What Would You Do? Responses to “What to Tell the Team?”
By John West Hadley
The Stepping Stone, July 2023
In the March 2023 issue of The Stepping Stone, I presented the difficult employee situation below faced by an actuary recently promoted into management. Here are selected responses and excerpts, edited for space and clarity, followed by the real-life conclusion. (Please note that inclusion of responses should not be taken as an endorsement by either the Leadership & Development Section Council or the Society of Actuaries of the positions presented.) Send your own ideas for situations to pose in upcoming issues to SteppingStone@JHACareers.com.
What to Tell the Team?
Kate was a young actuary with only four months as a manager when Selina joined her team. From the start, Selina was confrontational in one-on-ones, refusing to do certain types of work, and yelling at Kate. Selina’s prior manager hadn’t said anything about performance issues, and Kate worried that perhaps her expectations were too high, or maybe she needed to use a different management style with her.
Eventually, Kate called in a third party to be present when she put Selina on a performance improvement plan. Selina objected to the plan, calling Kate an evil person and a bad manager who hadn’t treated her well.
The next day Selina checked into a facility and went on 12 weeks medical leave.
The rest of Kate’s team was concerned about Selina’s health and kept asking if she was OK, and when she would come back. Selina had been adamant about not revealing her issues, so Kate told them she was addressing a family emergency for 12 weeks. When she did return part time while continuing treatment, she didn’t perform well and Kate found herself now needing to manage the team leader’s desire to push Selina’s work off on others, and to backfill assignments.
If you were Kate, what strategies might you have employed to deal with this situation?
Have you ever experienced a situation along these lines, and what did you learn from it that might inform how Kate should have dealt with this?
My thanks to the many respondents! I particularly liked how this actuary broke the situation down into two guiding principles:
- By definition, the workplace must have employees who can, and intend to, do the work. If an employee is unable to work, for any reason, then they should not expect to be at the workplace.
- Employers must always be sensitive to the work-related needs of their employees. It is important that employees "bring their whole selves to work."
Selina may have had a mental or medical issue that interfered with her ability to do the work, and until that was resolved, she should not be there. A PIP was not a solution, but I can see Human Resources (HR) thinking that it might be. I commend Kate and her team for being concerned about Selina's health, but what she needed was professional help, which they could not provide. Taking on Selina's work may seem like a favor, but might eventually lead to resentment that Selina is not pulling her weight.
The next best thing that Kate can do is to help Selina find another opportunity in the company that fits both her ability and her disability.
This respondent also suggested a performance improvement plan (PIP) may have not been the best step:
Inviting a third party to discuss a PIP demonstrated a lack of ability in dealing with the situation. Selina did not need to improve; she needed to realize that disobeying and yelling cannot be tolerated in a professional working environment. Why reward her with a PIP?
Another actuary boiled it down to two management principles:
1. Trust your gut
If an employee is not performing well, you give real-time feedback that the employee is not addressing, and encounter resistance to make meaningful changes, trust your gut that it won’t work out, while compiling enough evidence to substantiate it. A PIP is one strategy but more senior, more experienced managers will have an upfront conversation with the employee indicating they are not a good fit and should look for another role. While the first strategy is more HR-proof, an early and honest discussion can often lead to faster and more amicable separation.
2. It’s better for the team if you deal with a performance problem
Even though it can be a painful process, especially if you have to let someone go, the team will respect you for it and morale will improve over time. Conversely, the team may resent the employee or manager if they feel that they are picking up the employee’s slack.
A third provided this pithy analysis:
Kate should have sought to understand Selina's hostility and lack of compliance. If there is a medical issue (physical or mental), then get HR involved and treat the issue accordingly.
If this is simply insubordination, make it clear that the work is not optional and if this is not something she wishes to do, then maybe she needs to look elsewhere. Her behavior can also be a basis for termination. If things do not change, then the PIP makes sense.
Reasonable accommodation if appropriate, rehabilitate or terminate if not. Selina must be able to perform her job duties.
A number of respondents critiqued Kate’s communication to the team, captured by these thoughts:
It was inappropriate for Kate to say it was a family emergency. She should have simply said it’s a personal issue and there is nothing more that needs to be said—including counseling the team on not inventing rumors or gossip about it.
By telling people there was a family emergency, Kate opened up the possibility of people trying to express condolences, or say other things to Selina that might cause confusion and frustration on Selina’s part. She should simply state Selina is dealing with something personal, and leave it at that. Not giving any details, but not creating a story that isn’t exactly true.
A number of respondents felt quick action was called for, even up to termination:
The very first time Selina refused to do certain types of work and yelled at Kate warranted an ultimatum warning and a report to HR. We teach people how they should treat us.
Refusing to do certain types of work is a huge concern for me. I had an individual who had this issue, and after he left the company, we found out he “faked” doing the work, which led to production issues down the line. Yelling at anyone, let alone your manager, also is unacceptable —I have little tolerance for disrespect of anyone. The name-calling in the PIP probably would have been my last straw.
