Problem colleague just not leaving...

[abblo]

Does anyone have experience of a problem person at work who is complaining here there and everywhere about every aspect of their job, raising grievances against people that have only tried to ask them to do a task because they're "patronising", just a generally very difficult person type situation... how long have they held on until they've left?
There has been issues going on for 3 months now.
They have alienated themselves to the point they won't talk to anyone, I am unfortunately senior to this person (although not their line manager thank god) but I am really struggling with the fact they aren't leaving but trying to change everything when no-one else is unhappy.

Anyone have experience of someone staying when they are so blatantly a massive problem?

Where the fuck is this persons manager in all this?

Why havent they started disciplinary proceedings against this individual?

Ours left last year. Apparently she'd been there 20 years.

Nobody misses her, she was a nightmare and seemed completely unaware of how difficult she was.

She has raised a grievance against the line manager. She is now turning on me.

I know everyone says grey rock and all that but it's very hard when I need her to do something and she puts up a fight. I don't have the energy to fight back, and then I risk the situation where I end up doing it myself. It is becoming stressful for me.

This person has turned down an appraisal so line manager has started a disciplinary against them. How many disciplinaries until they are let go?

This person has turned down an appraisal so line manager has started a disciplinary against them. How many disciplinaries until they are let go?

Are they still on probation?

In my experience, these types stay forever. The victimhood and complaints are their life. It gives them something to talk about

We had one like that. To be fair some of her grievances were justified but nothing was going to change.

They sacked her days before her two years was up. Didn't even give her a reason.

No sadly not. It was originally extended, then they bucked their ideas up and so it was passed. But since then they have been causing issues.

Have come across two of these

One was there 20 plus years

One was put on a grievance and swiftly left

Some
People are utter idiots

She was not missed one bit

V
V
Toxic

Every single thing should be in writing. Don't have any conversations with her, unless someone else is present.

She doesn't sound as though she do well in an interview so she probably intends to stay.

In my experience this person doesn’t leave until they get to the point they know they have no other option or be fired.

Beat way to deal with them, I find is to write everything down. Never speak to them on their own. If a disciplinary is started make sure it is water tight.

And anything that is discussed needs to followed up in writing

Does anyone know what the result of a disciplinary usually is?

If you aren't the line manager then don't stress over it - not your circus, not your monkeys.

Just remember worse they are, better you look. Let them crack on.

Get them on a PIP
That way they have to change or at the end of the pip you say they didn't do enough/change enough/learn enough and off they go

@HelplessSoul Exactly this !
I am beyond frustrated with the lack of effective management in this country .
The impact of poor management is impacting so many companies up and down and in so many sectors.
These supposed “ management teams “ sit back and hope problems will go away .
(OP you are hoping for a problem to leave rather than asking how it should be dealt with )

I took one of my team down the performance management route last year and it resulted in dismissal, he was just not up to the job and never would be , didn’t make much effort anyway .Other team members were having to pick up the slack as he couldn’t be trusted to do anything, no way was I letting my team slide down that slippery slope .
HR were full of praise about “ how professional “ I had been ( for doing my job ??!!!?? Madness )

My peers in the management team were full of moans like “ wish I could move on my problem lazy staff … “ Eh ..,, if you did your job properly they’d be gone already ..

I do despair sometimes …

We had one. Didn't raise grievances, just wanted everything her way and made life awkward for everyone else, plus very high levels of absence on the pretext of WFH / sickness, it's not a WFH job. We all thought she'd be there till she retired but she left about 4 years ago (after 20 years) out of the blue and is not missed.

How long has this person been with the company?

The emphasis is far too often on trying to find some way of keeping the employee, even if it is in a different lesser role. Or giving them yet more time to change their ways, so they do for a while.

You'll be very lucky if they are sacked. That is usually only for things such as fraud or other serious misconduct.

How long have they been there?

Depends on what it is?

She's been there nearly a year.

As I understand it you can be dismissed before 2 years of employment, as long as she can’t claim discrimination of any kind.

If she’s as bad as you say then her line manager and HR need to address this immediately before she becomes impossible to get rid of.

No because they are different obviously. Maybe mind your own business, this is a person junior to you who has a line manager who is going through the processes,

You say you don't have the energy to fight back. You sound a bit cowardly and/ or devoid of confidence to me ie a godsend to difficult employees.

Then get her gone.