How Can I Handle a Disrespectful Secretary Who Ignores Office Etiquette?

Hi all,

This is Anitha. I am working as an HR coordinator in a construction company. I am facing a problem with a few of my colleagues. Many times I have discussed this issue with the HR Manager, but he is not taking it seriously. The office environment is getting spoiled.

Recently, I recruited a secretary who is very talkative. She always engages in chitchat with others and doesn't know how to behave in the office. She never stays in her designated place and often spends time in the Marketing Manager's cabin. The Marketing Manager seems to enjoy talking with her, and she even sits in the manager's seat without any sense of respect. Despite my warnings not to sit on the manager's chair, she ignores my instructions, showing a lack of regard for my authority. She questions my position and authority to reprimand her.

As an HR coordinator, I feel helpless in this situation. I seek your advice on how to handle this issue. Please help me with your suggestions.

Thanks in advance,
Anitha

Hi all members,

I am also facing problems in my office. I am working as an HR Executive in the company. There is a lot of leg-pulling here. The Personnel Manager doesn't want me to do anything for the company and achieve success. Even though the company mentioned during the interview that they would raise my pay after 6 months, there has been no increment after that period. When I inquired about it, they claimed ignorance regarding the increment and stated that confirmation is done after 1 year. They are also not assigning any work to me, and there is no separate HR department. I sit in the PA's room, and everyone assumes I am a PA. I am no longer interested in working here. Please suggest what I should do.

Thank you.

Hello Anitha,

I understand the situation you are facing. You need to discuss with your immediate manager and tell him/her the problem you are facing. Then, wait for a response. Do not react immediately to the situation as it happens with most people. Try to remain calm and follow the protocol. Hopefully, your problem will be resolved.

Thanks & Regards,
Princy Thomas

It reflects the work culture of a company. In this case, the matter should be brought to the notice of the managing director - through a proper channel. One day she will not hesitate to sit in his chair too! She is indulging in gross indiscipline, and HR can certainly raise the matter as her conduct is in violation of HR policy and code of conduct of any good organization.

Regards,

PG

Agreed with PG... HR is the person who keeps the organization's culture, employees' relations, etc., appropriate by monitoring the implementation of HR policies related to culture as well. Whenever it's required to take action, it has to be taken for the organization.

Anita, the best way is to send her an email quoting her activities and mark a BCC to your immediate boss. Have a written document for your side and then proceed aptly.

Take the situation lightly, be assertive and proactive. Good luck!!

Harish

Hi Anita,

According to me, you should send an email to your HR manager regarding the issue. If, for instance, he does not take any action, send another email and cc your GM or MD or any higher authority.

Rgds Lokesh Acharya

Anita, everything can be solved through proper channels of communication. So take the issue to the management through the proper channel. Any management that is interested in the well-being of the company will listen to your issue and make a correct decision. Also, please document all the conversations/issues, which can serve as proof and put you on the safer side.

Best Regards,
Isaac Patturaja

Hi Anita,

Why are you so worried about these things? Although you are an HR Coordinator, you should not involve yourself in these kinds of incidents. Focus on your work, love your job, and dedicate yourself to researching in HR to enhance your skills and competencies. Stop stressing about these matters.

Thanks,
Sachin Dhamija

Hi Anitha,

You may come across many people like the secretary in question who would try to take things for granted. Remember that you are not only an HR Coordinator but also a part of your company's HR team, and as such, it is your responsibility to ensure that decorum is maintained.

As suggested by many, it would be best to send her an email with a CC to your immediate boss and MD. If the problem persists even after that, you may confront her in a manner that is not rude but firm. Remember, the key is to keep the ball in your court.

Regards,
Anika

Dear Anith,

It is not an easy thing to take it very easily when you are psychologically upset; you can't concentrate on your work. Please wait for some days; definitely, you can get good results. Keep smiling and stay calm; God will help you out.

By Prince

Hi Rimgim,

You should quit your job and look for a better job, certainly. Let me know if I can help you.

Take care.

Hi members,

I am Ganesh. I have worked with two different MNCs at different periods as a Sales Engineer. In my first MNC, I was insisted upon to resign, otherwise, I would be terminated as told by the manager. Similarly, I resigned and received a relieving order. After that, I joined another MNC where I faced a similar issue and was provided with one month's extra salary upon being relieved. Subsequently, I joined an old Indian company where I worked successfully for about 29 months. However, I did not receive any salary hike, and my manager hired another person for the Assistant Manager position with a higher salary (Rs. 5000 more) while I was a Senior Sales Engineer. This led me to decide to quit the job.

