How would you deal with a uncooperative/bullying member of staff?

Question

I am the senior manager of a small organsation (36 employees) and have a professional member of staff who is often uncooperative and negative.She always takes an advisarial position in team meetings,arguing on behalf of other staff.She intimidates all the other members of the team who are afraid to challenge her position.At a meeting last week she (inadvertantly) upset a junior staff member to the point that they had to leave at lunchtime.

When I talked to her about her attitude and the problems she caused she went off sick for two days.

Her performance is satisfactory (just about),but she falls out with anybody who suggests improvement.

How would you deal with this character who is polluting our work place?

Answer 1

Be stern and firm with her - explain what she has done, and tell her that if she doesn't buck up her ideas, you "WILL have to let her go as there are loads of other professional people waiting to take her place."

Answer 2

Having suffered in the past from a colleague like the one you describe, I would urge you to deal with this person promptly and firmly. If possible, perhaps a transfer should be arranged, to another branch or a position where she would work alone. If this is not possible, she should be encouraged to look for another position in a away that won't get you prosecuted for constructive dismissal. Last resort - find a reason to fire her! Good luck!

Answer 3

She is making the payment? tell her to under or overpay. Pay 668 and have the 2 pounds as a credit. Or pay 660 and wait for a new bill and pay the remaining 6. Or just send in two checks for 333 each. But how is that her job? I suspect you mean she is refusing to accept a payment, not make one. That would be refusing to do her job, fire her. edit "Edit - I can't adjust the payment as she is making it to a client and the invoice totals to £666.00." why not? over pay it, pay £667. There is not a company in the world that won't accept an overpayment.

Answer 4

when u say she antagonizes others but then u say her performance is satisfactory, u contradict yourself. perhaps you as the boss are not being clear enough about the severity of this situation? working well with colleagues is a crucial part of job performance and apparently this woman is failing in that area. You should make it clear that you take this problem very seriously and that she will be out the door if she can't improve.

Answer 5

Fighting back
Check your job description isn't being abused. Keep a detailed diary, including dates, times and locations, of every verbal attack, contrary or arbitrary instruction, or where your competence was questioned. Write to the bully after incidents, challenging them, and keep copies of relevant correspondence and memos. When making a complaint stick to the facts and avoid character assassination. It's probably a good idea to send copies of your complaint to senior management. Wherever possible, insist on a witness, either a friend or union rep, being present at meetings. Tell your doctor what's happening as they will usually give you a sick note giving you time to recover and plan your next move. It's important to state the cause, and name the bully on the sick note as it can be a very important piece of evidence.

Making a complaint may make things worse and lead to increased vindictiveness and being labelled a trouble-maker. Confrontation can be unsafe when it's done alone. Bullying usually affects several members of staff, and the more people experiencing it the stronger your case and potential allies. The staff of one school responded to problems with their headmaster by avoiding further argument, keeping silent, and not reacting. The head's self-satisfied smirk was replaced with a puzzled 'what are they up to now?' expression:

"Although this did nothing to alter the practical problems, we felt better because it was no longer the headmaster calling the tune."

Quietly build solidarity with your colleagues, being careful who you talk to, and when you have enough information use it. Be creative: paste a caricature of them on noticeboards, PCs etc. If desperate deface their notes, property, car etc. with suitably, poignant life questions, but be careful, remember CCTV and don't get caught. If you need assistance you can contact SolFed: using an outside group can be very effective, assuring anonymity, but it's no replacement for solidarity at work.

Last resort
As a last resort you can always resign and try to prove to an industrial tribunal that you were forced to leave due to intolerable conditions. You must be employed for two years and will need a detailed log of the abuse to be able to claim 'constructive dismissal'. Tribunals will examine particular recorded incidents of abuse but their main interest is in whether the correct procedures were followed. A request for an acceptable reference can be built into a winning claim. Compensation varies. In an out-of-court settlement won by Unison, a social worker in Scotland in 1996 received £66,000 after being forced to retire through ill health, caused by bullying by her superior. A health visitor was awarded £5,000 damages in 1997 from North East Thames Community Care NHS Trust, after persistent undermining by a nursing manager.

Organising against bullying can have a knock-on effect and help build wider confidence and solidarity in the workplace as Bob, a postal worker, explains:

"Management are constantly trying to get information out of us so they can make cuts and increase profits but we do everything we can to sabotage their efficiency drives. It's our knowledge and experience which one day will be used to transform our working lives for the benefit of all. In the meantime, we have an ongoing guerrilla campaign on our hands... and that includes against union bureaucrats along with the bosses. Sure, we are not as solid as we would all like, but the basic uncooperative attitude is always there."

Answer 6

She should be fired, she may think that because she is a woman nobody is listening to her, so she thinks that she has to be this way because if she isnt she may not be heard. Give her a last warnining, tell her she has to be a team player or she needs to find another job. It doesnt matter if you are a man or a woman you need to be treated the same way and recieve the same punishments.

Answer 7

listen to her. is she the only one who is supporting the other staff. if that's the case then be glad you have her. you need to have input from all parts of an organization .
i would ask her to be less forceful at meetings and to understand her role in management is not to challenge management but to be part of the team . i would then ask her to make her statements at the end of a meeting or just once in a meeting and then listen only .
if she failed to do that i would consider firing her.

Answer 8

Unfortunately you have to confront her about it, suggest improvements and give a measured time scale to improve. Note incidents and discuss with her, then on failure to comply issue verbal, then written warnings. If you don't follow correct procedures she can claim constructive or unfair dismissal. Read up guidelines set by ACAS and seek legal advice before taking any action

Answer 9

If you have the authority, I would fire her. Attitude problems of that magnitude do not need to be tolerated. If you do not have the authority, speak to your supervisor, and recommend that this person be terminated. Back up your request with written examples.

Answer 10

I would fire her before someone elses sues for a hostile work enviroment