This issue came up in many discussions where a team member, when assessed below the performance standards or facing any unacceptable issue, threatens their immediate manager with committing suicide or taking other drastic actions. How should a manager handle this situation or employee, and what HR safeguards are available to assist the manager in dealing with this challenging scenario?
Thank you.
From India, Visakhapatnam
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1Thank you.
From India, Visakhapatnam
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Dear Gurdeep,
Would you mind providing more information about yourself? I will address your query upon receiving the requested information. In the meantime, please provide me with the following supportive information:
1) How many years of experience do you have with your firm?
2) What is your total years of experience?
3) How old is the assessee?
4) Describe the noted/visible attitude/behavior of the assessee with his colleagues.
5) What is the relationship status between the assessee and his immediate manager?
6) Kindly update me about the previous assessment status of the assessee.
With profound regards,
From India, Chennai
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Would you mind providing more information about yourself? I will address your query upon receiving the requested information. In the meantime, please provide me with the following supportive information:
1) How many years of experience do you have with your firm?
2) What is your total years of experience?
3) How old is the assessee?
4) Describe the noted/visible attitude/behavior of the assessee with his colleagues.
5) What is the relationship status between the assessee and his immediate manager?
6) Kindly update me about the previous assessment status of the assessee.
With profound regards,
From India, Chennai
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Dear Gurdeep,
The employee in question is asking for an eager ear who can give him/her patient listening. The issues are going to run way beyond the current work situations. Please be prepared for them. Most of these issues are beyond anyone's control and any option to resolve it. They merely need time, during which he/she needs to grow up to face and accept it.
Please find a counselor amongst your leaders who is ready to make that effort for him/her. It may or may not be productive at all. However, as an HR professional, that remains your only option. Eventually, the employee will move out of your organization to other roles. You can only offer balance and stability until then. Let him/her be guided to the best of your capabilities.
Wish you all the best!
Regards, (Cite Contribution)
From India, Mumbai
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The employee in question is asking for an eager ear who can give him/her patient listening. The issues are going to run way beyond the current work situations. Please be prepared for them. Most of these issues are beyond anyone's control and any option to resolve it. They merely need time, during which he/she needs to grow up to face and accept it.
Please find a counselor amongst your leaders who is ready to make that effort for him/her. It may or may not be productive at all. However, as an HR professional, that remains your only option. Eventually, the employee will move out of your organization to other roles. You can only offer balance and stability until then. Let him/her be guided to the best of your capabilities.
Wish you all the best!
Regards, (Cite Contribution)
From India, Mumbai
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I agree with Ms (Cite Contribution), but you must inform the same to his/her family immediately whenever you found this problem because in this kind of situation people most of time can be found in two situations that we cant deny actually. The very first is that one can be damn serious and commit suicide anytime, which can be dangerous to both the parties. Second, this employee is just acting to take benefits, therefore, what HR Manager has to do is to take this situation very wisely.
First step, The Manager has to take him/her easy by saying that they gonna get him/her another chance of few more days to perform which he/she has to accept. Because the employee who threatens always expect quick answer by the Manager/Employer, which is really important and complicated situation for both the parties.
Second, Manager needs to assign this job to get him/her ease by any colleague/friend of this employee, so that, the immediate situation can be handle or control, and Manager/Employer can get time to take further and corrective actions. (Also suggested by Ms. (Cite Contribution) above)
Third, Manager must arrange a counselor for this employee and inform the same to the family of this employee. However, sometime employer/Manager feels that this action can make employee more impulsive and affect negatively but because in any case, employee took action, the employer can be found accountable for the situation.
Like Ms (Cite Contribution) said above “You can only offer balance and stability” these three quick steps can help Manager to handle the situation wisely.
From India, Gurgaon
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First step, The Manager has to take him/her easy by saying that they gonna get him/her another chance of few more days to perform which he/she has to accept. Because the employee who threatens always expect quick answer by the Manager/Employer, which is really important and complicated situation for both the parties.
Second, Manager needs to assign this job to get him/her ease by any colleague/friend of this employee, so that, the immediate situation can be handle or control, and Manager/Employer can get time to take further and corrective actions. (Also suggested by Ms. (Cite Contribution) above)
Third, Manager must arrange a counselor for this employee and inform the same to the family of this employee. However, sometime employer/Manager feels that this action can make employee more impulsive and affect negatively but because in any case, employee took action, the employer can be found accountable for the situation.
Like Ms (Cite Contribution) said above “You can only offer balance and stability” these three quick steps can help Manager to handle the situation wisely.
From India, Gurgaon
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Hello Gurdeep!!
Firstly, let me say that you've come up with a real-time problem that many of us face.
Coming to your query, I feel that such employees are either dumb or very smart (extremes). They are losers who fear that if they lose this job, they would never find one, which would disturb their social status (personal life), or are so confident (like blackmailers) who are sure that if they take such steps (only a verbal warning), the company will fall back and will do whatever they want. They are so smart that even during the interview (selection process), it is difficult to identify this attribute.
Ideally, A.K. Arora has mentioned the steps beautifully that can be taken to handle such a situation. However, I feel that, in addition to that, it is better for a company to also identify the way such an employee can be asked to leave once things are smooth.
From India, Ahmedabad
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Firstly, let me say that you've come up with a real-time problem that many of us face.
