Employee upset by new hire

[Zigzagga]

Will try not to drip feed whilst also not being too outing!

I manage a small and happy team of various job grades and experience. One team member started at the start of the year in a mid level role. They have experience in the sector and high academic qualifications (although these are not relevant to the job or sector) - but this role was a new area for them.

Mid way through the year we realised we needed another senior in the team, I spoke with mid level to make sure they were happy, said they was of course able to apply but that we were looking for someone with direct experience that could hit the ground running, they said they understood and we discussed a development plan for them to become a senior next year.

It took us a while to recruit, so new senior only started a few weeks ago.

Mid level is not happy with this hire, they think the newbie is not as experienced as them and feels undervalued. They said they trusted that I would hire someone worthy of being their senior and this person isn't. They say it's not about wanting the senior title, but feeling that they are not valued.

This has thrown me to be honest. Yes, newbie is not as experienced as we would have liked in all honesty (recruitment a nightmare) but has key additional skills and relevant quals we are missing in the team, plus 2+ years experience in a similar role. We also interviewed people wayyyy more experienced but who performed very poorly at interview.

How on earth do I handle this?

On the one hand, I sympathise, mid level does have some great experience and is doing a good job, really proving themselves in the last few months, on the other hand, they had only been in post a few months before we started recruiting and I genuinely think this new person has the skills for the senior title. I also feel myself resenting my judgement being questioned.

I feel I've been a good manager to this person, I'm super flexible I've confirmed a payrise for next year and confirmed that my plan is they will become senior this time next year based on continued growth and performance.

How do I handle this with grace and try to maintain equilibrium and happiness in the team?

I think you need to put a firm lid on the conversation to be honest. Along the lines of thank you for pointing out your feelings, but it's not going to be an ongoing discussion from here. And maybe point out that it's not their role to question hires. It has nothing whatsoever to do with their role, and I would suggest that's where they direct their focus.

As a business owner myself, it would make me seriously question their own worth of a more senior level.

Difficult one. The conversation is not particularly appropriate and I couldn’t imagine saying something similar to my management. However I can understand there being some ill feeling if the mid level was essentially put off from applying for a promotion due to lack of experience, just to see someone with even less experience get the job!

I agree, it's not their place to question your decision, did they apply for the job, I would be concerned that the new hire will be bullied and disrespected by this person, zi would tell them that their focus should be on their own development and unfortunately if they cannot work with the new hire they need to leave.

You tell them it is not up for discussion. They are welcome to apply for a job elsewhere. You've promised them a route to become senior next year so stick with that.

And tbh I don't think you should have talked them out of applying

How do you read that into it?

Newbie is younger and has less overall work experience in the sector, but arguably more experience is the direct type of work our department does than mid level.

Mid-level feels her previous experience and transferable skills aren't being recognised I think. Which I think they are, we recognised their value and gave her the job in the first place, but for a senior position we would expect someone to have more direct experience - which this newbie has.

I didn't, sorry if that wasn't clear. They showed no interest in applying at all, they didn't raise the new role with me. I purposefully raised it with them as I wanted to check in and ensure they felt ok about it and to point out they could apply if they wanted. That led to the conversation where I said what we were looking for.

spoke with mid level to make sure they were happy, said they was of course able to apply but that we were looking for someone with direct experience that could hit the ground running, they said they understood and we discussed a development plan for them to become a senior next year. this bit. Sounds like you said you can apply but you have no chance. I believe anyone who wants to apply should and they should be given a chance to be heard out. That way it will seem like they've had a fair shot.

Ah ok apologies I misunderstood.

As I said, I'd maybe speak to them now about your plans for their progression so they know you were serious about what you said about next year.

I would not be happy if I was the mid level person. But I wouldn’t say anything like they said. I would however be looking for a new job.
I know you said they could apply but based on what you said they were told they would stand no chance. And then to find someone has been hired that you feel no ‘better’ than you and not what you were told they were looking for - I can see how that would be frustrating.

I'd tell them I'd they felt my hiring of their senior was troubling them they are free to apply for jobs elsewhere and I'd be happy to provide the necessary reference.

Thanks, and I do get it as well, it must be frustrating - I can really see both sides.

To be honest, the second you knew what this employee wanted to discuss you should have shut down the conversation. It has already gone too far.

As a manager, you discuss performance, expertise and skills with the person you are talking about. And nobody else. But I would certainly question the professionalism of someone who is questioning you recruitment decisions. They could have applied, they didn't. They don't like the outcome, they can be replaced. Nobody is that crucial. I agree with @AlisonDonut

Thanks all. I really appreciate everyone's responses.

I started as a one woman show 3 years ago and the team is rapidly growing. My gut response is to people please and I hate the idea of upsetting someone.

Ive tried to promote an atmosphere of openness and I've always asked my team to just speak to me about things if they have any problems.

Maybe I need to toughen up and set more boundaries.

