I manage a studio and we have an employee who has sent multiple accusatory emails to the staff.

Anonymous

November 25,2023 at 6:23PM UTC

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I manage a studio and we have an employee who has sent multiple accusatory emails to the staff. She has accused us of not being inclusive because we didn't want to have the doors and windows open during covid season. We do have a very hi tech anti virus air purifier and it is cold so we are trying to keep the studio warm for comfort. She accused us of not being in accordance with the law when we wanted to offer a class where donations went to charity. We are planning on paying teachers to teach this charitable class, we were asking if there was interest before sharing all of the details. She emails the staff and raises red flags when there aren't any to raise. I need help as far as how to approach this person. I would like to ask her for respect and communication before she sends out accusatory emails to the staff.

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uberkuhlgirlNovember 25,2023 at 7:39PM UTC
I would ask her to address her concerns with you first and give you the opportunity to fill her in on important details that may not have been disclosed in the initial email.
AnonymousNovember 25,2023 at 11:25PM UTC
Can you not fire her? She sounds like a nightmare employee. If you have no choice but to deal with for now, start actively documenting every crappy behavior and use that to demonstrate how horrible she is for morale, if nothing else, until you can get rid of her. As far as dealing with her directly, tell her the expectation is that she brings things to you and you decide whether it needs to be shared with the entire staff. Or respond to all of her inappropriate group emails with, "this is not the appropriate forum for this discussion. You may reach out to me directly at email/number/office hours/etc if you'd like to discuss this topic. And start using BCC to send out emails. If she's just using reply all, it will at least limit her response to you unless she goes out of her way to find everyone else's email. And also everyone else will know you're addressing her inappropriate behavior.
AnonymousNovember 26,2023 at 1:51PM UTC
If you are in an "at will" state - you don't need a reason to terminate her employment. Based on what you've shared you have plenty of reasons to do so. She is usurping your authority and inciting insubordination in other employees, let alone herself. When she accuses the company of violating laws - I would privately ask her for support documentation (or as an HR move - go thru labor laws - charitable donation laws/guidelines and ensure she's merely causing trouble and not spouting some truth)
The bottom line is, she would be terminated for disrupting the office and quite frankly insubordination. She is bypassing the level of authority which she has no authority to do so.
AnonymousNovember 26,2023 at 2:31PM UTC
Entitlement wiĺ get her nowhere but unemployed. Stress to her.
AnonymousNovember 27,2023 at 1:35PM UTC
When you say, “emails the staff,” do you mean she blasts these things to everyone? Because though I agree with others who have said this just might not be the place for her, one option might be to have her direct the “accusations” only to the person who can fix them, or to a designated person who can take action (tell her thanks for bringing it to their attention, see if it may be justified, etc.) If she’s emailing everyone, it’s disruptive to others’ work regardless of whether there are legitimate red flags.
AnonymousNovember 27,2023 at 1:46PM UTC
She sounds like someone who is bitter and mad at the world and taking it out on you all.
Invest and Seek legal professional advice regarding how to interact with her prior to letting her go should you decide she is not the right for your company. Otherwise she definitely sounds like someone who will sue you if decide to fire .
GirlBossanova934974November 27,2023 at 1:47PM UTC
The FIRST question right out of the gate should be has anyone in management, I assume that is you, sat down and spoken with this employee? Has you and/or management told this employee that email blasting company employees for various personal issues is not acceptable? IF NOT, I would just prepare a list of things that have happened and detail which things are not acceptable going forward. Please let the employee know the consequences of further infractions, and then have her and you sign the document. Keep that letter in the employee's personnel file. I would recommend NOT terminating this employee out of the blue. Right to Work state or not, one is risking potential litigation for whatever reason. NO need for that.
BellaNovember 27,2023 at 5:08PM UTC
Anyone who would cry "exclusion" bc you want to keep covid out is looking for trouble, or to get fired, either to collect or sue (unemployment might not even be an option for her). Does she have a history of this? Is this a new behavior? I wonder if this is her M.O. She's got a chip on her shoulder the size of Mt. Everest and needs to go.
AnonymousNovember 27,2023 at 5:13PM UTC
It's time for a pip and an education on how to communicate things that she finds important. She is clearly a pot stirrer and wants to broadcast before having a private conversation. Let her know that it is safe to have a private chat with you as head of studio in person in a weekly 1-1 and that going forward you would like an agenda in the calendar invite. Attach one or add that to the invitation. Then you have memorialized the wants. Let her know that while her opinion is heard about what she would like that you are not obligated to address and say yes to everything. As for the COVID part, let her know that under law you followed the rules that the company set forth and did not waiver from what was required. Otherwise if she felt unsafe that she could get a doctors note to let her work remotely - if that was viable. Generally I suspect she just wants to be heard, so definitely listen but put hard lines on what you will and will not do and what you will and will not tolerate with the pot stirring. Address directly that you recognize she is looking for other peoples opinions but company email is NOT the path. You can do this, will it be easy, not likely, she will probably vent to that same audience she so desperately seeks but you have to nip it in the bud. After you speak to her let the whole team know your rules, and don't single her out when doing so. People will know where it really sits.
Erika CNovember 27,2023 at 9:17PM UTC
