Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Ethics of Interviewing - Section I
How would you ethically handle this employment situation as proposed in our text, “Communicating at Work” by Adler and Elmhorst? You know that an employee has been leaving work early for the past several months. You hope he will volunteer this information, without you having to confront him. During his performance appraisal, how can you raise the issue with this employee? This blog is due by the beginning of class on Friday, Feb. 13th.
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ReplyDeleteIn a situation like this, if the employee has not presented himself to you about his leaving early then a performance evaluation is the perfect time to try and bring that up. Now it was called a performance appraisal, so start with some things that you have noticed him striving in. Say he hands his work in early every time he has something due. Or you don’t have to ask him to do something before he does it. If these pros outweigh the cons, then it might be worth leaving the issue alone. But if you are really trying to breach that topic, ask him how many hours he puts in the office. He can answer truthfully and tell you he likes to pick his son or daughter up from school, and then do a little work from home. There can be many answers to it, and just because he has not come right out in the open means that he is trying to be secretive. I would definitely approach the situation in a non-confrontational way. You may be surprised to see hear what the reason is. It could be anything that is too personal for him to come right out and say, so tread softly. If he starts to lie about it, then you may want to mention that you have noticed him leaving early and if there is conflict in his work environment or something. Give him a few chances to have him share, if he is still trying to avoid the subject, you may want to present a more forceful approach.
ReplyDeleteIf the employee has not volunteered to inform you about him leaving early then there is no choice other than to confront them with the problem. In this situation, I do not want to get them upset or defensive; I just want the employee to tell me the truth about why he is leaving early. Best way to approach the matter is by establishing a positive climate and also praise his past achievements. Then it would be okay to ask him why he has been leaving early. Since there was a positive climate made, the employee will feel comfortable to be honest and open with the employer. The employer can then criticize him and offer to help. Employer can help by telling the employee that if he needs to leave early then comes in earlier. At the end of the performance appraisal interview it is best to let the employee know where he stands.
ReplyDeleteFirst I would begin the review process of the appraisal interview, by identifying the criteria that I will be evaluating. After explaining the value of time and the organization’s policy on leaving early, I will discuss the employee’s success, problems, and needs. In this segment I will ask the employee if he/she has been respecting the organization’s policy on time. And if the employee confesses, then I will discuss how he can fix the problem and ask why he did this. However, if the employee does not admit about leaving early, I will tell him that I have noticed his recent trend of leaving early. After expressing my disappointment in the employee I will set a goal which focuses on leaving on the correct time. Also I will tell the employee if he fails to meet this goal then he will not have a future here.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation, I would directly confront the employee at the evaluation. I would inform him that I knew he was leaving early, and would ask him to explain why he was doing it. I would tell him that no matter the situation, he should have informed us that he needed to leave and so we could arrange a way around this situation. I would also make sure that he knew that leaving early without warning is not acceptable, and that if he continued to do it without letting us know there would be consequences.
ReplyDeleteI would go over the appraisal with the employee the way I would with any employee knowing that he is leaving early unexcused. I would have respect for the employee while bringing up the fact that he is leaving work early without informing anyone. I would listen to what his reasons are for leaving early and then finish by telling him our policy on this matter. The last thing I would want to do is attack the employee about this matter because that will just make it worst. If his reasons for leaving early are not excusable reasons I will tell him what he should be doing and that the company will be watching to make sure he leaves on time.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I would go through the performance appraisal as usual and give the employee opportunities to volunteer the information on his own. If the person did not mention anything about this issue during the appraisal, I would ask if there is anything else he would like to discuss, giving him another chance to speak up about the problem. If he still did not take advantage of the opportunities I have offered, then I would respectfully ask if there is a reason for his behavior. I would let him know that anything he reveals personal or private would be held in the strictest confidence, then I would listen to his answer, and judge whether it is an acceptable reason or not. Then I would try to rectify the situation with the employee based on his reason and the company's policy regarding work schedules. I would also offer any assistance that I could to resolve the issue.
ReplyDeleteIf the employee in question did not raise the issue during his performance appraisal, I would calmly inquire as to his reasons for leaving early without permission for months consecutively. If his reason for doing so was genuine, I would just request that he see me personally and make sure that it is a reasonable time to leave, depending on his reason. If his reason did not justify leaving early, I would have to ask him to stay until the end of the day like the other employees.