The best course of action is to terminate her. It’s not a manager’s job to rehabilitate people. Basically, you have a non-cooperating employee. HR would tell you to document the situation so that a termination could be effectuated. You are not a qualified psychotherapist but you need to get a job done.
While Kate should try to help Selina navigate her challenges, she is her manager, not her mother or therapist. Work with HR to develop a plan to deal with Selina’s performance, which should have an end date, with either satisfactory improvements or termination. While it’s never easy to terminate someone’s employment, sometimes it’s the right thing to do for all involved, including the employee.
This actuary thought further analysis of the situation was called for:
Kate should take a hard look at the relationship from the beginning to see whether any unconscious biases played a role and evaluate whether her view of the situation is more objective or subjective. Working with Selina’s prior manager or Kate’s manager to assess that situation would be helpful.
Work with Selina to understand her career goal and level set her responsibilities against her level. If the responsibility fits, but she is unwilling to take it on, the assessment needs to be performed across the team or even the department to ensure the assigned responsibilities are comparable to her level. The assessment will be shared with Selina to get her feedback and brainstorm an approach she can take to resolve the disagreement on responsibilities.
These actuaries focused on clear expectations:
Kate should document all discussions between her and Selina, and ask for Selina’s confirmation of receiving the assignments, and agreement to the tasks and corresponding steps. Then she must closely monitor progress.
After Selina's return and poor performance, make sure to set realistic expectations, with workload adjusted to reflect her part-time status. Work with Selina to identify the critical tasks essential for success in the role and within the team. Anything non-critical should be put on hold until resource constraints are resolved.
Many felt an alternate role might be in the cards:
Work with HR to make sure that Selina has the right support system in place to help her be successful. If this doesn't improve Selina's work quality and she won't be able to complete her work at an adequate level, then work with HR to find her an alternative where she could be more successful.
It can be hard for an employee to come back from this situation, and sometimes a change of scenery and a fresh start are what is needed. Maybe that’s a shift to a different manager, or maybe the employee needs to leave the organization.
Get HR involved, and look to let her go if things don’t shape up. If she’s not adding any value to the team (and it sounds like she’s actively detracting from team performance), and she was given a fair shot and things don’t improve, I don’t see why she should maintain her job.
When Selina comes back, and proper expectations are set with her but she still underperforms, engage HR and issue a PIP, and set a documentation process in preparation for sending Selina as a free agent … The spirit is to support a fellow human but there are limits to the support given because I also have a responsibility to the company.
If the performance issue continues, letting Selina go is appropriate as long as everything is documented … I have experienced performance issues and needed to let a team member go. I have found it helpful to get feedback from others, plus help from HR to ensure appropriate documentation to avoid legal consequences.
This actuary laid out a new manager game plan for Kate:
As a new manager, it’s very important that Kate connect with the previous manager to better understand Selina’s performance in her prior role, the nature of work she was best at, and the management style that worked for her. Seek out more advice from her direct supervisor or a mentor before rushing into any decision or escalation. Ask for advice as to how to handle this type of interaction, and also if they had insight as to what Kate might be doing that inadvertently was keeping the tension high.
Reflect, then try to find a solution empathetic to Selina’s needs without compromising the performance standard across the team. Arrange a meeting with Selina and the third party to revisit the PIP parameters, updated to reflect her part-time working arrangement. Re-affirm that her success is important to Kate, clearly identify non-negotiable performance and conduct expectations, and offer support to create an environment to enable her to achieve those expectations. Ask Selina to share her perspective about which expectations she feels are unrealistic, where she may struggle to meet them, and what support she feels would help her.
After this meeting, if there was residual doubt about Selina’s ongoing performance in her current role, Kate should meet with HR and her direct supervisor to discuss appropriate next steps.
Through all of this, Kate should remain mindful of her role as a leader to cultivate a high-performing team and responsibilities to all stakeholder groups, including remaining team members and the broader organization. Develop a short-term action plan to meet existing commitments, and agree with her direct manager on contingency scenarios to address different possible outcomes for Selina’s situation. These may include a replacement team member, or revisiting future prioritization decisions to match the team’s capacity. Share appreciation to team members who are stepping up in the short term, and let them know that you are committed to leading the team towards a sustainable long-term state.
One respondent suggested this might be a sign of a toxic workplace:
The first thing Kate should have done was set a meeting with her HR representative and Selina’s prior manager. It’s critical to understand if this behavior is ongoing or something new. If it’s ongoing, then Kate should be following whatever plan was previously in place—and Kate might want to consider a change of employment herself because if this had been ongoing and she was not made aware of it prior to the transfer, that indicates a toxic and poorly run work environment.
Many actuaries emphasized working closely with HR:
What has always worked well for me is to work closely with HR. They are often skilled at seeing things clearly and helping to communicate in an effective manner. As an alternative, I have a couple of friends who are good at playing coach when I have encountered challenging folks.