I then joined a very large MNC as a Senior Executive in Marketing & Customer Service. One day, my VP played a game and asked me to resign, similar to my previous experiences. This made me feel shocked and apprehensive that they might have inquired about my history using the relieving letter I had provided to the HR department during my joining. Consequently, I resigned, received the relieving order, and am now seeking new job opportunities. All the companies I have worked for are engineering companies.

My question now is how should I handle this situation to secure a new job? Additionally, how can I protect myself in the new company from such issues? I understand that all companies have certain politics and cultures. In my last company, the culture was particularly challenging, but the compensation was higher. Please help me recover from my current situation.

Regards,
Ganesh

Dear Anitha:

Look at the situation without feeling her actions are driven towards you personally. Maybe it's more a problem of different attitudes and personality. The other person is not understanding that she needs to do what you suggested - is it to prove you are right, power play, lack of trust - try empathy. Hope you explained her the job profile while recruiting and the organization's expectations for the job. Take it easy and try to find if there are others also who find her behavior offending before approaching seniors.

Hi,

Don't you guys have a grievance procedure in your organization? It is absolutely necessary to have one where you guys can redress your grievances, or else the organization is not caring for its HR. Redress your grievance to your immediate boss and give it in writing. This is the best option.

Regards, K. Rakan

I think some office rules and policies need to be drawn up that will restrict her movements. Her responsibilities should also be reviewed. Chitchatting and moving around all the time means that she does not have much to do. Job enlargement is an option. I have a similar problem in my section, but gradually I am solving it by adding more responsibility to a subordinate.

Semfeng

Dear Madam,

I have gone through your problem and all HR friends' replies. I also faced the same problem in my previous and present firm. What did I do for that problem? I gave warnings and had confrontations with those who exhibited silly behaviors. The following are the results I obtained:

1. In the previous firm - I lost my job (at that time, I was an Executive).
2. In the present firm - I took severe action against the particular employee, and I managed to control the situation.

One thing I appreciate about you is that you issued a warning to that girl. I urge you to put forth your full effort to control her. Today, you may not succeed, but tomorrow you might, as per my experience. I also suggest that you convey this problem to the MD or any senior person and issue warning letters as well.

Wishing you all the best. For further details, please email me at tptvasan@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

B.M. Sreenivasan

I would look first at your recruitment policies and procedures to ensure you do not hire such a person again. Clearly, someone messed up; proper interviewing techniques and thorough reference checking would have revealed that this girl was not right for the job. Put in place a very clear performance plan for her outlining what work she must perform and how, then meet with her weekly to ensure she is meeting the plan. If not, give her a letter warning her to perform, or she will be dismissed. If she persists with disruptive behavior, fire her as per her warning.

Hi Anitha,

I can understand your situation, and this is quite common in any organization.

Once again, call for a meeting with the Secretary and guide her about the company policies. After the meeting, observe her behavior. Even then, if there is no change, issue a disciplinary note regarding her conduct in the organization. Extend her notice period for 15 days and ensure she submits the resignation letter properly. If not, based on the violation of company rules and regulations, you can terminate her from the organization.

If the above steps do not work, consider the following approach:

Let me tell you and focus on how to take necessary action on the said executive and your Manager HR, who is not taking the necessary action on behalf.

Once again, go to your Manager HR, discuss the present situation, and also talk about other topics like recruitments, motivation programs, and the issues faced with the Secretary.

Be careful while handling this process, as your manager might take some time to make a decision, and this delay might impact your career.

After the discussion, prepare the MOM (Minutes of Meeting) and circulate it to your Manager and his Manager. Expect responses from both. If you do not receive any reply from your Manager, escalate the issue to his senior and wait for a proper response.

If there is no solution after escalating to the Senior of your Manager, take the matter to your MD. Before escalating to the MD, schedule a meeting with him. Keep your manager and his manager in the loop and provide a brief overview to the MD regarding the topic for discussion.

I hope this approach works. If not, let me know, and I will suggest other techniques.

In this, I strongly agree with PG, and I disagree with Rao Pochamaneni, Issac Patturaja, Princy Thomas, and Harish because this site is useful for upgrading to new techniques. I do not agree with their suggestion that proper suggestions will be shared with your email id, as a member of this site.

Cheers,
Satya Penubothu

Hi Anitha,

I strongly agree with Satya Penubothu. This site is meant for sharing HR practices, and there is no secret action to be taken. These kinds of scenarios happen with most secretaries. The best part is how to handle this carefully. Go through the proper channel, but keep all your emotions apart. Definitely, you can bring a clean work culture.

All the best.

Regards,
Nalini