Co-workers at odds
By driscollini
@driscollini (174)
United States
January 25, 2007 1:50pm CST
I have been working where I am at for 5 years now, and have been promoted quite a few times since starting. Through those promotions I have been put in charge of have the employees at the plant. (14) When I took my first promotion that gave me some subordinates I had 6 people to manage but now that I have moved up the ladder I have been given more responsiblity in this area. A problem has been arising the past 2 years with empoyee's arguing more and more with each other and has even now gotten to the point were the are slashing each others caracter through malicious rumors. One of the latest was from one lady that is new to the first shift; she is telling everyone that another older lady, who has been with the company for 10 years, has stolen 20 dollars and a coin purse from her. I have talk to the older employee, who to me from experinece is not the kind of person who steals from poeple, if she was indeed the colprit in this act, to which she replied no and that this was a low blow. She even gave us the opportunity to search her purse to look for the money.
Now the situation has become more dificult. On one hand I have eployee's doing the character assination and on the other I have employee's who are being maligned, and I am stuck in a battle that is raging more and more out of control.
I have tried to manage this, but it seems as though I am losing the battle.
Where did I go wrong? What are some things that I can do to remedy the situation? Have I let things get to far out of hand to change the course now? Can you help me?
1 person likes this
1 response
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
25 Jan 07
I wish I could help you, but it sounds like you have found yourself in quite the mess! I think that perhaps you should have the two employees sit down and tell them that whatever character or personality differences that they have, have no place in the work place. I think it would not only make things difficult for you as their boss, but for all of the employees around them. No one likes to get up and go to a job that they hate or know that they will face some sort of confrontation.
Has the lady who lost the money actually confronted the other lady or is this just a bunch of rumors? Sometimes women need the opportunity to yell at each other and get things off their chest. Other times it might be best to tell them to grow the "H" up and shut up and do their jobs.
If one of them is harassing the other or if it goes both ways, they may need to be written up and eventually terminated. It's not good for small companies to waste payroll on women (people) who are doing more fighting then working.
Best of luck and I'm really glad that I don't have to face this any more!
@driscollini (174)
• United States
25 Jan 07
they have confronted each other, and I have even sat down with both of them and talked through things, but it never seems to help. the problem is not just isolated to them though it all across the plant.
1 person likes this
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
24 Feb 07
Thanks for best response, I know it must have been difficult for you to decide who to give this to! LOL!
1 person likes this
