The Workplace Coach

There are times when the relationship just isn’t working out for either person. It doesn’t mean that one or both are bad people, it just means that they weren’t quite right for each other and they should end the relationship and free each other up to go and be with other people.

I’m not talking about Romeo and Juliette here, I’m talking about you and that one employee you manage… you know the one.

You can’t quite put your finger on it but there’s something there. This one person in the team that just doesn’t feel quite right. They are a borderline poor performer with a hint of behaviour and attitude, the odd glimmer of passive aggression, and just a whiff of being happy to make you and others in the team look bad if it’s going to help them look good.

Now it may have been a bad hire (see my earlier article on Quick to Fire, Slow to Hire) or maybe they have soured somewhat since they got here. Sometimes people take on a new role with a heap of expectations and when these aren’t met then they start looking for an escape hatch, and this affects their whole demeanour.

Or maybe they have been here a while and have been passed over for promotion, or they don’t feel appreciated, or they feel like they can do better elsewhere so they have ‘quiet quit‘ while they look for something else. Again this is going to impact their attitude and performance.

You’ve tried everything. You have tried to talk to them about what is going on in your weekly catch ups. You’ve tried to connect with them on a personal level. You’ve offered assistance if they want it and flexibility if that will help. All you are getting is a brick wall and you can’t make any headway. So what to do? The current situation is unsustainable but you also don’t really have compelling grounds for terminating their employment.

You might want to explore the option of terminating the employment relationship through a mutual separation agreement. A bit like a divorce agreement this is a legal agreement outlining the terms and conditions under which both parties agree to go their separate ways. The document will include things like releases and indemnities, protection from disparagement, ensuring confidentiality clauses and continuing obligations, and so on.

There will usually be an agreed sum to be paid to the employee on cessation which will include the standard notice period, as well as some kind of enhanced separation package. This is the incentive for them to skip happily off into the sunset in the pursuit of other adventures.

If any of the above sounds familiar then reach out to us at The Workplace Coach. We would love to help you achieve a positive outcome for your company, without all of angst that can often accompany these situations.