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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Kelly is glad to be back at work after a couple of weeks of family togetherness at the holidays. A few more days of vacation and she’d be ready to disown her parents and her in-laws, write the kids out of the will and talk to a divorce lawyer about her husband’s fate. It’s good to be back in the office where her job as HR Director suddenly seems simple.
Nicole, the HR manager, is making one more effort to boost morale among her fellow employees this year. So far her efforts have had mixed success, to put it mildly. After scantily dressed people at the Halloween party and a near race riot for Veteran’s Day, the Thanksgiving luncheon was a damp squib. But there’s still time to rescue morale with a Christmas party.
baby Jesus and offers to contribute her personal Nativity scene to make the scene more authentic. The Nativity scene involves burning candles to illuminate the manger. Nicole says no. The candles will likely set off the sprinkler system and besides the workforce includes observers of several faiths.
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.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Nicole, the HR manager, had a scary Halloween with underclad co-workers and a wild Veteran’s Day that ended with claims of discrimination. She is finding it increasingly difficult to boost morale among her fellow employees. She’s trying to boost morale because her co-workers are disenchanted after years of no pay raises and limited opportunities for promotions.
Nicole, the HR manager, is planning another morale boosting event. Her first effort was the Halloween party a couple weeks ago which ended on a sour note when some of the costumes exceeded her expectations and the president’s tolerance.
illegal drugs because everyone knows that heroin comes from poppies. Nicole retorts that everyone knows red poppies symbolize the military dead in World War I. Shaken but undeterred, Nicole finishes the decorations as people wander in for lunch.
extra from the Godfather movies with chunky gold rings on both hands and a large gold watch. His shirt is open half-way down his chest displaying gold chain necklaces. In a voice roughened by cigarettes and cheap whiskey, the man explains that he’s looking for an HR manager to keep the “government off his back”.
HR Compliance Jungle 