I have a team member that will leave at 5:00 pm every day, even when situations call for more work to be done afterwards. He works very hard when he's there, never comes in late, and he's a salaried employee. He is valuable to the project, but he also causes heartache when he refuses to stay a little late for a task that needs to be addressed right then. I've been asked by several members of the team to replace him. He knows his skills are vital to the project, and he uses it against the team and the company. His skills won't easily be replaced if I let him go, but he does just as much damage and he does good at times. I've tried talking to him, but he refuses to listen. Is there a good way to handle this situation? Saving Changes...
Lonnie PacelliAuthor & President| ProjectManagementAdvisor.comBellevue, Wa, United States
Look at production, not just hours worked. You indicate he works very hard. Why would you replace someone who is valued and delivers but puts boundaries around his work/life balance. Also you might want to do a bit of introspective looking at your own planning. Are the "tasks that have to be addressed right then" a result of truly unforeseen issues or are they mitigable with better planning on your part? Saving Changes...
Paul AzanorProject Consultant| Lagos NigeriaIkoyi, Lagos, Nigeria
Agree with Andrew Craig...Empathy is one vital characteristics a project manager should have. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Sorry, I come into this debate late so what I say might already have been said.
I agree with the general consensus that things happen for a reason. People do not just behave a certain way to be vindictive. When I worked as a salaried employee I worked for many many years sacrificing my time, family time by working insane hours, taking power naps under a desk, sitting in clod server rooms for hours on end, etc. It became the expected behavior because you must be a team player. When the time came where I said enough is enough the people around me at that time did not realize what I've done previously, nor did they care. All they cared about was me insisting on a life of my own.
Make 100% sure that extra work is not seen as expected to be a team player. There might be pressure to deliver work but who created the pressure? Bad planning by management? Overcommitments by sales? Why should this person (and others) always be expected to sacrifice themselves on the altar to fix problems created by others? This might not be the case but just saying... Saving Changes...
Manuel PerezProject Management Coordinator| Las Vegas Valley Water DistrictNorth Las Vegas, Nv, United States
The problem sometimes is that some employers expect salaried workers to work late every day. That is plainly wrong and unethical. If a worker is good, efficient, and knowledgeable and still need to stay late every day, then the problem is that more employees are needed. Staying late for emergent situations is expected, staying late for routine work is not. Some cultures just accept employee exploitation as a way of life. When you exploit employees, you should expect that they will leave your organization at first opportunity.
Morale and performance are tightly related to quality of life. Saving Changes...
The longer this situation is allowed to develop the more damage it will do to your team, your reputation, your ability to manage the team and the progress of the project
This situation has appeared before on previous post so to summaries; you have asked the employee to stay past his contracted hours as his skills are required for the project. The employee is aware of this but still refuses to fulfill your request.
You need to see if you can fire him as he is fulfill all his requirements during his contracted hours. You say he works hard and his skills are vital to the projects success.
This employee could be looking for a pay increase or promotion and this is his way of going about it.
This is about finding a negotiation position between you, the employee and the HR department that works.
He obviously likes his job or else he would have moved on somewhere else. See what room you have within your budgets to offer a pay rise in conjunction with extended working hours when the project requires such.
Good and skillful employees are hard to replace so before you shoot yourself in the foot make sure you have a game plan.
Daire
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Mar 13, 2020 3:19 PM
Adrian Carlogea
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The initial post is very old from 2018, so I guess we are only talking in theory now.
Still I completely disagree with your approach as it looks like modern slavery to me and in addition what you are suggesting is also illegal.
Bruce said the team member is a salary employee that works hard and is never late for work meaning that he fulfils his employment contract. From a legal point of view there is nothing you can do about it, threatening with termination for not working longer hours is an abuse.
Also most likely that employee reports to a functional manager so the PM has absolutely no authority to ask him to work longer hours or threat him with termination. Also the PM has not authority to negotiate financial agreements with employees and HR, only line managers can to this.
If you don't like this situation you can hire contractors for which you pay high daily or hourly rates. They would most likely accept to work longer hours.
Saving Changes...
Riad AlhammoudProject management| LanganAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
I think as PM you should have a contingency plan for such situations. Saving Changes...
The longer this situation is allowed to develop the more damage it will do to your team, your reputation, your ability to manage the team and the progress of the project
This situation has appeared before on previous post so to summaries; you have asked the employee to stay past his contracted hours as his skills are required for the project. The employee is aware of this but still refuses to fulfill your request.
