Another update from the Jungle….
Gene is the managing partner of a professional services firm and he’s extremely proud of the team that works with him. He insists that they follow a reasonable work schedule leaving time for family. He rewards every employee with a bonus when the firm hits revenue targets.
The result is high productivity and soaring morale. People want to work at his firm and Gene has the luxury of picking job candidates that best fit his philosophy. It was all smooth sailing until six months ago when he hired Avery.
Avery looked great on paper. His three page resume looked impressive, full of academic achievements, extensive industry experience, and a history of community involvement. Avery showed up for the interview in an expensive suit, looking thoroughly professional. He was relaxed, articulate, and generated a good vibe when he met the whole team. He seemed like a great fit for the firm and Gene hired him.
Within a week, Avery was a problem. He told several senior partners that his old firm had a much better system for tracking client services. Then he told the secretaries they were being unfairly exploited and should go on strike for higher wages. After that he asked junior staff members why they worked so hard when there was no obvious path to promotions since all the senior partners were years from retirement.
Gene learned about the underbelly of discontent when a delegation of junior staff members cornered him to complain about Avery. The youngest secretary said she didn’t appreciate being told that she ought to feel exploited. That was one of the milder comments.
Gene’s always been told not to judge a book by its cover. But it’s obvious that underneath Avery’s polished façade lies a wealth of baggage picked up from the conditions he experienced with previous employers.
How should Gene handle this situation?
- He can fire Avery immediately since the state has “at will” employment. But with Avery’s baggage, a wrongful termination lawsuit seems inevitable.
- He could try to counsel Avery on his attitude but worries this will simply delay the inevitable outcome.
- He can tell Avery that the firm isn’t the right fit and offer Avery a generous severance package in exchange for leaving immediately.
In the actual situation, the firm chose the third option because the management team decided that a toxic personality was too big a risk to keep on the payroll and the severance package limited any possible wrongful termination claims. Everyone lived happily ever after (except “Avery” who carried his baggage to the next employer’s office).
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Marcella was happy to find a friend like Barry when she joined her new employer. He seemed like such a nice guy, interested in mentoring younger co-workers like her. Barry was a big help to her as she navigated the internal politics of her new employer.
that she can have time off to go to court to deal with her son’s drug problem. Marcella’s shocked; her son doesn’t have a drug problem. Other co-workers stop by during the next few days to offer support.
Julia, the HR manager, is watching her company’s diversity and inclusion program go hideously wrong. Julia pushed every level of management all the way to the C-suite, urging them to broaden the pool of employees eligible for promotion to management. What did all her effort get her? Margaret.
any actions they take are likely to be undermined by Margaret. Most of them are applying for transfers away from her.
Betty started a new job about six months ago but already the old patterns are starting to repeat. Betty’s last job became so unbearable that she quit. Now she seems to be headed down the same path again.
and found her current job.
Doug is getting close to retirement age after a long, not very distinguished, career. He’s still the consummate professional but it’s obvious that all is not well with him. He is out sick at least one day a week and he doesn’t do much work on the days he is in the office.
talking to Doug about a client problem. When Doug said the problem sounded familiar, his junior replied, “It ought to; it’s your client”.
women candidates are judged on their physical appearance and not their ideas or abilities. Alana thought about other women presidential candidates. In 1972, Shirley Chisholm’s campaign was dismissed with a smile. In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro’s qualifications as a vice presidential candidate were buried under stories about her husband’s alleged Mafia connections. (He was Italian-American from New York and owned a construction business.)
downhill since.
Last month, Sue decided to fight back. She bought a doll that she treats as her boss’ avatar. Each evening, she sticks pins in the doll and wishes psycho boss would vanish. So far the doll looks like a pin cushion but the bad juju hasn’t worked because Sue still works for the psycho.
HR Compliance Jungle 