CARRY ON

Thanks to all the brave managers willing to KEEP CALM and ASK HR, we have a growing collection of HR REPLIES to help you CARRY ON with managing your workplace woes.

Check out the questions and answers below - they may just address a problem you are having as well. 

Don't see your particular issue? Click on the KEEP CALM tab above and submit a question of your own. Now... CARRY ON!

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. Q & A Topics Attendance Communication Confidentiality Discipline  Discrimination Employee Conduct  Gossip and Rumors Harassment Performance Personality Conflicts Substance Abuse Termination

Attendance

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Bullying

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Communication

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Compensation

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OTHER RESOURCES: Is the Salary Really Greener on the Other Side of the Fence?

Confidentiality

ASKED HR:  "One of my employees came to me with a problem they are having with a co-worker from another department but asked me not to say anything to them because they think that will just make it worse and they don't want me to say anything to the their manager or HR. How exactly am I supposed to help?" - Anonymous
 
HR REPLIED: Depending on what the particular problem with the co-worker is (are there legal or ethical implications or is it a matter of personal differences) you may not have the option of keeping it confidential - something all managers (and employees) should understand. Not every confidence can be kept. If the troublesome co-worker is dealing drugs out of the supply closet or there are unwelcome sexual advances being made, you are required to take action (but don't go running solo, get with your own HR department for how to proceed).

But assuming it's more of a common courtesy issue (like regularly using the last of the printer paper and never refilling it), this is a great coaching opportunity for you to coach your employee through some conflict resolution scenarios so he can address the problem directly. Even if your employee hadn't asked you not to say anything (if they had insisted you do something about it) this is the approach I would recommend. As a manager, it's not practical or an effective use of your time to be stepping in to diffuse the war of the printer paper, and as a leader, you have a responsibility to help you employees develop conflict resolution skill. It's a win-win, short term and long term, for them to learn to resolve these types of things without intervention from you or HR. -  MM.EXCLUSIVE

 OTHER RESOURCES:  Confidentiality in the Workplace, From "One of the Guys" to "The Man"

Discipline

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Discrimination

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Employee Conduct/Work Rules

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Gossip and Rumors

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OTHER RESOURCES: Plagued by "They" and "Everyone"

Harassment

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Performance

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Personality Conflicts

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Respect

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OTHER RESOURCES: From "One of the Guys" to "The Man"

Substance Abuse

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Termination

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