How to work with Gen Z minority woman employee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems she is receiving tasks from several people and that is an issue you can try to address. I've been in the position where more than one person who wasn't my boss gave me work and no one was aware of my workload. It became impossible to do the work under everyone's deadlines.
One way to solve this is to funnel the work thru her supervisor who can then decide her day-to-day. Or push back the deadlines for your work if she needs more time to complete. This is also something HR can try to solve.

This is a very good point, especially with someone who is brand new. Maybe at a minimum a shared folder? There are people who will try to foist work off on a newbie because they're leas positioned to say no.

We have teams to share workload changes which is why I already knew about the new work and gave agreement to it before I got the email that her work should now be mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is so hard about saying "I'd really appreciate it if would put your phone away while we discuss x,y and z so that you'll be able to give the issue your full attention."

I agree but it sounds like the phone thing is the least of her problems.

I don’t think there’s a really good answer here because it’s clear OP doesn’t want to become a micromanager. I would say the main thing that she can do is to document and make sure the employee’s performance can be measured in the most objective way possible.

[Anonymous]

What I want is advice on how to work with younger staff who like to challenge authority. There obviously is energy there. I'm trying to figure out how to use it for good for myself, her, and the company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think making this about her demographics might be a mistake here. I've had new employees pushback across demographics, the key is to set clear boundaries and expectations and enforce them. There's also an extent that you respect someone's autonomy when appropriate and avoid micromanaging. If you're struggling on a particular issue or want some guidance on where the line is for your organization you should speak to your boss. For me, finding that boundary line one of the hardest aspects of management when I first took it on.

The only reason I bring up demographics is because it was in all the work she submitted for the job application so clearly she thinks it defines her and is her worldview. There are plenty of minorities at my workplace where this doesn't define them at all.

So…OP, I think that your reaction to this is a big part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

What reaction specifically? Nothing has been said to her. My company is over 2/3 minority. There are only a handful of people in the company who make their minority an important thing.

[Anonymous]

You should talk about the expectation about being present and not on your phone, in a staff meeting. Then if she still does it you need to talk to her 1:1 about it.

[Anonymous]

OP, you won't be able to manage her until you manage yourself. You define yourself as "traditional" and spend a lot of time ruminating on HER worldview and HER personality. Focus on her work ethic and only that. Manage her/mentor her. Tell her to put her phone away, explain hierarchies.

Don't assume in her first real job that she knows all the etiquettes. She may also feel the intensity with which you clearly dislike and disrespect her. Your post oozes with it.

[Anonymous]

She's also like this with a lot of people. We had a companywide meeting about updates for the next 6 months and they asked for any feedback for doing better and she shot up her hand and complained that the office wasn't very attractive. It's not something she didn't see on a tour. It's just very forward for someone who has been here for a month to start asking for something like that so irrelevant to her job. Like any company just has money to rework the look of an entire office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems she is receiving tasks from several people and that is an issue you can try to address. I've been in the position where more than one person who wasn't my boss gave me work and no one was aware of my workload. It became impossible to do the work under everyone's deadlines.
One way to solve this is to funnel the work thru her supervisor who can then decide her day-to-day. Or push back the deadlines for your work if she needs more time to complete. This is also something HR can try to solve.

Our team has two senior people. It's not a big deal that she got other work. We all share work. I just think it's weird that she keeps going to others for advice that have nothing to do with the project and then putting the work back on me as if my schedule is just free to take any of her work especially when she only has enough work for half the week and the rest is on training.

Then you push back on the work being handed back to you. Tell her no, this is your task and I have other work to complete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you won't be able to manage her until you manage yourself. You define yourself as "traditional" and spend a lot of time ruminating on HER worldview and HER personality. Focus on her work ethic and only that. Manage her/mentor her. Tell her to put her phone away, explain hierarchies.

Don't assume in her first real job that she knows all the etiquettes. She may also feel the intensity with which you clearly dislike and disrespect her. Your post oozes with it.

I think it's actually the opposite. I've been very friendly to her. She is very judgmental and haughty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you won't be able to manage her until you manage yourself. You define yourself as "traditional" and spend a lot of time ruminating on HER worldview and HER personality. Focus on her work ethic and only that. Manage her/mentor her. Tell her to put her phone away, explain hierarchies.

Don't assume in her first real job that she knows all the etiquettes. She may also feel the intensity with which you clearly dislike and disrespect her. Your post oozes with it.

Agreed. She doesn't know the etiquette. Not taking it personally but it does get tiring. I'd like to do something to move the interactions in a more positive way. She's definitely an idealist and that can be a good thing if it's directed positively.

A lot of young people want to make a difference in the world. I get that. I just don't want to but heads all the time. How do you encourage positivity without constant rebellion? are there resources to review on how to deal with young headstrong employees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you won't be able to manage her until you manage yourself. You define yourself as "traditional" and spend a lot of time ruminating on HER worldview and HER personality. Focus on her work ethic and only that. Manage her/mentor her. Tell her to put her phone away, explain hierarchies.

Don't assume in her first real job that she knows all the etiquettes. She may also feel the intensity with which you clearly dislike and disrespect her. Your post oozes with it.

I think it's actually the opposite. I've been very friendly to her. She is very judgmental and haughty.

I don't think you understood PP's point. Make your expectations clear. Ask her to put her phone away when you're discussing work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you won't be able to manage her until you manage yourself. You define yourself as "traditional" and spend a lot of time ruminating on HER worldview and HER personality. Focus on her work ethic and only that. Manage her/mentor her. Tell her to put her phone away, explain hierarchies.

Don't assume in her first real job that she knows all the etiquettes. She may also feel the intensity with which you clearly dislike and disrespect her. Your post oozes with it.

I think it's actually the opposite. I've been very friendly to her. She is very judgmental and haughty.

I don't think you understood PP's point. Make your expectations clear. Ask her to put her phone away when you're discussing work.

I was responding to the accusation that I disrespect her. I don't. She's by far not the only minority in the office. She just wears it on her sleeve as if it's something special.

I understand. Be direct and unemotional and clear.

[Anonymous]

Tell your manager what's happening, in plain factual terms. Only mention things interfere with your ability to get your own work done. Don't complain to your manager about perceived slights in etiquette.
Let the new person fail if they want to, but make sure your manager knows you're doing your part of the work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell your manager what's happening, in plain factual terms. Only mention things interfere with your ability to get your own work done. Don't complain to your manager about perceived slights in etiquette.
Let the new person fail if they want to, but make sure your manager knows you're doing your part of the work.

Reviews are in a couple of months and that will be the plan. Thanks.