Monday, April 12

Opinions, Please . . .

So, I have this employee who has caused some big problems recently by making mistakes. His mistakes have resulted in him and several key members of my team having to work late hours and weekends for the last few weeks to clean up the mess.

I want to thank the folks who have worked so hard to help out but, I don't feel that I should thank him. I feel that he should have to put in the long hours to fix his mistakes but adding to the issue is the fact that he doesn't accept responsibility for his mistakes, has never apologized for his mistakes, nor has he thanked the folks who helped him to fix the mistakes.

So, how awful of a boss would I be if I took them out to lunch to thank them but didn't invite him? I don't feel he should be rewarded for making mistakes and then for having to fix them.

Opinions?

5 comments:

emma said...

Here's what I would do:
1. Schedule a meeting with the screw up and explain to him that it indeed was his fault and that he inconvenienced his coworkers and that he should apologize to, and thank each one of them for their assistance in straightening the mess out (whether or not he does, will speak volumes to his character.)
2. Give each one of the employees who worked late a handwritten Thank You note telling him/her that you appreciated their efforts and you value them as a team member. I myself would like such a note from my supervisor and I'd put it in my "AttaGirl" file for later use.

IMO to exclude him from a departmental "Thank You" luncheon would not help the situation and would cause grudges

Brenda said...

why does he still have a job?

UrbanStarGazer said...

Emma -- Thanks, good suggestions. I'm actually in the process of writing him up for the mistakes and these issues will be addressed in the write up meeting. The thank you lunch was only going to include the 4 other folks who helped fix it, not the entire department so he wouldn't necessarily know about it.

Spidey -- My boss keeps asking me the same thing. :)

vq said...

Emma's plan sounds very, very professional to me.

If you want to take those folks out to lunch, maybe you could just say it's a thank you for putting in extra work, and not specifically tie it to that guy's issues?

UrbanStarGazer said...

How to deal with the guy professionally for his mistakes, I know how to do. I have more than my share of problem children (unfortunately). I was just debating the reward for the others issue.

I think the guy is looking for a job. He's come to work dressed up three times in the last two week and each time he had a "dentist appointment". The rest of the time he dresses pretty slobby.