I advise caution on this situation, but there are a few good points made in other comments. I would first schedule a time to have her sit with you and other management or you and an HR representative (you need a third party available). Go over all her complaints and let her know company policies regarding each complaint (remind her of where this info is available in the employee/employment handbook). Let her know she has been heard and her concerns have been addressed as noted. However, sending out bulk or blast emails regarding complaints or issues is disruptive to others and can create some tension or distance between coworkers, and that concerns and complaints need to be sent to you and the other present party so that matters can be addressed without creating a conflict with colleagues who may not have time to discuss issues that they may feel are resolved for them. Since her complaints are from a personal perspective, you want her to know you wish to hear them out but that if she continues to disrupt others regularly, you will follow up with a PIP. Let her know she may request to meet with you if she has any concerns or complaints about anything effecting her ability to do her job and to work to find resolve. You may then decide later, and at an appropriate time whether to send out a bulk email to all staff the process for requesting time to privately meet with management or address any questions or issues they have. This allows some space, behavior correction, and to offer everyone the opportunity to be heard. It’s likely this one staff member has experienced some previous issues with being excluded and may be more acutely sensitive. Of she’s productive and her work is solid, please take this as a sign she hasn’t been heard before. However, if her work is subpar and her behavior has been unpleasant for most other staff, have the conversation and note that her work is suffering and she will need to improve over the next 30/60 days, then have her sign a document about the topics discussed and put in her file. Just because someone has not previously been heard for their concerns doesn’t give them free license to behave in an intrusive manner or let work fall between the cracks. If you have policies in place to make sure all staff have guidelines to follow for bringing up issues or accommodations, let them know where they are and where to look and have them sign a document they have received a second handbook or employment policy information. You want to protect the company, yourself, and all staff. We all have some sort of code of conduct we agree to when we accept a position with a company. It’s a good time to remind staff of COC and other important policies.
Melody HopkinsNovember 27,2023 at 9:31PM UTC
Thank you for this thoughtful response. I truly appreciate you taking the time ?
AnonymousDecember 1,2023 at 3:59AM UTC
Imagine the emails sent by the person were clear, credible risk management sent to a specific few. Is the post above still valid? I worry that, without context on the quality of the content, this course of action might be strong. This course of action could be perceived as punishing the whistleblower or retaliation for sharing a diverse perspective.
CEJNYCNovember 28,2023 at 1:16PM UTC
These suggestions are all excellent. Would suggest that you don't meet with her 1:1 because you may well need a witness to confirm what was discussed. Document every discussion and have her sign it. If she intends to file a complaint or hire legal counsel, you avoid "he said/she said" arguments about what was said and who said it.
AnonymousNovember 28,2023 at 2:01PM UTC
If you cannot meet with a witness present, you should consider recoding the meeting…with the individual‘s consent. Documenting your actions accurately is key.
AnonymousNovember 29,2023 at 8:29PM UTC
This person is reacting from a traumatized place. Try to be kind but also protect your organization from accusations and disruptions.
When you say “studio” it’s not clear how it’s organized (business, volunteer, non-profit) so we don’t know if there *is* HR or legal.
Give her a chance to air concerns and state what she believes to be ethical. Restate, repeatedly, the values and ethics of the organization and see if she mellows out/develops trust eventually.
I can’t comment on whether windows-open-during-Covid would have been safer even with air purification and there is some varying personal risk calculation there. I can’t comment on the ethics of donation-for-class. But a reasonable person would have settled down when they learned the teachers were being paid.
As others have said, meet with her in small groups since the risk of accusations is solid.
AnonymousNovember 29,2023 at 11:49PM UTC
I think that it is very reasonable to ask your employee to share her concerns with you privately for discussion and resolution. You also might want to assign her a task or tasks related to her areas of concern so that she can channel her energies more productively.
If, after you have attempted resolution, this employee continues to raise red flags for non-issues, you might want to consider asking her to desist from disruptive conduct, flagging the problem in her performance review, and — if needed — escalating to a written warning and termination.
I tend to side with employees on personnel disputes, but the repeated raising of red flags for non-issues is disruptive and could undercut productivity and morale.
I hope that the positive approaches cited above resolve the problem, but if these prove ineffective, management has the right to use other approaches, up to and including termination.
Regina BrownNovember 30,2023 at 3:59PM UTC
Call her into your office, show her the emails and ask her why those emails were sent? Why does she think that you are not being inclusive?
AnonymousDecember 1,2023 at 3:53AM UTC
This action could be perceived as a micro aggression or retaliation for speaking up/ sharing unpopular views. It might escalate the situation from an annoyance to an HR problem.
AnonymousDecember 1,2023 at 3:51AM UTC
For diversity of thinking… I wonder if these are reasonable considerations but perhaps her perspectives are in the minority of those around her so they appear annoying? Could there be a cognitive bias in the culture and she doesn’t conform to it? Yes, there are Covid guidelines. Yes, there are rules for donating to charities. Also, it seems as though she is communicating potential risks in a professional manner.
She appears to have a strength in governance and policy-making. Perhaps there is a place for her on your team in an official capacity? Channel her strength toward your teams outcomes.