Sometimes it does come to a point where you need to put someone on a PIP, regardless of the cause of the behavior. Sometimes employees improve their performance and sometimes they don’t. HR can help you make sure that you are following all applicable laws as you go through this process.
Situations like this are super tough. It is prudent to work with HR and ensure your approach is sound and supported by the company.
I would have immediately deferred to HR. At my company, to be able to put someone on a formal PIP, you already have to be well involved with HR, with very thorough, detailed, and fact-based documentation of the situation. I don’t really see any issue with this until the point that Selina returns from her leave and is still not performing well. If Selina isn’t meeting the agreed-upon actions in her PIP, it is up to HR to determine if there is any rationale to be more flexible and not terminate her.
And several respondents emphasized compassion and empathy:
The number one skill that a manager can use to de-escalate the situation is empathy. The employee who is struggling doesn’t want to be feeling this way and doesn’t want to act out at work, but something is triggering them. Helping them feel seen and creating an environment of psychological safety can go a long way. If an employee does disclose mental health issues, inquiring if they need accommodations under the ADA can also be helpful, as well as referring them to your Employee Assistance Program if you have one.
After her return, it appears that Selina is trying to get on track, but it’s slow. She needs compassion and understanding. Kate and the team leader need to work with Selina on what can be done to help her find success and improvement. That may require the team to rally around and help. That may place a burden on the team, but an example of love for each other and working together with shared accountability can build a stronger and more cohesive team going forward as Selina gets better and becomes more productive.
When Selina joined Kate’s team, it may have been helpful to have a one-on-one where both parties could get to know each other. Kate could have asked Selina what she liked about her job and what she might do differently if she were in charge. What motivates Selina to do a good job? Does she feel fully trained and capable of doing her duties? Does she have enough time to complete her tasks? What barriers does she perceive in doing her work? She could also have spent some time getting to know Selina on more of a personal level to understand and be empathetic to any issues that might hinder performance. Kate could have used the time to clearly set expectations and share her management style to set the stage for working together amicably. Setting an agreement regarding how both parties agree to work together would have been helpful if things later went awry.
I learned from a somewhat analogous situation I faced that it is ideal when inheriting a team or an employee, to meet one-on-one to have frank, open discussions about expectations, their role, the company’s focus, and more. The first thing I would do is meet one-on-one with Selina and ask her point-blank to summarize what is bothering her, to try to ascertain her root issue. I would try to be very open to “hear” what she is trying to communicate—listen to her words without interruption, and look at her body language. This may provide clues to what is upsetting her, in which case I would go into “problem-solving” mode.
Finally, this respondent drew lessons from their own past experiences:
There are two parts to this: dealing with the inappropriate behavior (yelling & calling people evil) and dealing with whatever level of productivity one can get out of Selina.
Make it clear what behavior is appropriate in the office. If there have been no further outbursts once Selina is back part-time, then I wouldn't make a big deal about it. But if there is another outburst of yelling & calling names, it needs to be made clear, in a private meeting between Selina, Kate, and a neutral 3rd party, that this is inappropriate behavior in an office environment. It is okay to voice disagreement or frustration, but one need not yell. This should be conveyed in a neutral voice.
Even where people with mental/emotional/cognitive disabilities are accommodated in the workplace, there is not an infinite amount of forbearance. Some behavior is not to be tolerated, and if it's persistent, it needs to be dealt with. It's fine to be supportive, such as by pointing towards available support, but it really isn't Kate’s business.
I have had some colleagues with erratic behavior from time to time. I have found it very easy to simply tell them, neutrally, that what they said or did was inappropriate and here is a better choice for relaying their displeasure in the future, etc. Be direct, because "hints" will be lost on people who already have shown they're not behaving normally.
What Actually Happened?
Selina returned to work part-time while continuing treatment. Kate felt conflicted. On the one hand, she considered mental health very important, and wanted Selina to receive the care and support she needed. On the other hand, Selina did not seem to be up to the complex work her job required. Her performance was very poor, impacting the rest of the team who needed to take up the slack and creating resentment. Ultimately, HR stepped in and told Selina she needed to come back full-time if she wanted to keep her job. She resigned two days later.
With Selina absent, the team began functioning smoothly again, and was completely back on track by the end of the year.
Afterward, Kate ran into Selina’s prior manager, who shared that she had been asking his team members about returning to them, saying that Kate’s team was terrible. He expressed surprise that she resigned. Kate then shared a little of Selina’s past behavior, and he said he knew “she did things like that.”
Kate wished she had known that at the start!
Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries, the newsletter editors, or the respective authors’ employers.
John Hadley was an FSA for many years, and now works with job seekers frustrated with their search. He can be reached at John@JHACareers.com or +1 908-725-2437 or via LinkedIn. Find his free Career Tips newsletter and other resources at www.JHACareers.com.