ReplyDeleteIf the employee has not informed me about him leaving work early then I will confront him about it. During his performance appraisal, I will let him know where he stands in the company by appraising him for his hard work. I will also try to improve the relationship between him and I so he would be able to trust me and tell me what is the problem that makes him leave work early. Once he knows that he can trust me and knows that I’m not just his boss but I am also his friend, he will feel more comfortable and be able to tell me his problems. We will then find a solution to help him overcome his issue and eventually have him working normal again.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation I would first go through the appraisal and tell the employee his/her strengths and weaknesses. I would also treat the employee with respect and make the employee feel comfortable. If the employee did not bring up the situation of leaving early, I would address it by asking him/her if there is anything in the employees’ minds that he/she feels they need to work on. If the employee says no then I would ask the employee about leaving work early and why is the employee leaving work early. I would allow the employee to make a free response and whatever answer is said would determine whether the employee has to face consequences or if the employee is leaving early for a valid reason.
ReplyDeleteBeing the non confrontational person that I am, I would definitely begin my appraisal with asking the employer first if there is anything he would like to tell me before I start. If he fails to admit to his leaving early, is when I would begin with letting him know, I have known about his leaving early. Seeing that it is a performance appraisal, there is no problem letting him know that he is being dishonest by leaving early without authorization, and also that he may be abusing his payroll, because he is not in work his full amount of hours. If he gives me feedback with some sort of justifiable reason why he was leaving early for the past few months with documentation or authorization, I will understand, and let him know how he now stands. However if I sense he is not being truthful, and his reasons for leaving are not adequate, I will explain to him that he did put himself in jeopardy of his position in the company. Honesty is so important in the workplace, and whether it is personal problems, or problems within work, if you cannot get them squared away with your coworkers or at least your boss, it is not good.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important in this situation to let the employee know the good things I’ve noticed in his work and to make sure he is relaxed and free to let me know his opinions about the work he has been doing or any complaints he has. I think upward communication is just as important as downward and horizontal and I would give the employee the chance to come out and explain on his own if anything has been going on in his personal life so I can get a sense of how his work may be being affected. If he chooses not to explain on his own why he has been leaving I would let him know that I've taken note of his early leaves and would like to know why. If it was a legitimate reason I would take this into consideration and help him figure out a way he could take care of his personal issues without his work or the company being affected. He needs to know that I am his superior and that, although I do not condone the fact that he has been skipping out on work early, he should feel at ease coming to me with problems that he has. If the reason was something inexcusable I would let him know that I do not approve and that I expect his actions to stop. It is important to let employees know you are understanding, but also expect them to follow the rules and policies of the company.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation, I will first have to look at the work done by the employee. Has the employee been doing his/her job, submit all his work on time and the quality of his work satisfactory or above? I would not mind if an employee has to leave early for personal reasons if the work gets done. But I would like to keep the working environment comfortable enough that an employee would not have a problem sharing the reason why he/she has been leaving early without hesitation. I will go on through the appraisal as usual and ask if he/she has any comments to add or questions to ask. If still, the employee decides not to admit his early departures, then I have no choice but to confront and ask for a reason. If the employee’s reason is not acceptable, then I will disclose to him/her that it is required of every employee to stay until the work day is over.
ReplyDeleteThe key to success in this situation is to not have to confront the employee about leaving early. Rather, the employee should somehow be lured into giving this information without straight coming out and asking the reason they have been leaving early. To do this, it is important to get the employee comfortable at the performance appraisal. One might start out by discussing the successes this person has had while with the company. By doing this, the employee can feel more at ease. If at ease, they might say that they have something to get off of their chest, and explain that they have been leaving work early. If the person does not confess and explain that they have been leaving early, it is then time to start a "funnel" type interview with the employee. First the employer should start off by asking if there is anything the employee would like to tell him. If this does not bring out the fact they are leaving early, the employer could then get more specific with the questions. The boss could then ask the worker if they fully understand the policies and procedures of the company, and ask if they are following them. If this does not bring out the fact that the person is leaving early, there would be no choice but to specifically ask if the employee has been leaving early and find out the reasoning from there.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation I would confront the employee that was continuously leaving early. I would show my concern and make sure everything was alright. I would not know how I would handle the performance appraisal until after his explanation. If the employee had good reasoning for leaving early and wanted it kept confidential I would not tell my employer. However, If the employee was simply leaving early, to get out of work early, I would tell my employer all the positive things about the worker and then express that I witnessed him leave work early on numerous occasions but wasn't sure why. It might be a lie but it isn't my place to present my employer with negative feedback about a fellow employee especially if it can lead to them getting fired.
ReplyDeleteIn the situation where I knew an employee was leaving work early, I would have to confront them. I would have to ask the employee a set of questions, most specifically open questions because I would be interested in seeing if there was a legitimate reason for the chosen early dismissal every day. I would have to use open questions because there may be a reason to an extent for which I would understand completely. I would try to get factual questions as well because if it was the employee's opinion he/she would try to explain why it would be okay for him/her to leave early. I would have to approach it in a professional and friendly manner rather than approaching it in an aggressive way, therefore the employee will hopefully give me the response I would hope for, and all would work out. Hopefully after a few open and factual questions, the employee will realize the mistake they are making and continue work correctly thereon.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation I would go about the performance review like everything was normal. I would try and make the meeting as comfortable as it can be for the employee. I would start by asking questions that him feel comfortable in answering. Such as, "What do you think about your other coworkers?" Then I would go about explaining what I think the employee was good at and what he needs to improve upon. This will hopefully put the employee in good mood. At the end of the meeting I would then ask in very nice and caring matter to him why he was leaving early for the past couple of months. I would let him explain his situation and ensure him that whatever the problem was that it could be worked between the two of us.
