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“A co-worker of
mine applied for an internal promotion and did not get it. He threatened to
quit and because he’ really good
at his work, the manager decided to give him the promotion after all. Now everyone feels he didn’t get the job fairly and the whole place is fully of negative gossip.”
Entrenched in every union agreement
is a clause that grants management the right to manage its workforce. Although it may not appear
in writing, the same principle applies to non-unionized organizations. Effective
decision-making, direction, coaching and support for employees by managers, creates a stable workforce. Not surprisingly,
employees who work in these workplaces usually express high levels of satisfaction with their
managers and employer.
Managers must conduct interviews
and make hiring decisions which comply with regulations regarding employment law, human rights and
privacy. Managers also have the right to decide NOT to hire someone for a position. Assuming
the decision is not discriminatory, the manager’s decision is final and not subject to challenge or
scrutiny.
Most organizations have a grievance
policy that allows an employee to file a written complaint if he or she disagrees with a decision. Upon
receiving a grievance, senior management should review or investigate the situation and either confirm or
reverse the initial decision. In unionized environments, union representatives support the employee
during the grievance process and objective third party mediators or arbitrators also may become
involved.
In the above example, rather than
using a more appropriate route of filing a grievance, the employee threatened to quit. The manager also should have
suggested that the employee take a few days to think things over, to let a calmer head prevail.
If he asks for some time off to consider his options, this time should be granted. . If the employee
still wants to resign, he should be allowed to do so.
It is even more unwise for a
manager reverse a sound decisions when an employee threatens to resign.
Employees who play this type of “power card” are testing the manager’s
authority and resolve. A manager who allows an employee to hold her hostage,
weakens her reputation and may cause employees to challenge other decisions in the
future. So remember, managers have the right and responsibility to manager.
Paula J. MacLean is the
best-selling author of five books on improving human resource practices in the workplace.
For more information, visit her website at www.silvercreekpress.ca.
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