Problem Employee

[mixedspices]

Good evening and a HNY to all CAGers,

 

I work for a family friend who runs his own business. He has a 'problem' employee - one who is insubordinate, is constantly making mistakes, spends most of their time on the internet/generally avoiding doing work, and has a personal vendetta against our boss resulting in the disclosure of defamatory information.

 

Their behaviour has been ongoing for some time (2 years), but none of it has ever been formally raised as unfortunately my boss, while excellent with figures, is admittedly not good dealing with personnel issues or confrontation.

 

I have two questions please:

1) I assume any behaviour that has occurred previously couldn't be used due to it not being dealt with at the time?

2) How could my boss go about raising these issues in future (without it looking like a witch hunt) when they appear not to have been a problem previously?

 

Thank you,

 

MS

[reallymadwoman]

Behaviour which has gone unchallenged in the past could well now be deemed to be 'accepted custom'. Unless they are somehow irreplaceable, I suggest your boss finds some means of sacking this person as soon as possible as after 2 years, they're not likely to react well to suddenly having their actions questioned.

[mixedspices]

Thanks RMW,

 

I think everyone agrees that letting the employee go is the preferred course if action, but it is now difficult to find a reason as their behaviour - which would usually be grounds for dismissal according to our handbook - has gone unchallenged.

[reallymadwoman]

How about a general directive that in future no member of staff is permitted to use the internet during working hours. If it's applied to everybody, then there's no reason for this employee to feel picked upon. If he complies, then pick on something else to 'improve', e.g. requiring all employees to turn their mobiles off during working hours.

How long exactly has he been employed - if it's not quite 2 years, he can be sacked for pretty much anything.