ReplyDeleteAt first, it is better to focus on routine points of a Performance Appraisal Interview by covering the key areas such as establishing a positive climate, review past achievements of goals and successes, as well as create new goals. Then, evaluate feedback from the employee and make sure you don't get the facts wrong. As far as asking why the employee leaves early. I would go about asking why he leaves early in a friendly or maybe even concerned manner so he would be more prone to tell the truth, rather than tell me what he thinks I want to hear because he feels intimidated. I might suggest a schedule change if he reasons are valid and if the company offers such opportunities for flexibility. I would probably cross check his reasons with other employees by asking them general questions regarding what they think of their co-workers, in hopes that one of them would point out said employee that leaves early and why they think he may leave early. If the reasons given by the different employees are different, it might raise doubt on my part, giving me reason to be more assertive in my interview with said employee that leaves early. Assertive in a manner where I am seeking more answers than trying to make accommodations or balancing the employee’s Pros and Cons to lay everything out. The important part is that the employee is given the benefit of the doubt, and a chance to explain himself. Maybe if the employee gets to work early, or explains how he needs to leave early, yet he still gets work done at home, there might not be a problem that needs to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteAs an manager of a company, I believe it is my obligation to take action when I witness an employee slacking. If an employee of mine has been leaving work early, I would confront him or her at their performance appraisal as casual as possible, without accusing them. I would ask if there was a specific reason for them leaving early (such as a child that needs to be picked up from school). I would give my employee respect and courtesy and the chance to give free responses without making inferences. I would not want to pry too much into their personal life, but I would explain that because they have been leaving work early, their performance is suffering. After listening to their reasoning, I would act accordingly.
ReplyDeleteIn a situation like this if the employee didn't bring up a legit reason for why he was leaving work early during the appraisal than i would try to get the truth out of him. By asking indirect questions for example, about how many hours would you say you put in at the office per week, or What time you end up leaving from work last night?. If still he doesn't mention it, than I would probably tell a manager or supervisor.
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ReplyDeleteDuring this employees performance appraisal I would try to have him bring it up rather than me. I would do this my asking open ended questions that could lead to him mentioning why he was always leaving early. For example, I would ask him to explain what he does during an average day at work? And than maybe follow that up with about what time would you say you end up getting out of the office? However, if the employee believes no one has noticed and lies about what time he leaves. Than I would tell my manager or supervisor.
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ReplyDeleteI would not have waited for several weeks to pass by, as not only do I care about his carrier, I also care about the output I am getting out of my employees as this is directly related to my profit.
ReplyDeleteDuring his performance appraisal I would get this to issue to his notice so that it doesn't repeat without prior and legitimate notice.
Performance reviews are always a stressful time for an employer in a company. Every employee usually will have something to nitpick at and that's usually the point of a performance review. Having these problems on paper gives a reason for dismissing an employee and avoids several potential legal problems as well as paying out unemployment after the dismissal. Several factors would need to be taken into consideration here though, does this employee have a job with set tasks for the day that he/she is potentially finishing early? If it was a problem and I wanted to get rid of the person, I would use a moderately structured interview in a private location such as a conference room. I would ask some other questions first and pretend to not be as concerned about the issue. This would reduce stress and possibly allow the issue to come up without seeming like a big deal. If this employee lied about it then I would have to present evidence such as a time card or video surveillance and demand an explanation.
ReplyDeleteI would start off the performance appraisal by picking a positive environment for the confrontation. For example, taking my employee out for coffee or lunch. I would start off our conversation mentioning the positive things he or she has been doing for the company and then asking them for their feedback on how they think they are doing. If they fail to mention anything about leaving early everyday I would then bring it up. Hopefully the surroundings impose honest answers from my employee and we can then decide on some sort of agreement that satisfies both of us.
ReplyDeleteIf I had been observing this action taking place over the past several months with one of my employees, I couldn't help but say something to that individual. I would wonder if he was not happy with the job or maybe had issues outside of work and try and find out what motivates him to always leave early. As for the appraisal and bringing up the issue with the employee, I would just be honest and professional about the manner. During the appraisal I would ask why and for what reasons he continues to leave early, and would ask him to just be honest with me and then base my opinion and reaction to his honesty.
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