As others have said, you need to shut this conversation down. It is not for you to justify you decisions to your employee, nor for her to question your judgement. In the past I have been asked my opinion of a colleagues work. I tried to give it truthfully and fairly but I would never offer advice unless specifically asked.

You say “she was absolutely fantastic in her interview and her direct experience is what we need in the team. I’m confident she’s the right choice.”

But by not saying that you’ve totally undermined the newbie and set her up to fail with junior colleagues thinking she’s not good enough and you didn’t have her back.

Gosh - the working world in (presumably the private sector) is so dictatorial! I'm blown away by the advice to "shut the conversation down" or "advise they can find a job somewhere else". Save those options for if they come back and complain again or if they undermine said new hire.

I think you're absolutely right to set an atmosphere of openness, where people can carefully snd privately raise concerns like this. It makes the job much more personable, and makes employees feel a bigger part of what you're doing.

You can be approachable, happy to listen and then set firm boundaries thereafter (just as you do with parenting - Mumsnet link for you there). The advice you're getting would make you look weak.

I think you made a mistake by effectively putting mid level off applying - it definitely sounds like they would have had no chance if they did apply.

To then recruit someone without the necessary experience to ‘hit the ground’ running must feel like a slap in the face.

If I was you I would reiterate and formalise the plan for their progression.

I only say this as if this person does leave, you may find yourself defending a constructive dismissal claim - whether valid or not, it would still be a boring pain in the rear to have to defend.

You have every right to hire whoever suits your business requirements, but in future I wouldn’t discuss this with other employees in the way you have here.

Even if mid level had applied, it doesn't sound like they had enough experience to get the job

You chose to employ Senior even though they too are lacking everything you were looking for

Mid level has expressed their opinion about this; fair enough

But you're the boss. You make the choices and the decisions. If mid level is worth their salt they will work their arse off to prove you wrong and that'll be a win win for everyone

If mid level is an entitled whiner, you'll know they won't make a great Senior

Sit back and watch carefully

There is a difference between having a climate of openness in the workplace and having a discussion about someone elses performance. Staff do not get to determine the "worthiness" of anyone else, and if their opinion were required in the recruitment process then they would have been on the interviews. As someone else has pointed out, having this conversation has now undermined the position of the new hire, and if the employee has said all this to their manager, you can bet they have said it all to colleagues as well.

I'm not a manager but I'm in the position the new hire is.
I applied for a job and got it only to find the salary is a bit higher for a slight managerial role.Which wasn't ever mentioned.
Also as someone with huge experience I got the job over someone with less experience who had gone on long term sick.
They came back to me being there and a 8 month dreadful environment ensued of gossip and undermining me.
My mental health was struggling tbh.
The manager should always back the new hire or take steps to remove them.
I would not discuss this with the mid level person as they will undermine the new hire directly or indirectly.

I agree. But I don't think "the conversation should be shut down before it even starts". Manager looks stronger and fosters more cooperation but listening and then explaining (in no uncertain terms) their reasons for not agreeing. Then, at least, if there is any gossiping or undermining, the manager can classify it as disobeying THEIR management.

Also - yeah they've undoubtedly gossiped. I think they're likely to do it more if the manager shuts down the complaint without listening and doesn't have them onside.

It sounds a bit odd that you’ve promised progression to seniority for someone who showed no interest in applying for the next step when a vacancy in their own team, so what most people would think of as a natural progression route, did arise. Are they actually looking for a promotion or are they a happy high performer who wants to work with other high performers? It sounds like you know you’ve compromised on your recruitment of this new person, which managers do have to do sometimes, but you are then also making that compromise on behalf of the rest of your team. And telling them you’re only looking for someone experienced, aka dissuading their application, then hiring someone new to the team whose experience you’re clearly not confident in yourself is a bit of a kick in the teeth. If you were going to compromise on recruitment (as is your right) but also then resent your judgement being questioned it would have been better not to position a two way dialogue about it with the existing team in the first place.

Perhaps you can use the potential for a senior post in a way that makes it clear they are not to come back with this discussion, but it a polite way.

Thank you for letting me know how you feel. We foster an environment of openness and it is important that we can come to each other.

X was hired because of her direct experience in xx, brings important new skills to the team and was our outstanding candidate. I am confident you will see the same as you work together.

We also recognise the valuable contribution you make to the team and your potential for progression. I am happy to put an advancement plan in place as we have already discussed.

Being a senior requires an ability to work with people of all levels, to put aside any personal grievances and to learn and engage with colleagues who may have different skill sets for the benefit of the team as a whole. I have every faith in you to do this and look forward to seeing your progression over the coming months.

Calm, friendly but clear that you have made the hire for good reason (as said up thread if you don't have her back now you set her up to fail). If this team member wants to progress showing you can suck up disappointment and crack on is necessary (and a useful implied carrot rather than stick)