but no one will notice until then except for me).

I've given guidance varying from a softly, softly approach to very directive (not rude). She says she has time to help others yet isn't doing her major task. I tell her not to do things, she ignores me. Honestly, I don't think she likes doing the task. Before I came back to work she was doing some of my role which she admitted to a colleague she much preferred doing (although she wasn't doing a great job).

Her sickness absence is high and she has a number of medical issues (some self-diagnosed) that range from anxiety and PTSD to recurrent migraines. She describes some of these issues as her disabilities. At our most recent 1:1 she confided, in more detail than was necessary, that she had been sexually assaulted as a child. She's on medication and in counselling but I honestly can't cope with spending in excess of 3 hours a week as her personal counsellor. I don't want to hear it from a personal point of view (I have my own shit going on) but workwise this is a huge amount of wasted time, and she's not full time.

Today she had an anxiety attack and decided that, instead taking a walk/going home/having a glass of water or indeed doing the job she is employed to do, she would help my line manager with something else. He thinks it's great.

She deserves to be able to work. And the issues in her life shouldn't hinder her ability to hold down a job. But the reality is that her work is poor and inefficient. My line manager doesn't seem to see it, even when I showed him the work she had done and he agreed wasn't good enough. I don't have the authority to let her go (I know, don't ask me), our tiny HR team are at a loss (I report to the same person they do). She says she doesn't like working for women so I wonder if I'm on a hiding to nothing.

Any advice welcome.

Temporary contracts and probation are to ensure the employee is the right fit for the organisation and vice versa.

There are normally 3 considerations:

Attendance - is this at an acceptable level the business can sustain for years? Usually there is a policy setting this out.

Conduct - are they following the organisations policies, procedures and ways of working? Again there should be a policy setting this out.

Performance - are they performing their duties at the appropriate level. Again there should be a policy setting this out.

From what you have said you have doubts about attendance and performance but there are complicating factors as she is disabled and is managing to get your line manager on her side.

Use the probation review to reset the expectations.

1. Refer her to OH and ask them to advise in their opinion which disabilities meet the definition of the EA2010. Then ask what barriers do these create at work and solutions to remove/reduce the barriers. Also ask for acceptable absence level for a person with her disabilities.


2. at the meeting Go through her job description setting out what her job is and the expected performance levels. If necessary breakdown the major task into weekly/monthly targets Document this and instigate regular reviews of progress. This is your evidence for HR and manager.


3. Explain that whilst she likes doing x, y & z jobs these are not in her job description and she can only volunteer if she has completed her tasks including progress on major task. Be firm that as her manager you direct her work she doesn’t get to not do the major task she was employed to do.


4. Talk to HR and agree to extend probation for 3 months.


5. Talk to your line manager and be blunt that she is not doing her job to the required standard and either he takes her full time to do his jobs and gives you a replacement or he lets you direct her work. If she volunteers he will talk to you before accepting.


6. When you get OH advice talk to HR and then with her and implement any reasonable adjustments asap.

From what you have said, and I may get flamed, this is someone who doesn’t want to/can’t do the job they have been employed to do and is using a variety of techniques e.g. sucking up to the boss, using personal circumstances etc. to garner sympathy and support and to avoid being held to account. I didn’t do xyz because doing job for big boss, due to anxiety, etc.

My experience says set clear boundaries give her 3 months and really document what she is not doing/doing wrong then reconsider. I have lost count of the number of employees I have seen pass probation because they were nice people, people felt sympathy for them who go on to cause low level issues for a decade + because their manager wouldn’t fail their probation. Personally I would look to end employment at the end of her temporary contract.

Just be aware if she is disabled under EA2010 she can go to ET regardless of length of service. So make sure you follow any policies and processes.

Your hardest battle will be your line manager.

HTH

@Seemslikeaniceday thanks, have actioned some of your points today and have a meeting with HR early next week. Sadly, I agree that she doesn’t want to work and that the tactics are fairly obvious.