How would you handle an upset superstar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This “superstar” wasn’t even working full-time. OP owes her nothing.

OP thinks s/he does. Some people are so valuable part time that it’s worth keeping them. Again, people, not machines.

[Anonymous]

The superstar employee sending a email out of the blue wasn’t the right approach. She should have met with you to discuss future opportunities.

She’s part time, can’t expect everything will be the same for her as full time employees. Whatever the reason.

[Anonymous]

I had superstar worker get Lyme disease and was worthless for awhile but worked out.

[Anonymous]

She “was” valuable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask to meet with her. She is mad at herself. Note that she didn't apply and that you would encourage her to do so in the future and that is a valuable part of the team.

I think part of it is that I didn't encourage her to apply so she feels betrayed. Which I completely get but she has actively declined coming back to work full time so I never imagined she could take on more.

I think you should tell her exactly that last sentence. Then ask her what her short and mid term goals are regarding her career with your company. She has to own her development and advocate for herself. Closed mouths don’t get fed, and she can’t expect you or anyone else at work to read her mind. If she wants a promotion then she needs to apply for it like everyone else.

All of this.

The last sentence is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I would just focus on her being a valuable employee, that you want to promote her professional development, and discuss where she sees herself in the next 3-5 years (and how you can support her).

[Anonymous]

Could she have promoted and still worked part time / expected this to be a possibility? I promoted while part time when my kids were younger. I remained partitme for a year or two more, just in a different role.

[Anonymous]

How flex are titles, you can always give her a title with a 3% pay bump.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think you need to acknowledge a managerial shortcoming here on your part. Whenever promoting others, consider how others in the company might feel about, consider who might be upset for feel passed over, and then have a conversation about it before the promotion is announced.

This is good management and something we do at my publicly traded corporation in HR and Legal. It helps retain talented employees and is an emotionally intelligent way to proceed, even if others here feel it is overkill. Part of being a good manager is communication and emotional intelligence.

So I would apologize, explain to her how much you value her and that she will get her turn, and learn from this.

[Anonymous]

My company we had similar issue. I told disgruntled worker the following all promotions are subject to a new 90 day probation. In that 90 days to learn job and to get to know new responsibilities and staff you have a mandatory 90 day in office 5 days a week.

I had a good person running late, taking sick days working remote two days a week due to illness, kids, spouse, commute and reality was a promotion was not practical

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My company we had similar issue. I told disgruntled worker the following all promotions are subject to a new 90 day probation. In that 90 days to learn job and to get to know new responsibilities and staff you have a mandatory 90 day in office 5 days a week.

I had a good person running late, taking sick days working remote two days a week due to illness, kids, spouse, commute and reality was a promotion was not practical

Your employee sounds like they needed more motivation, which you could have provided by giving them a promotion… without arbitrary cuts to their flexibility. Probation period is fine, but setting them up to hate you is kind of dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could she have promoted and still worked part time / expected this to be a possibility? I promoted while part time when my kids were younger. I remained partitme for a year or two more, just in a different role.

She has declined every opportunity offered in the last 6 months, so no, I didn't expect her to take on a role that requires more time / effort.

[Anonymous]

You need to be careful. You don't get to decide what you think she can or cannot do. You don't have to give her the promotion if she is not qualified for the specific tasks of the new job, but she should have been accorded all the same courtesies as anyone else on the team. Don't you dare tell her that you didn't think she would be interested or up for it because of her health conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could she have promoted and still worked part time / expected this to be a possibility? I promoted while part time when my kids were younger. I remained partitme for a year or two more, just in a different role.

She has declined every opportunity offered in the last 6 months, so no, I didn't expect her to take on a role that requires more time / effort.

Did you offer her promotions that she turned down? Or just more work for the same pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could she have promoted and still worked part time / expected this to be a possibility? I promoted while part time when my kids were younger. I remained partitme for a year or two more, just in a different role.

She has declined every opportunity offered in the last 6 months, so no, I didn't expect her to take on a role that requires more time / effort.

Did you offer her promotions that she turned down? Or just more work for the same pay.

We offered more work, more pay and it was turned down. Enrichment opportunities were also turned down. That said, it's always been because she had an on going health crisis. This email came on the tail of her not meeting deadlines again too despite the lower work load. So there are two separate issues. Not meeting expectations and being upset about a peer being promoted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to be careful. You don't get to decide what you think she can or cannot do. You don't have to give her the promotion if she is not qualified for the specific tasks of the new job, but she should have been accorded all the same courtesies as anyone else on the team. Don't you dare tell her that you didn't think she would be interested or up for it because of her health conditions.

I have no intention of it. I want to retain her because she was a high performer in the past and I believe she will be in the future so we're being extremely patient with her health crisis.