How would you handle this?

[Motherfeckinlegend]

I have a small concern about a new hire at work. They were initially on a 6 month contract but applied for a permanent role and got it.
This may sound silly or a small thing but it’s a bit hard to describe the way this person is acting.

As we all do, my team have to put their holiday requests through me and so on. I’ve never turned down leave. I ask the team to record their leave and send me a quick message letting me know of their intended dates - we’re a small team and it’s important we’re all aware when people are off.
So, this person does not do this. I can see that they’ve recorded annual leave in their calendar for the end of this week but it hasn’t been sent to me and I’m unaware (or could be). I have told this person the process twice already - as it’s an ongoing issue - and it’s getting to the point where it’s really annoying me. They were also already in post when I joined so they’re fully aware.

I don’t want to over react about this, more so because I feel we may have made a mistake giving this person the job as I have already had to have a conversation with them about how their responses to some people could be perceived as rude.

I don’t think they’re forgetting to follow the procedure for booking leave, I think it’s a power play but I don’t want to over react.
What would you do?

What is the cut off time for requesting annual leave? In my work we have to give 1 week unless emergency.

I would wait till after the cut off and message them saying I can see you have booked annual leave for the end of this week can you tell me when you messaged me for approval? When they advise they didn't say that AL can't be authorised now as outwith notice period.

They won't "forget" again

Thanks @newnameswhothis, I did consider that and think I may have to go down that route.

I agree with @newnameswhothis approach, you need to make a point of this as it’s not the first time it’s happened.

Its the kind of power play and disregard for processes that could ramp up and cause other issues where this person thinks the rules don’t apply to them if you don’t nip it in the bud now.

You are not over reacting, I agree you need to be strict about this.

Also, have you sent them the process on email?

If not, you could do a team wide, ‘here’s a reminder of the leave booking process’ - it doesn’t have to single them out, send it to everyone at the same time.

Hi @lannistunut and @Hotandbothereds, agree with both your points. My concern is that everyone else happily does this and this person doesn’t. I don’t want this to have any impact on the rest of the team.
The process has been sent out to the whole team by email, Slack and we’ve discussed it in our weekly team meetings. There really is no reason to disregard it.

They have booked a long weekend but the Monday has a particular event that only they have been working on, and will leave others stuck if they don’t address this beforehand (ie workloads, how to manage this event etc). Not only to address it but to give people time to assume the responsibility. I feel like ignoring their booked leave just to see how they intend to manage this.

If you've told them recently of the correct procedure and they've ignored it then they have to live with the consequences. I'd give one more reminder by email (so they can't say they didn't hear it) and then let them suffer if they don't formally mention their holiday.

If they’re not following the process then I’d not authorise their holiday. If you’ve addressed it with them and it’s not an understanding issue then it’s a behavioural issue. If you don’t address it it will lead to further issues down the line with they decide not to follow other processes

Hard disagree. You need to single them out and have a direct conversation - this is part of managing people.

@FivePotatoesHigh I agree re singling them out. I remember receiving lots of emails that were sent to the whole team, on other orgs, knowing they’d been sent because one person had done something wrong. It quickly becomes irritating.
I have already spoke to them about it but they’re quickly showing themselves as one of those people who only need a little bit of responsibility to become convinced they’re running the show!

OK well I would do these things:

Have a very direct conversation with them and set out exactly what changes they need to make

Start documenting EVERYTHING

I didn’t mean don’t have the individual conversation.

I meant had the process been communicated to the entire team in a standard way, so it backs up the individual conversation about why this person has chosen to ignore the process that the rest of the team follow without issue.

If it’s been communicated to the same way to everyone they really have no reason to be ignoring you - follow this up first thing Monday and I’d be inclined to not approve the leave, if there’s no consequences they sound like the kind of person to keep chipping away thinking rules don’t apply to them.

I can say from bitter experience, if this behaviour is not immediately addressed and nipped in the bud it will continue. Even if this particular matter is settled now, it could very well be a sign of more things to come from a troublesome employee. Thank the Lord that you have the right to dismiss within the first two years.

When they don’t turn up for work… play naive… then discipline them.

Have you got HR?

If you do I would run it past them first.

Don’t play games because that’s what they’re doing. Book a meeting with this person formally, tell them what they need to do, note you’ve told them twice.

Follow up with an email cc’ing HR, using the upcoming project as an example of why it’s important. Spell. It. out. - they are being childish so explain to them in simple terms.

Do they have a probation period? If so and their are also issues with rudeness tell HR you want a review before they are passed.

Having worked in a job where policies were applied inconsistently without good reason, there’s nothing worse for the rest of the team when one person deliberately suits themselves, and it isn’t dealt with. So it is important that it’s grasped, not just for you or the business, but for the people that are looking to you in a leadership position.

@JustJustWhy yep, been here before also. I'm thankful I've picked up on this person quickly but only because I've been through it before with others in the past!

@FivePotatoesHigh I've documented everything since the issues started (not just about the recording of annual leave). They disclosed that they've got anxiety - undiagnosed - so I've supported them with that. I have no issue with that and I'm not suggesting it's untrue- I've seen that they have but it's very specific to any point where they've got to learn something new and it's not just at work (their words). The anxiety is relieved when they feel comfortable with whatever they're doing. So, I've been keeping records since that point and recording the support we can offer.

@Luredbyapomegranate no, we haven't got HR (but we do have someone with expertise that we can call on). They're currently on six months probation and I've set up more frequent probation reviews than I would typically.

@DomesticShortHair my point exactly!

Thanks all.

Doesn’t your leave booking system send a message to you so you can approve it?

They disclosed that they've got anxiety - undiagnosed - so I've supported them with that. I have no issue with that and I'm not suggesting it's untrue- I've seen that they have but it's very specific to any point where they've got to learn something new and it's not just at work (their words). The anxiety is relieved when they feel comfortable with whatever they're doing.

Isn’t that just a perfectly normal reaction to learning something new?

Most people surely feel a little apprehensive about a new thing to learn which goes away once you get your head round it?

Not dismissing anxiety but I do think there can be a tendency to want to label perfectly normal human reactions here, as this person is already pushing boundaries I guess just something to keep aware of.

@Hotandbothereds I agree. I have asked them to come back to me with any diagnosis. I think they’re very immature. Straight out of a Masters, no real work experience other than temping roles etc, needs constant positive reassurance that they’re doing a good job which we’ve discussed as being an unreasonable expectation at work, eg nobody will clap just because you sent a decently worded email - you’re being paid to do that.

I inherited the team so wanted to be sure I wasn’t over reacting. I think I’m going through the pain barrier of being their first manager (although lots of people not like that of course). Thanks all.

Yes I agree.

Too often people take too long to start enforcing boundaries. If the other person is reasonable early action means they correct things quickly, if they are not reasonable early action means you can get to the point of formal measures earlier (preferably before two years).