Have you ever known someone who does everything wrong with all the right intentions? They’re sweet, they’ve been around forever, they have the same old stories – time after time. The people surrounding them hate to tell them the truth – so they bury the results in the basement instead.
Unfortunately, dear old Aunt Abby, may be a roadblock to success in your business. It may be a simple equation of real estate in the office – they’re taking up a desk and not adding anything substantial to the work process. It could be more insidious than that however, their work causing hours of rework on coworker’s behalf, lost paperwork, unfinished tasks, or hours talking with nothing productive done.
It’s hard to let someone go because of performance when they are older. They may need that extra income, and they may have the loyalty factor – they want to help. Technology changes are so rapid, however, it’s hard for many of us to stay current, so we don’t think that we can ask that of someone nearing retirement age.
So, as an employer, how do you maintain compassion while maintaining production? There are several steps to approaching the issue – depending on the person and what the problem is you may stop along the way.
Identify the Factors – is this a recent development, or has it been ongoing? Has Aunt Abby recently lost a loved one, or are there signs of a mental decline? Think of the whole person, not just the one you see in the office.
Have a Discussion – Unbury the dead bodies. It may stink, but honesty is truly the best policy. Be direct, address the issues, find solutions.
Offer Training – If the problem is technological, get the person training. If it doesn’t work move to the next step.
Job Sharing – Transition the employee to part-time, or if they are already there – start sharing the desk. Real Estate in the office has value, and sometimes that extra live body can shift you back into productivity, while gradually easing Aunt Abby into retirement.
Develop an Exit Strategy – Aunt Abby may be hanging around because she thinks she is helping you. Make certain that you acknowledge her value, but listen to what she really wants. Florida is lovely in January; the grandkids are living in Iowa, cousin Mary is all alone. Reward her for the work, and give her permission to transition. Sometimes that is all that’s needed.
Oh, and by the way – don’t drink the Elderberry wine….