AboutBrian Phillips Expertise Can answer questions in areas of wage and hour, OT, Fair labor standards, FMLA, COBRA, Recruiting, Interviewing techniques, employee manuals, HRIS rollout, Employee Leasing Staffing company cost analysis, bacon, eggs, and more. Essentially a well rounded HR generalist who operates a Human Resource consulting and service business named Harvis Inc. Questions not answered - try me..
Experience Formerly responsible for all Human Resource activity for a staffing company with 2,500 annual employees as well as an employee leasing / PEO business with 1,500 annual employees. Designed and implemented all HR structure to support hundereds of clients in excess of $ 500 million in payroll volume over career in Human Resources.
Organizations Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry - former HR co-chair for HR Taskforce; Tri-County Personnel Association (oldest continuous operating "HR" association in the nation (we think)); Business Association member
Publications Northeast PA Business Journal - interviewed a few times
HR Insights - Chamber of Commerce HR publication
Education/Credentials Bloomsburg State University, Pennsylvania 1993 BS Marketing
Awards and Honors My wife lets me eat chicken wings when I take out the trash...
Other than that, no HR honors
Expert: Brian Phillips Date: 7/8/2008 Subject: branch manager
Question QUESTION: If a branch manager is on warning from the very high-ups what type of warning do they get and how are they monitored. The branch manager harassed the staff, lied to get people fired, and acted more like a warden, made the staff hate coming to work. One of the people that she fired wrote a letter to the CEO detailing everything the branch manager has done to the staff as well as the customers. The person who was fired first mailed the letter they wrote to the CEO's office but really wanted something done about this branch manager so the person that was fired sent the letter to the CEO's home and right after the CEO received the letter the manager was put on warning. The person's ex-coworkers said that the manager is not harassing but still strict. But when the computers went down because it is a new system she treated everyone to lunch. They say she still has her mean moments. So how is she monitored and for how long. I mean if none of the higher ups are at the branch how do they know if she behaving
ANSWER: Debbie,
In short, you and your co-workers will know the answer to that the best.
Together it seemed the problem was addressed. When the CEO put her in her place, she backed off and licked her wounds. She needs to know all these co-workers could open up the wounds again whenever they please. one hand washes the other.
Write more letters if needed, and send them to the CEO's office - not the house. Even if thast manager is unprofessional, the people raising the concerns shoudl be even moreso professional and fair in all outward communications and trying to raise a red flag for the higher ups to see there is a problem. I suggest another approach to try below ......
As far as what will happen and for how long for the discipline, of course, I could not know as each person dishing out discipline does it in a different way according to your own policies at work and an off the cuff approach to keeping this loose cannon manager in line.
I'll try an approach without knowing you, but perhaps you all - including your manager need to have a nice sit down and get to the bottom of this. With so many of your co-workers sitting on the sidelines rolling their eyes and willing to write letters, this manager may feel up against all of you and is tough - and fearful that one day someone will make her lose her job.
Like a dog in a corner, she may be defending her employment from everyone else and biting the hands of the co-workers who are supposed to help her to do a good job as a branch manager. TRY talking it out, and in a comfortable meeting ask, " we think maybe we all got off on the wrong track ", or "We don't know how WE got to this point when we were ALL so unsure of what was going on", "we all want to do our best and we like wotrking here - and for you"..
humbug ? maybe, but get to the bottom and solve it- make work better.
Did you notice, use the terms "we" and All" alot to show you are all together with or without the manager. Stick close to your co-workers and together ask to meet with this person to see if they are human or not. REMEMBER NOT TO BE Acusatory or defensive. IF the manager goofed up, give them wiggle room to "save face" and then close the issue and move on. Ask good questions that don't blame or dig up trash. DISCUSS why she was stressed and what you all can do to help her look good.
It may seem unfathomable, but if you all agree to tell her you want to help her look good to managewrs, I believe you will see a 180 degree change - AND MORE FREE LUNCHES !!!!!
I'll even bet if you all do this right, you will even get an apology from her without even asking. People know when they are acting mean .
Try it - nothng to lose.
Brian Phillips
www.harvis.org
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I dont work there. But how do they keep track of her to make sure she is behaving.
Answer Hi,
Like I said, I have no idea how this company would keep an eye-ball on any particular manager. I do not know their specific case.
I guess, concievably, the higher ups would look at many things - IF THEY WERE ACTUALLY WATCHING....
Maybe they would look at copies of emails- I'm sure they have access to all intercompany email
Phone calls,
Work logs,
Production,
Sales figures,
customer complaint log/ suggestion box comments
AND MOST COMMONLY - more complaints. If the issue is not resolved, then the higher ups will only know what they are told - by either the branch manager or the co-workers who write letters thanking or condemning the branch manager.
