Dealing With Employee Issues

1
Dealing With Employee Issues

• If I ignore it, will it go away?
• That didnt work, now what?

2
GOALS OF THIS PRESENTATION

• How to identify where to start
• Know What to Look for
• How do you conduct an Investigation?
• Communication
• Taking Progressive Disciplinary steps, if
  necessary,
• Documenting both good and problem areas of
  performance

3
COMMUNICATION FIRST

• WHERE TO START
• What do you want?
• Create a vision (The Big Picture)
• Communicate your expectations and vision
• Coach, empower and encourage participation
• Create an inclusive environment
• Open individual and group communication

4
COMMUNICATION

• WHAT IT ISNT
• Top Down communication
• Delegating all communications
• Using only one management style (Passive,
  Aggressive, Collaborative, Directive)
• Making decisions without soliciting Feedback and
  Input
• Soliciting feedback, but then ignoring input

5
SET EXPECTATIONS

• Set Short-Term wins
• Establish challenging, yet achievable Benchmarks
  for Success
• Develop a Feedback Process
• Have On-The-Spot Discussions
• Make it a habit of regularly reviewing progress
  formally and informally - no surprises

6
What to Watch For

• Employees are not working up to your Standards
  Do they know what they are?
• Struggling Or Challenged by the work
• Ineffective Or Inefficiency
• Complaints about being Overworked
• Statements like Thats Not My Job (area)
• Changes in Personnel causing unease
• Low to poor Team interaction or connection

7
TAKE PROMPT ACTION

• Identify Both Good and Unsatisfactory Job
  Performance
• Recognize the good performers so they do not
  succumb to the poor examples
• Identify the Problem Behaviors
• Provide Feedback Immediately, if not in a timely
  manner
• Take progressive and eventually Formal action, as
  Needed

8
Basic Elements of Progressive Discipline

• May be taken in this order, or depending on the
  severity of the issue, may skip a step.
• Informal Feedback (can be frequent/verbal)
• Letter Of Counsel (written)
• Letter Of Reprimand (written)
• Suspension (requires collaboration w/ER)
• Termination (requires collaboration w/ER)

9
Contact Human Resources

• Consult with Employee Relations Before any
  Written Letters or at any stage to discuss
• Consider that there may be contractual
  obligations in any next steps you take
• Discuss What you Really Want to achieve
• Bring supporting Documentation
• ER may suggest edits or changes to comply with
  campus practice, contract language, etc.

10
UNION RIGHTS

• Most CSU employees are covered by a bargaining
  agreement
• Contracts provide specific language regarding
  working conditions, corrective actions, and
  disciplinary actions
• Become familiar with the employees union rights,
  even though the employee isnt.
• Following Contractual Processes Take Time

11
Conducting Investigations

• It begins when an incident occurs, is reported,
  or a Complaint is filed (may be verbal/writing)
• Does it take a long time? Not always, but it
  might. If needed, make the time.
• Review available data and determine if you have
  enough facts to evaluate the matter
• Consult with Employee Relations for assistance
• Weingarten meeting Employee is entitled to a
  union rep. if outcome may result in discipline
• Understand charges, ID specific behaviors or
  non-performance.

12
SERIOUS ISSUES

• Some matters warrant more advanced levels of
  discipline called Notices
• Notice of Suspension
• Notice of Dismissal
• For this level of discipline, it is very
  important that you contact Employee Relations.
• This is a highly complex level and requires legal
  review before proceeding.

13
TALKING WITH THE EMPLOYEE

• Set the tone of the discussion
• Verbal Warning
• Consider employees comments
• Inform the employee that the must improve
• Obtain the Employee commitment to improve. This
  may require discussion
• If the employee requests a Union Rep, they may
  make arrangements for that person. You do not
  arrange it.

14
INFORMAL DISCUSSION

• Respond Quickly to Issues
• Verify the Facts, not rumor
• Be Specific about your expectations regarding
  improvements or changes
• Set a Firm, yet Collaborative and Friendly tone
  to conversation
• Provide Constructive Criticism
• Encourage responses and discussion
• Ask employee for a Plan to Improve
• Follow-up. Walk around and verify.

15
DEALING WITH EMOTIONS

• IF THE EMPLOYEE
• Agrees Too Easily
• Is Nervous And/Or overly Sensitive
• Dispute facts, disagrees
• Becomes Angry
• Becomes Argumentative, Accusatory, or fails to
  fact Accountability
• Becomes Non-Responsive OR Surly

16
CREATE THAT PAPER TRAIL

• Document even Informal and Formal discussions
• That provides timelines
• Documents should clearly state the issue,
  behavior, performance, policy violation, or
  incident.

17
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

• Let Human Resources and Employee/Labor Relations
  Help You!