One of the employee in our organisation was verbally abused by his boss XY over the phone during a telecon whilst others were also present. This employee has suddenly been in a dejected and very frustrated mode.
The boss XY is known for such abuses within organisation wide but due to his stature and position nobody willingly comes forward to launch a formal complaint.
This employee has since then taken a long leave and is currently not reporting on medical grounds. He is known to me and we all at HR fully sympathise with him. We had asked him to launch a complaint. but he refuse to do so. He has taken leave to alleviate himself from the legal bond he has sign whilst going to overseas.
Now the twist to the story is that he wants to leave the organisation immediately the day his bond expires i.e. exchange his leave+ 1mont salary in lieu of 3 months notice period. He has some 2.5 months of Leave and some 2 months of Sick leave. He says, he is willing to settle all the financial matters amicably but doesn't want to come to office and face the Big guy.
As a HR professional who has worked with this guy for almost 7 years and this guy being very senior (almost 12 years of exp) and asset to the organisation. is being treated unprofessionally and i am just helpless as i can't do anything. i am just confused how to handle the scenario.
Pl. advice.
Pyarelal
From India, Bangalore
The boss XY is known for such abuses within organisation wide but due to his stature and position nobody willingly comes forward to launch a formal complaint.
This employee has since then taken a long leave and is currently not reporting on medical grounds. He is known to me and we all at HR fully sympathise with him. We had asked him to launch a complaint. but he refuse to do so. He has taken leave to alleviate himself from the legal bond he has sign whilst going to overseas.
Now the twist to the story is that he wants to leave the organisation immediately the day his bond expires i.e. exchange his leave+ 1mont salary in lieu of 3 months notice period. He has some 2.5 months of Leave and some 2 months of Sick leave. He says, he is willing to settle all the financial matters amicably but doesn't want to come to office and face the Big guy.
As a HR professional who has worked with this guy for almost 7 years and this guy being very senior (almost 12 years of exp) and asset to the organisation. is being treated unprofessionally and i am just helpless as i can't do anything. i am just confused how to handle the scenario.
Pl. advice.
Pyarelal
From India, Bangalore
Hi Pyarelal,
Welcome to citehr.com!!..
I understand your predicament ..being the mute bystander to all these happenings..you feel like killing the Boss!! :D ...we all have experienced that from time to time..
Naturally this is expected if he is dejected..certainly demotivating factor especially being humiliated in the presence of others..
Am glad you want to do something..
There are two strategies can be employed -
1. The aggrieved employee- Personal counselling as not to take this as a personal affront or look at things from larger perspective..may be boss XYZ didn't do intentionally or it was a spur of the moment..we all at some point of time do recieve rebuke from our bosses..others who have been at the recieving end can share their experience & convince him to stay on..emphasise on the fact to brush off this incident & move on..making a career change on this basis is not a good idea..we all need to have emotional intelligence to deal with these issues..
2. Boss XYZ..the bad guy..in reality he may not be so..to deal with him in following manner may help..
a. Speak to his boss in confidence about his behaviour and the impact it has on the organization in terms of losing talent & low morale..which would leave the dent on the performance of the company on the longer run..( am assuming this company is run by professionals..)big boss should have a word with xyz..on this matter ..emphasis should be on the behaviour & not on the person as per se..
b. Send him to anger management training program or emotional intelligence session..
c. Have a meeting with Boss XYZ after big boss - see what he feels about the same & try to arrange the meeting with employee for recouncilation..preferably in a pub after office hours...it helps...
d. If the employee leaves - let the boss xyz know the reason..
My advice to you - be bold & firm..why get scared at all!! afterall your main responsibility is to keep the talented professionals in the company & do everything to retain them..
If you love your job & genuinely concerned then take the firm stand & atleast make the attempt..if it fails you would have the satisfaction of atleast trying for the same..it would soothe your conscience..
This is what i call is the Strategic HR Role!! otherwise we stand relegated to staff role & administrative functions..
Good luck..
Rajat Joshi
From India, Pune
Welcome to citehr.com!!..
I understand your predicament ..being the mute bystander to all these happenings..you feel like killing the Boss!! :D ...we all have experienced that from time to time..
Naturally this is expected if he is dejected..certainly demotivating factor especially being humiliated in the presence of others..
Am glad you want to do something..
There are two strategies can be employed -
1. The aggrieved employee- Personal counselling as not to take this as a personal affront or look at things from larger perspective..may be boss XYZ didn't do intentionally or it was a spur of the moment..we all at some point of time do recieve rebuke from our bosses..others who have been at the recieving end can share their experience & convince him to stay on..emphasise on the fact to brush off this incident & move on..making a career change on this basis is not a good idea..we all need to have emotional intelligence to deal with these issues..
2. Boss XYZ..the bad guy..in reality he may not be so..to deal with him in following manner may help..
a. Speak to his boss in confidence about his behaviour and the impact it has on the organization in terms of losing talent & low morale..which would leave the dent on the performance of the company on the longer run..( am assuming this company is run by professionals..)big boss should have a word with xyz..on this matter ..emphasis should be on the behaviour & not on the person as per se..
b. Send him to anger management training program or emotional intelligence session..
c. Have a meeting with Boss XYZ after big boss - see what he feels about the same & try to arrange the meeting with employee for recouncilation..preferably in a pub after office hours...it helps...
d. If the employee leaves - let the boss xyz know the reason..
My advice to you - be bold & firm..why get scared at all!! afterall your main responsibility is to keep the talented professionals in the company & do everything to retain them..
If you love your job & genuinely concerned then take the firm stand & atleast make the attempt..if it fails you would have the satisfaction of atleast trying for the same..it would soothe your conscience..
This is what i call is the Strategic HR Role!! otherwise we stand relegated to staff role & administrative functions..
Good luck..
Rajat Joshi
From India, Pune
Thanks Rajat for such a detailed and resourceful insight. I humbly thank you for your all efforts. and time. Yes, we have tried counselling the Big Boss XY but he brushes off all such activities as simple time pass. Yes he is very senior manager in the Organisation and is responsible for generating revenues to the tune of 150 crores rupees.
Yes we all belong to a Software Consulting Company
I have also tried counselling the employee. He said, he has been through this excruciating experience under this Boss XY almost 4 times since he joined his team about 5 months ago; inspite of being a bright and resourceful person. His boss understands the same, but doesn't want to express the feelings since he thinks patting the employees /middle managers decreases their performance.
My Sr. HR manager is also reluctant to listen to this incident or act upon this due to big stature of Boss XY.
To cut short employee has also just made up his firm mind to put papers. Employees Boss XY is not aware of the fact and neither has time to listen to such things.
I am just feeling helpless at the crossroads of corporate politics. Because , I have already tried the suggested steps.
Thanks again,
With Best Regards,
Pyarelal
From India, Bangalore
Yes we all belong to a Software Consulting Company
I have also tried counselling the employee. He said, he has been through this excruciating experience under this Boss XY almost 4 times since he joined his team about 5 months ago; inspite of being a bright and resourceful person. His boss understands the same, but doesn't want to express the feelings since he thinks patting the employees /middle managers decreases their performance.
My Sr. HR manager is also reluctant to listen to this incident or act upon this due to big stature of Boss XY.
To cut short employee has also just made up his firm mind to put papers. Employees Boss XY is not aware of the fact and neither has time to listen to such things.
I am just feeling helpless at the crossroads of corporate politics. Because , I have already tried the suggested steps.
Thanks again,
With Best Regards,
Pyarelal
From India, Bangalore
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