Managing a older member of staff

[Lipitick]

I’ve recently inherited a failing team with the remit to turn them around in 6 months.

I’m 2 months in and around 70% of the team have shown improvement, green shoots are happening etc etc

My problem is with “Tina” (not her real name).

Tina has been with the team for over 30 years. From our 1-1s and feedback from previous managers it’s clear she stopped taking on new processes a good few years ago. She’s very reluctant to change anything even when shown the bigger picture or indeed processes become obsolete.

She can be quite vocal about ‘how things were’ 10-15 years ago. We didn’t have this issue when we did it on paper or when we had the card file etc (I’m really talking office processes from the 90s)

Shes easily distracted eg making a cup of tea takes 40 odd minutes. She wanders off for periods of time. 20/30 mins to turn on and set up in the morning.

Here is the problem - I have zero backup to performance manage. She’s just turned 70. She’s “part of the furniture” as it were. Nobody wants to tread on any kind of dodgy area with her due to her age. I haven’t asked about retirement obviously but she will tell you “they’ll have to carry me out in my coffin”

This afternoon another mistake came to light whereby she hadn’t followed process and actioned something within the timeframe agreed in the SOP. It’s going to cost to rectify. I asked her for 10 mins to discuss the issue, asked her if she was unclear what the process is, explained the ramifications and what it was now going to cost to fix it. She doesn’t seem to take it in or offer any solution or assurance - just a oh yes sorry forgot about that one (standard process she should be following BAU)

What do I do?!

How nice. You sound like such an honourable and decent person

I'd say that that poster has never managed people in their life, but unfortunately I've worked for managers that unpleasant and ignorant; both of employment legislation and the dignity of their staff.

true , but there are many posters who have made it ageist. And as soon as you start that route you are on a dodgy wicket . If it was because she was a woman you would be jumping up and down with anger . Perhaps she is struggling and that’s why she is taking a long time to make a cup of tea. A lot of people just don’t like sudden change , nothing to do with age , and need extra support . This needs a change of mindset by the OP or they will be running into legal problems .

The OP referred to age, not me.

I have mentioned capability - and clearly, this person is not capable at their job and is a financial liability.

Makes no difference if the employee is 17 or 77. Best thing is to get rid.

@PinkFrogss

As OP has specifically mentioned the employee's age as a factor then it's not nonsense at all.

I've seen this at my workplace and other friends / family have also seen it.
In a couple of instances the person (and their role) has been made redundant. Albeit the role wasn't really not needed..

Its frustrating!

Why don't you have back up to performance manager her?

If her performance is as shit as you are describing then she needs to be given a 1st verbal warning. Then written. Possibly a Performance Improvement Plan and then final warnings. You need to look at your company disciplinary procedures and follow them to the absolute letter.

HR cannot use positive discrimination (I.e. her age) to refuse to deal with it. They have given you 6 months to turn the team around if this person is hindering that you cam bet they will be on pointe to use process and produced use to punish your 'failure' to complete your task.

Tina is taking the absolute piss and she knows it. To say it's ageist to expect someone to do their job is ridiculous. This woman is blatantly refusing to adhere to policy, and she isn't even attempting to try.

A very clear verbal and written warning/improvement plan needs to be given along with whatever training she might need to get up to speed with the current expectations of her role. After a reasonable amount of time, perhaps two months to adjust, she will either be performing as required or her continued employment/role will need to be reevaluated.

Are Tina’s former managers still with the company? Seems to me that what is happening could be traced to poor management skills of her former managers. I wonder if they will be accountable in some way, so other teams can prevent similar situations in the future?

Or if she previously did perform well, what was the point of change? Changes in processes need skilled people to take teams with them, and listen to people, wherever they are in their working life. Again if there were shortfalls there perhaps your company can learn from them?

As an older person myself, I hate the assumption that I couldn’t cope with change or learn new things. I would hate to let down or shortchange my employer. Equally, I see things being brought in as if no one had ever thought of them before, and perhaps also to dismiss the ‘old ways’ which were their own new things of the day! Or things which were attempted but given up on …. Reasons often known by a very experienced worker, but one who might not be asked for input.

I Would therefore go with the other posters who have suggested using her strengths and what she likes too, that will contribute well to the team.

Finally, boredom, and perhaps not being heard after maybe 50 years working is tough, as you can’t just get another job very easily! I know that’s not your employers fault, but as people are going to have to work longer and longer, it needs to be recognised and understood better.

Our Tina was got rid of by making the role redundant for "cost cutting" measures.

They were offered voluntary redundancy, which gave an enhanced payout. Was so bloody stubborn and argued the toss, they refused the VR offer and lost over 5 grand in enhanced payout. Daft sod!!

For goodness sake give her a first warning. I'm 62 and if I wasn't 100% effective at work I'd be for the high jump. She sounds like she's taking the absolute piss. It gives all of us older staff a bad name.

We lost an awful lot of staff in the NHS when the new computer systems came in, there were people who absolutely refused to adapt and just either left or were let go. These same people now cannot use internet banking or manage online forms and so on.
Everyone needs to be able to adapt.

@Marblessolveeverything this is an excellent point and exactly what I was thinking about when saying play to strengths. There is no short cut to the wealth of experience this lady has and given that she won't be in the workplace forever now would be the time to really start tapping into it. Make the most of her while you still have her.

15 years ago my line manager was an older lady, just past retirement age as was then. While working for her I learned from colleagues that she had spent years in an abusive relationship, married for a second time fairly late and then sadly lost her second husband to cancer, leaving her to meet the mortgage commitments alone in later life while grieving and having cared for him in his last days. She had been with the organisation for decades at this time, when I started being managed by her. She did make admin errors sometimes it's true and she kind of let new initiatives wash over her having seen similar much-trumpteted drives come and go several times over.

However having her as a line manager was incredible in terms of her experience - whatever situation came up, no matter how unusual, she had encountered it before and could suggest a solution for it. She taught me how to think creatively and strategically while still following process, even if only nominally.

When she made errors, they were easy enough to rectify - we weren't neuro surgeons whose errors could cost a person their sight or would paralyse them. It's just working in an office.

She did eventually and happily retire and I'm glad I worked for an organisation that could see her value and not give her a hard time for stuff that really doesn't matter.

I would hate to have to work with some of the people on this thread. We are all going to be old someday and who knows what your circumstances will be when you are. Let's hope that whichever employer you are working for when your time comes realises that equality doesn't mean treating everyone the same and will value the knowledge and experience that you have carefully built up throughout your working life.

Actually worrying how gleeful some people are in the thought of other people being fired. Noticed it here and on other threads when someone has health problems.

That said, I do think OP is in an unenviable position. Hate being told to do sensitive things (other people's dirty work) but without backup and support

Set some goals and coach her through them. Also agree with highlighting strengths - 30 years there must be some.

Identify a mentor , somebody good at explaining process, they'll be good for them too.

Previous manager must have been rubbish.

Great post @Lotrehin

I have seen this behaviour at both ends of the age spectrum.

From what I've read of the first post. Performance improvement plan. Strict and clear. And then if she fails to meet the target, fire her.

Obviously if she does actually improve with coaching don't sack her