Coming to your query, I feel that such employees are either dumb or very smart (extremes). They are losers who fear that if they lose this job, they would never find one, which would disturb their social status (personal life), or are so confident (like blackmailers) who are sure that if they take such steps (only a verbal warning), the company will fall back and will do whatever they want. They are so smart that even during the interview (selection process), it is difficult to identify this attribute.
Ideally, A.K. Arora has mentioned the steps beautifully that can be taken to handle such a situation. However, I feel that, in addition to that, it is better for a company to also identify the way such an employee can be asked to leave once things are smooth.
From India, Ahmedabad
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Dear Gurdeep,
This type of situation is very frequent in the lives of HR personnel. I have also come across a similar situation where an ex-workman wrote a letter to our Management and threatened to commit suicide. He mentioned in his letter that he was paid less VRS amount and due to his numerous liabilities (son's education/daughter's marriage, etc.), he was mentally disturbed and unstable, and would commit suicide. The workman had opted for VRS and was relieved after receiving all legal payable dues. His actions were, of course, instigated by one of the rival union leaders.
In response, I replied to his letter, stating that he had opted for VRS on a specific date and was relieved after all legal dues were paid. We enclosed all relevant documents and clarified that the decision to opt for VRS was his own, without any influence from the Management. Additionally, I highlighted that threatening the Management with suicide was a pressure tactic to extract more money, which is unlawful under IPC and subject to legal action. Copies of the letter were sent to the local SHO, SP, DM, Labour Commissioner, Chief Inspector of Factories, and Boilers. A separate letter was also sent to the SHO requesting intervention in the matter. As a result, the ex-workman was booked under the relevant section of IPC.
You may consider taking similar steps. Seek advice from your legal counsel and promptly send a letter. Highlight his declining performance, and if there is a mechanism in place to measure his performance, showing it to be below average would be beneficial. Don't forget to send copies to relevant Government officials. The threat may materialize if left unaddressed.
Regards,
Rakesh Pd Srivastav
From India, Gurgaon
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This type of situation is very frequent in the lives of HR personnel. I have also come across a similar situation where an ex-workman wrote a letter to our Management and threatened to commit suicide. He mentioned in his letter that he was paid less VRS amount and due to his numerous liabilities (son's education/daughter's marriage, etc.), he was mentally disturbed and unstable, and would commit suicide. The workman had opted for VRS and was relieved after receiving all legal payable dues. His actions were, of course, instigated by one of the rival union leaders.
In response, I replied to his letter, stating that he had opted for VRS on a specific date and was relieved after all legal dues were paid. We enclosed all relevant documents and clarified that the decision to opt for VRS was his own, without any influence from the Management. Additionally, I highlighted that threatening the Management with suicide was a pressure tactic to extract more money, which is unlawful under IPC and subject to legal action. Copies of the letter were sent to the local SHO, SP, DM, Labour Commissioner, Chief Inspector of Factories, and Boilers. A separate letter was also sent to the SHO requesting intervention in the matter. As a result, the ex-workman was booked under the relevant section of IPC.
You may consider taking similar steps. Seek advice from your legal counsel and promptly send a letter. Highlight his declining performance, and if there is a mechanism in place to measure his performance, showing it to be below average would be beneficial. Don't forget to send copies to relevant Government officials. The threat may materialize if left unaddressed.
Regards,
Rakesh Pd Srivastav
From India, Gurgaon
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Threatening to commit suicide is often due to a lack of confidence. It is a natural instinct for human beings to protect themselves from the threats they are facing. As humans, it is our responsibility to thoroughly investigate the root causes of the problems surrounding us and seek solutions with the help of skilled individuals.
From India, Delhi
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From India, Delhi
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Dear Gurdeep,
I am glad I read the points put forward by members and am grateful, even if the particular staff I am referring to has not openly threatened to commit suicide. Her behavior is so outrageous that I would like to do it myself. She laughs loudly in the office - an obnoxious behavior that drives me up the wall, gossiping and making up stories, not respecting the senior officers, playing music loudly in the office just because she is bored, or being the only one who comes in late because her son is having exams. No one says anything to her, and we are told to be quiet as things are being done, then who cares about the little things in-between – office politics.
Thanks, guys, for the replies.
From Mauritius
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I am glad I read the points put forward by members and am grateful, even if the particular staff I am referring to has not openly threatened to commit suicide. Her behavior is so outrageous that I would like to do it myself. She laughs loudly in the office - an obnoxious behavior that drives me up the wall, gossiping and making up stories, not respecting the senior officers, playing music loudly in the office just because she is bored, or being the only one who comes in late because her son is having exams. No one says anything to her, and we are told to be quiet as things are being done, then who cares about the little things in-between – office politics.
Thanks, guys, for the replies.
From Mauritius
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Talk to his family members and tell them about his suicidal tendencies. Tell him he needs professional help and recommend a suicide helpline or professional counselor. If possible, help him with bill reimbursement, etc., if your company policy allows that. The moment he is in the threat-of-suicide zone, it becomes a serious matter. Do the right thing. Do everything you can as a human to help him, but do not give a higher performance rating just because of the pressure of his suicide threat. Also, whether he is not performing well or is very intelligent, you wouldn't want him on the team for long. If he is bluffing, he is setting a bad example and bringing in a non-performance-related issue into decision-making. If, god forbid, he actually does something terrible, you and several others in the office might have to handle an unnecessary headache.
From India, Delhi
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From India, Delhi
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