ASK HR: I have had it with this grumpy employee, I want her sacked!

I am manager at a tea production company. Five employees directly report to me. All are an asset to the company, but I have a recurring problem with one of them. She can’t handle criticism or correction. As I write this, she is sulking at her desk because I requested her to make some corrections on a report. I am losing my patience. What do I do before recommending that HR sack her?

Dealing with employees is complicated. More often than not, companies promote staff to manage staff but do not take them through training or induction.

Most competent managers fail when they are promoted to positions of supervision because they have the technical competence but lack the emotional intelligence to manage employees. You must understand the employees who work under you since they all have a unique disposition, hence react to circumstances differently. As a manager, you have a responsibility to nurture their areas of strength whilst developing areas of weakness. Generally, you should praise employees in the presence of their peers but reproach or correct them in private.

Did you demonstrate how you expected the report to be done before you condemned her output? If you didn’t, then she is not solely to blame. It could also be that she is going through a stressful period, hence her negative reaction. What happens in our personal lives more often than not reflects in our professional lives, a fact that managers should be aware of. I advise that you have a talk with her. Reassure her that you have no grudge against her, that it is purely professional excellence you are pursuing. This might give her confidence and improve her attitude. You could also explore if she needs on-the-job training to sharpen her skills in report writing. If it emerges that she has personal challenges she needs to address, you can allow her time off to resolve them and also suggest that she talk to HR to refer her to a counsellor.

Recommending her to be sacked would be very irresponsible before establishing the cause of her behaviour. Also, HR acts independently and must establish the facts before proceeding with any disciplinary action against the employee.

After the disciplinary proceedings, HR will advise on the best action to be taken depending on the outcome. As a manager, you must endeavour to constantly get the best out of every employee and not always focus on their negative aspects.