Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Tricky situation with team member - any advice please?

90 replies

builderbare · 09/10/2024 18:57

I manage a very tricky member of my team. She had previously been unwell for a while with a condition that’s treatable - she initially had a very long spell on sick leave then a very long phased return. Shes back FT now but has hung on to one day a week WFH. This was agreed with Occ Health and on the advice of HR we were told that this was considered a reasonable adjustment.

This condition seems to improve when it suits and when she thinks there’s a risk that the WFH will be revoked or there’s grumbling about it then it flares up again, despite it being a condition that once treated should be cured. She’s constantly pushing the GP and phoning up consultants but from what she’s saying they can’t find anything wrong with her now.

It should be noted that Shes got an ulterior motive to WFH one day a week which I won’t go into here as it could be outing.

We’d Like her back in the office FT - admittedly there’s not too much of an effect on the business but we know that it’s not being done to help her health, it’s being done for other reasons and quite frankly it’s not fair to the rest of the team who would probably all like a day at home.

HR are not being terribly helpful and are saying that we should take everything she says at face value and as it’s gone on for so long it could now be classed as a disability.

Theyve suggested that we call a meeting with her to try and get to the bottom of exactly what is the matter with her but they’re also advising that we tread carefully.

It doesn’t help that the woman is quite militant and seems to tho k she’s knows all the laws and what she’s entitled to.

If there are any HR professionals that could give an idea how best to proceed I’d be grateful.

OP posts:
builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:04

I should add that the issue she has a basically now ‘non specific’ think of pain that she has but every test she has comes back clear.
she thrives on showing people all the medication she’s on and appears to love going to the doctor.

I do suspect that there’s a fair amount of attention seeking (she’s an odd character).

OP posts:
quizzywizzy1 · 09/10/2024 19:17

Hi, was her reasonable adjustment temporary? Does she still provide the same work output when working from home?

magneticpeasant · 09/10/2024 19:34

You sound like you're victimising her. You admit yourself you don't even have a business case to revoke the WFH, it's just that you're resentful and don't like her.

builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:37

Yes it’s currently a temporary agreement but HR seem to think that it’s fine on for so long she should now formalise it by submitting a flexible working request to make it permanent.

There can be some disruption to the business with the way she works when from home but it’s not easy to quantify. Think difficulties getting hold of her occasionally etc. She can’t actually complete all her work in the 8 hours that day so works longer to compensate.

OP posts:
builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:38

magneticpeasant · 09/10/2024 19:34

You sound like you're victimising her. You admit yourself you don't even have a business case to revoke the WFH, it's just that you're resentful and don't like her.

I just know that she’s playing on her condition and dragging it out in order to keep WFH. Like I say, without being outing it fully suits her to WFH one day a week for other reasons

OP posts:
EverybodyWantsTo · 09/10/2024 19:39

Why not just let everyone WFH one day a week?

builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:40

I have reason to suspect that the original illness is gone but it suits her to keep up the pretence to keep the arrangement. She’s a complex character and I also suspect a bit of a hypochondriac

OP posts:
builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:41

EverybodyWantsTo · 09/10/2024 19:39

Why not just let everyone WFH one day a week?

It’s not company policy. It’s discouraged by the organisation

OP posts:
LadyLapsang · 09/10/2024 19:41

I would be careful because it sounds like you are doubting her despite quite a lot of history and evidence. What is the business problem associated with her WFH for one day pw? The way you describe her doesn’t sound very professional.

JustKeepSwimmingJust · 09/10/2024 19:41

Write all this down and discuss with your hr, who are already involved.

In the meantime, document concerns

Azandme · 09/10/2024 19:42

builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:38

I just know that she’s playing on her condition and dragging it out in order to keep WFH. Like I say, without being outing it fully suits her to WFH one day a week for other reasons

You don't know, you think you know - and that's not the same thing at all.

Get it wrong and you, and the company are potentially heading for tribunal.