You need to see if you can fire him as he is fulfill all his requirements during his contracted hours. You say he works hard and his skills are vital to the projects success.
This employee could be looking for a pay increase or promotion and this is his way of going about it.
This is about finding a negotiation position between you, the employee and the HR department that works.
He obviously likes his job or else he would have moved on somewhere else. See what room you have within your budgets to offer a pay rise in conjunction with extended working hours when the project requires such.
Good and skillful employees are hard to replace so before you shoot yourself in the foot make sure you have a game plan.
Daire
The initial post is very old from 2018, so I guess we are only talking in theory now.
Still I completely disagree with your approach as it looks like modern slavery to me and in addition what you are suggesting is also illegal.
Bruce said the team member is a salary employee that works hard and is never late for work meaning that he fulfils his employment contract. From a legal point of view there is nothing you can do about it, threatening with termination for not working longer hours is an abuse.
Also most likely that employee reports to a functional manager so the PM has absolutely no authority to ask him to work longer hours or threat him with termination. Also the PM has not authority to negotiate financial agreements with employees and HR, only line managers can to this.
If you don't like this situation you can hire contractors for which you pay high daily or hourly rates. They would most likely accept to work longer hours. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Mar 13, 2020 3:19 PM
Replying to Adrian Carlogea
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The initial post is very old from 2018, so I guess we are only talking in theory now.
Still I completely disagree with your approach as it looks like modern slavery to me and in addition what you are suggesting is also illegal.
Bruce said the team member is a salary employee that works hard and is never late for work meaning that he fulfils his employment contract. From a legal point of view there is nothing you can do about it, threatening with termination for not working longer hours is an abuse.
Also most likely that employee reports to a functional manager so the PM has absolutely no authority to ask him to work longer hours or threat him with termination. Also the PM has not authority to negotiate financial agreements with employees and HR, only line managers can to this.
If you don't like this situation you can hire contractors for which you pay high daily or hourly rates. They would most likely accept to work longer hours.
This is the dumbest, most liberal response I've ever heard. You assumed so many things and you have no clue if they're correct or not. People like you are what's wrong with this world! Adrian, in case you don't already know, you sir are a moron of the highest caliber. I could respond to this and make you look like a complete fool, but that would be a waste of mine time, as well as yours because it would go right over your head. Good day.
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2 replies by Adrian Carlogea and Daire Guiney
Mar 13, 2020 6:58 PM
Adrian Carlogea
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I don't mind when people have different opinions than me and I don't mind when people bring arguments against what I say but words like moron are completely unacceptable.
If you are unable to have a civilized discussion I suggest you stop from writing comments, nobody has forced you to respond to my comment.
I expect an apology from you.
Mar 14, 2020 7:27 AM
Daire Guiney
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Dear Bruce,
If this is how you deal with people I can now see why the employee only works his contracted hours.
You sound like some college jock not like any project managers that I would associate with.
I would stand by what Adrian says and believe your name calling is not fit for this forum.
I believe that Adrian is owed an apology and if you are not manly enough to do that then I suggest you should find some other forum of a similar ilk to express your personal opinion.
I don't mind when people have different opinions than me and I don't mind when people bring arguments against what I say but words like moron are completely unacceptable.
If you are unable to have a civilized discussion I suggest you stop from writing comments, nobody has forced you to respond to my comment.
If this is how you deal with people I can now see why the employee only works his contracted hours.
You sound like some college jock not like any project managers that I would associate with.
I would stand by what Adrian says and believe your name calling is not fit for this forum.
I believe that Adrian is owed an apology and if you are not manly enough to do that then I suggest you should find some other forum of a similar ilk to express your personal opinion.
Daire
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Mar 14, 2020 1:49 PM
Adrian Carlogea
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Thank you very much Daire.
I would have never expected such a reaction on this website. I mean I have disagreed with your opinion which might have gotten you a little bit upset but you haven't called me names even if you might have not liked what I wrote. I haven't called you names either even if I disagreed with you.
I believe Bruce has moved from the professional to the political side and maybe he is vary passionate about politics. Maybe my comment to you was also a little bit political too but I am not afraid to admit that I support the center left (NOT Communism) and workers rights are very important for me.
