Not pulling your weight

[cassa333]

Any oppinions to the following will be appreciated.

A worker, who you know (relative or very good friend) but don't work with, has a realy good job. Well paid and high tech. That person was singled out for a fast track career, should go far etc.

That person hasn't, in the opinion of their bosses, reached their potential yet. They think that they are coasting and only working to 75% of their ability/capasity, have taken a great deal of time off sick and takes full advantage of the flexi time.

The bosses haven't said anything to your friend but one of them has let it be known to you that they are aware of the above. It was said to you on the qt in the hope that you will 'have a quiet word' and give them a nudge.

So far oppinion 1 is that it would be more appropriate coming from the boss and you should keep out of it. (easy option)

Oppinion 2 that perhaps the boss is trying to keep it off the record and not have it 'out in the open' and realises that if they say anything, something then has to be done officialy.

Would you say something or not? Would you want to be told this even by a friend or would you like to be kept in the dark? If redundancies came along and you went because you weren't told about what they were thinking and sudenly found out that your friend/relative knew how would you feel knowing they didn't tell you? In effect would you want to be told even if it didn't come from the 'proper channels' ie the boss?

[sara3]

would I want to think my boss has been discussing this with others before telling me? no. this is very unprofessional. I'd keep right out of it. if a union was involved, the boss would be in big trouble.

[carmalee]

Bosses should boss and not pass the buck to someone else - if they aren't able to discuss the problem in a positive way with the person involved then they shouldn't be bosses. My reading of it is that they are not confident in their ability to resolve the problem in an amicable way so are opting out. What's so difficult in discussing it with the person involved? - I see no problem at all, just weak management..

[cassa333]

Absolutly I agree that the boss should do it.

What if the general feel of the place is that they don't and he wants to give him the heads up without having gone against policy (or whatever!!).

At the end of the day he should do it but at this stage hasn't.

How would you feel if it were you and your friend didn't tell you? Would you want to be told so that you could do something about it or be blissfully unaware until the disaplinary meeting?

Also if you were to have a disiplinary or got rid of under a similar situation and you later found out a good friend knew how would you feel then?

On the one hand I think keep clear and let 'nature' take it's course but out of concern I would want them to know so they can decide if they want to improve or carry on as they are.

[carmalee]

I'm sure there must be proceedures in place for your friend to have a warning before disciplinary action is taken - check contract and terms of employment - bosses have a duty of care to do certain things - I reiterate, it's down to the bosses - or were you employed to be their spokesperson? Have you thought what would happen if you mentioned it to your friend and he/she felt he/she had reason to instigate industrial action based on what you said? Based on very many years of experience in 'works politics' there is always someone willing to load the gun then get you to fire it. As for the friendship thingie, if your mate isn't stepping up to the mark are you responsible?

[Prudie]

Although previous answers are professionally correct surely there's a vital point being missed here - why would the boss discuss it with you first? You must be a friend of the boss too and you've said you don't work with the person concerned? In that case maybe they are giving an off-the-record friendly hint of what may be coming if your friend/relative doesn't raise their game.

[cassa333]

Prudie that is exactly that.

All the postureing about the boss should do it is correct but he has or is trying to give him the heads up without being seen to.

[Prudie]

I have thought about this and it is quite a dilemma I agree. Do you think your friend is aware of their shortcomings? are they deliberately making the most of sick/flexi and would they care if they lost their job or faced disciplinary action? Personally I would probably warn my friend but checking that the boss was 100% OK with you doing it first and willing to take the risk that it might backfire if the friend raised a grievance about confidentiality being broken (ie discussing their performance outside the proper channels).

[boxtops]

I am appalled that, friend or not, the boss thought it fit to tip you the wink like this. It's a breach of confidence and very unprofessional. Even if you were part of the team where your friend is working, this should be addressed direct with the person concerned. This is the sort of stuff which at my place of work, would come up in the annual appraisal, and if people are not pulling their weight, then it's reflected in their objectives for the coming year. This is disgraceful. Poor performance should be dealt with - in our place - with a verbal warning then a written warning, before further steps are taken which can include retraining or capability measures. How do you think your friend would receive it, if you told them that you'd had it on the QT that they should be watching their back?

[Prudie]

Boxtops I understand your feelings about this but I tried to look at it by imagining the players being in my own circle eg my daughter working for a company and her boss being a friend of my partner for example. Puts a different slant on it and I think we'd want to know - unless of course my daughter couldn't care less or was pulling the wool.