Supervisee is a nightmare

[DreadingMonday]

NC for this. I work in a specialized field where it is pretty normal to have supervision as well as line management. I was assigned a new supervisee last year and it has been a nightmare- she came in newly qualified so with a lot of scope for learning and development. However, she is not interested in doing good quality work, learning more or even doing the minimum - she is evasive about her work, comes unprepared to sessions, is defensive and argumentative when questioned. I have set expectations which she will follow once or twice then go back to ignoring. Her recent leave was horrendous - problems were coming up every day.

Operational management is very poor and try to shove this onto me, but I have put my foot down and pointed out that there were issues of compliance, competence and absence here.

So my question - I am due to go back after a few days off and am dreading going back. It feels like things are coming to a head and I dont want to be around this - I trained as a supervisor to get the best out of people, and help to support them, so being treated like this, by her and by management is really upsetting me. I am also afraid she is going to claim the faults in our supervision are mine and that managers will be pissed off with me.

I have been supervising people for over 10 years,and have supported at least 50 people to date. I am not an overly sensitive soul, but this is really getting to me. How can I brush this off so it is not affecting me so much?

I am training a newbie as well. Honestly, I have trained countless people over the years but this one is doing me in. She's going, and uninterested. Won't ask questions, won't attempt anything. Is always too tired to do anything (18, lives at home, single).

The current task I learned in two hours, it's taking a month because she can only do a little bit 'because her brain is full' after 30 minutes, she sits back and disengsges. I've heard her make derogatory comments about answering the phone, etc. only likes doing some tasks.

I'm just keeping my managers updated on the process & challenges, without complaining, and detailing what I'm doing, so they know I'm putting in the effort & the learning efforts is on the new person. It's all I can do.

Thanks @MermaidMummy06 - that’s the tack I am trying to take - passport mg on information without speculating about what’s going on. But it’s doing my head on!

Wow, @MermaidMummy06 , how is your work even tolerating that?

Obviously no need to answer, but it's it a clinical environment?

I'd be tempted to document sessions to smithereens and exit her at probation.

You’ll have to start her on a PIP. Poor behaviour impacts the rest of the team, and not addressing it can lead to the good ones disengaging and seeking jobs elsewhere. It’s also makes the leadership look weak.

Whoever is her line manager needs to start managing her poor performance. If you’re not her manager but are supervising, keep a log of incidents and issues and what discussions you’ve had with her - so that her manager can discuss with her. And also so you can evidence you’re trying to help her improve.

This might not be relevant, but I recently had a similar issue with someone I line manage and the biggest thing I learned was EVIDENCE everything.

Even when it seems unnecessary, document it, email it, follow up in writing. Set expectations in writing, plans, goals.

It might also be useful to consider referring her to Welfare (if you have it) or for any workplace coping strategies, neurodiversity support - could also come in handy later if you start a performance plan and they claim that they aren’t being supported

Thank you all- I have been taking my concerns to my own supervision so they are all documented there, and I also have a couple of emails sent and received where I spell out my concerns, the issues, and what I feel is beyond the scope of the support I offer. The line manager does not strike me as the strongest, although they were off on sick leave for most of the time since I joined so perhaps they will be more effective. But the big boss is involved now I think as there was an incident just before I went off on leave which I was not connected with so perhaps that will help.