“Managing Unsatisfactory Performance & Behaviour– an IR

viewpoint"

TTMIB Phase 2

Personal Experiences??

-Unhappy with a worker (& talked to them?)

-Counseled a worker?

-Warned an employee?

Common management ‘views’

• “Dave’s an iron lunger”

• “The apprentice just can’t cut it”

• “The receptionist is always late”

• “I just can’t work with him”

• “She can’t get on with anyone in the office”

Management Focus

- Specific?

- Measurable?

- Based on observable behaviour?

- Consistent with past? Records?

** Challenge - Separate fact from fiction **

2 Case Studies

•You run an upmarket landscaping business that designs and

installs domestic gardens, and most clients use your ongoing

maintenance service.

•Whilst at home on Saturday night, the TV news features a

domestic siege where a man has allegedly poured petrol over

his girlfriend & her children & threatened to blow up the house.

•You notice one of your work vehicles parked outside the house

and recognise the `man’ as a maintenance supervisor who has

worked for you for several years.

Case 1 – Key Issues

Case 1 (cont/d)

• The supervisor has a `checkered past’ including:

(i) A reputation at work as a recreational drug user,

and:

(ii) you had witnessed him being violent at a recent

work Xmas party.

• When he arrives at work on Monday you ask him if he

did much over the weekend. He responds:

‘Pretty quiet Boss - where's today’s job schedule?"

Case 1 (cont/d)

Actions:

(a) What are the relevant issues?

(b) Are there irrelevant issues?

Case 2 - Investigations

• You work as a RoadTek depot manager.

• On Thursday morning, Crystal the AO3 office

administrator rings you to complain about Susie, an

AO2 receptionist who works under her.

• Crystal is frustrated because Susie is “always taking

time off” and has been absent at least “15 times in the

past six months’.

Case 2 (cont/d)

• You are surprised when Crystal tells you that she

normally receives a text message from Susie or her

boyfriend advising her of an absence.

• Crystal is frankly “sick of having to answer the phone

and do Susie’s job, in addition to her own!”

• She begins to cry & states “if she’s not sorted out

today, I’m out of here!”.

Case 2 cont/d

Actions:

(a) Decide who you’ll interview

(b) What issues/questions will you ask?

(c) What background documentation would be helpful?

Questions & Comments???