What would you do?
LindaS
1,510 Posts
I have an employee who is in a key role in our company. This position requires constant interaction with both management and other employees in regards to training, product development and machine set-up. There is one major problem with this EE, however, his temper.
He lacks patience and it has been brought to my attention that he gets upset, raises his voice and criticizes employees when training them. He does the same thing with his supervisor and other members of management.
In fact, last fall we had another set-up person that he was training that resigned his position because he didn't feel he could work with this person without it becoming "physical". I brought this to the attention of upper management but nothing was done.
Last week there was another incident with his supervvisor wherein he became upset and "flew off the handle". He then went to another employee and made the statement, "well I can't kill him, it's against the law but I can make damn sure he loses his job". I did get verification of this statement from the EE he said this to but this EE also said that he doesn't want to be involved (and he was the only one present when it was said).
I took all this to upper management who informed me that they didn't feel any of this warranted discipline but rather to just "talk" to him and let him know that this behavior is unacceptable, which was done.
I now have the supervisor coming back to me stating that he feel the EE should be terminated or threatening behavior and that he is concerned this EE will "go postal" on someone. While I don't think he would become physicially violent, his verbal actions are bad as well.
Any advice?
He lacks patience and it has been brought to my attention that he gets upset, raises his voice and criticizes employees when training them. He does the same thing with his supervisor and other members of management.
In fact, last fall we had another set-up person that he was training that resigned his position because he didn't feel he could work with this person without it becoming "physical". I brought this to the attention of upper management but nothing was done.
Last week there was another incident with his supervvisor wherein he became upset and "flew off the handle". He then went to another employee and made the statement, "well I can't kill him, it's against the law but I can make damn sure he loses his job". I did get verification of this statement from the EE he said this to but this EE also said that he doesn't want to be involved (and he was the only one present when it was said).
I took all this to upper management who informed me that they didn't feel any of this warranted discipline but rather to just "talk" to him and let him know that this behavior is unacceptable, which was done.
I now have the supervisor coming back to me stating that he feel the EE should be terminated or threatening behavior and that he is concerned this EE will "go postal" on someone. While I don't think he would become physicially violent, his verbal actions are bad as well.
Any advice?
Comments
From your post, it appears that this employee is and has been for quite awhile, exhibiting unacceptable behavior in the workplace.
A documented investigation into any verbal threat (with a written report) should always be done IMHO. It does not matter that the employee who overheard the "threat" does not wish to be involved. The investigator takes down the information and the employee making the remarks is questioned and counseled. If needed, either training (anger management, relationship building, etc.) or discipline -- up to and including termination is done.
Document. Act.
The employer must do everything possible to create and maintain a safe and fair workplace for everyone. Good luck.
Don't let the sun set on this one. I had a warehouse supv. once who had a history of outbursts and semi-violent behavior. It was always dismissed and accepted as just " being rough around the edges". One day during one of his fits he "frisbee" threw a clipboard at a temporary employee, split his head open, almost took part of his ear off. Nice.
Deal with this today.
One question, Do you have a policy addressing workplace violence? If not, you need to develop one. It needs to have teeth and be consistently enforced. We have a zero tolerance policy for workplace violence. Under our policy, it is not only an act of violence, but the threat or potential for violence that is actionable. If substantiated, there is no progressive discipline, you are terminated.
Upper management has been informed of his behavior and made a judgement call, right or wrong. They get to make these decisions and live with them. You can challenge the decision and recommend additional action, but it is still their call.
Now the supervisor wants more action, he/she has probably been waiting for a long time for the right incident to push along for further action. This is the same supervisor who has been the recipient of the EE's temper outbursts. This supervisor should have been documenting this unacceptable behavior all along. Now he/she wants you to take up their gauntlet with upper management and move this problem EE out the door.
This is not your job!
It is the supervisors duty to supervise this EE, not yours. This supervisor should write it up and go to his/her boss for action. You can support it or not if you are called in to opine, but this supervisor should do his/her own work. Perhaps some training is needed, but that is another story.
Sure, right now upper management feels like all they have to do is "talk" to him, but sooner or later the ee will offend even them and they will want to terminate.
We have a situation right now where one of our dept heads wants to term an ee for something he said. The Supervisor claims the ee is an instigator and this is not the first time he has said something, that the ee has always tried to undermine him. But guess what? He never documented any of the alleged behavior from the ee in question. You take a big chance of ending up in court defending why he was fired when he has a clean record.
PORK
Since you already talked to him, I would still do the written warning as a follow up to your conversation with him.
1. copy of your anti-harassment policy and what you state you will do (assuming you have the policy - if you don't, would look at writing one)
2. examples with the $$ of situations where this has been brought to management's attention and the ugly ending in the court - make sure they're aware that a company is already in the negative the minute they step into a courtroom as most courts tend to side with the employee not the employer.
3. what this has already cost you - you've lost a valued employee and could lose others
4. effect on morale
5. what chance do you ever have to curb this with anyone else if you don't act upon this
6. as anyone who's got kids can attest - he's pushing the limits. Sounds like he hasn't gotten pushed back or brought in line - hate to see what he thinks he'll be able to get away with next...
Good luck with this.
Recommend that another employee be trained to be the trainer and get that guy away from new people. Your company isn't presenting a very good image if that is the first person new employees come in contact with.