Leave HR to HR.

dunroamingfornow · 09/10/2024 19:44

You are skating on thin ice here. It's hard for you to prove she isn't medically in need of a reasonable adjustment by way of WFH one day a week. It looks like you want to take it from her as you don't like her. Who are the "we" you refer to ? Sounds like it would be very easy for her to prove the whole team are ganging up on her. I would tread very carefully

CaptainCrocs · 09/10/2024 19:45

Why not allow the rest of the team to
work from home one day a week? Doesn’t sound like the job can’t be done from home and most people appreciate a bit of flexibility. Seems silly to make her in the office full time if it’s not necessary. If others are whinging why not afford them the same benefit. If the work doesn’t get done or she or any of the rest aren’t contactable when at home well that’s a different and potentially disciplinary issue.

LlynTegid · 09/10/2024 19:46

The law being placed for second reading (tomorrow) will include the right to ask for WFH as I understand it. This may make it more difficult to refuse without good reason.

Leave it to HR though. A pity your company are still in the last decade when it comes to sensible working arrangements for all of your team. I can understand however, there will be resentment if one person has a special arrangement.

Happiestwhen · 09/10/2024 19:47

That's frustrating and if they can't find anything it sounds more like mental health issues than anything physical . It's people like her who clog up the health system for others, it's an absolute joke. We had similar from an employee who said she was injured in an accident and dragged out her ssp for as long as she could even though there was nothing wrong with her according to Occupational health. Although frustrating I'd make sure to keep on the right side of employment law. At least you have HR to guide you. You don't want to be dismissed for acting on your frustration towards her.

daisychain01 · 09/10/2024 19:50

Give her 2 days a week and stop being so unsupportive. This is the 21st century.

Maybe do some research on modern organisations where staff don't have to beg to work remotely. They are trusted, empowered and treated like adults.

I honestly despair.

bringslight · 09/10/2024 19:51

If HR have her back, you cannot do much
if the manager and CEO decide to let her go, HR won't protect her also

BarbaraHoward · 09/10/2024 19:52

If there's no business reason for her to be in, and it's been approved as a reasonable adjustment, then she should be allowed keep it.

If there's no business reason for her to be in then I don't see why everyone can't have at least one WFH day, expecting everyone in five days a week is very old fashioned now.

Nell1974 · 09/10/2024 19:54

It sounds as if you bear this woman a personal grudge and you need to tread very carefully. I hope she doesn't identify herself from this thread and report YOU to HR.

mushypaperstraws · 09/10/2024 19:54

Ooh, this just sounds like a moody manager's power trip. Is this local authority or something? My wager is on this being a toxic, old fashioned kind of workplace if you're this upset about 1 day a week wfh

JoanOgden · 09/10/2024 19:56

Even under the current law she (and any of your other colleagues) could apply for 1 day a week wfh as a flexible working arrangement and the organisation would need a proper reason to refuse it, which it doesn't sound like they have. Sounds like your employer should update their policy

YaWeeFurryBastard · 09/10/2024 19:56

builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:41

It’s not company policy. It’s discouraged by the organisation

I think your company could be in for a nasty shock tomorrow when the workers rights bill is announced. Rumour has it it’s going to be flexible working by default unless the employer can prove it’s not reasonably practical e.g. retail work.

Not sure why you’re pushing back on this so hard. One day a week WFH seems perfectly reasonable for everyone. If she’s already regularly working unpaid overtime to complete her tasks it suggests she’s being poorly managed.

MissJoGrant · 09/10/2024 19:58

builderbare · 09/10/2024 19:41

It’s not company policy. It’s discouraged by the organisation

.

Tricky situation with team member - any advice please?
builderbare · 09/10/2024 20:02

LlynTegid · 09/10/2024 19:46

The law being placed for second reading (tomorrow) will include the right to ask for WFH as I understand it. This may make it more difficult to refuse without good reason.

Leave it to HR though. A pity your company are still in the last decade when it comes to sensible working arrangements for all of your team. I can understand however, there will be resentment if one person has a special arrangement.

Yes it’s definitely a bit archaic, think lots of older managers / owners who really don’t think WFH is the way forward.
It’s not a large company so there’s no other examples of people who have done this either. HR is one man, not a team who would perhaps have a bit more experience of this.

OP posts:
BarbaraHoward · 09/10/2024 20:04

Oof. I used to work for a family firm that was a bit like that.

I left.

If they want to hang on to good people they'll have to modernise.

Swipe left for the next trending thread