Concerned About a Colleague's Resignation: Should I Talk to Management About His Job Dissatisfaction?

Dear All,

Allow me to ask this question. I have a colleague who has sent his resignation notice and has informed me personally of his reasons to leave the firm. I personally believe that his reason - no work satisfaction can be addressed by the management. Since I'm not in HR, can I approach the management and let them know about his problems so that, in the end, his resignation can be avoided? He has been a good employee so far. It will be a great loss to the firm if he leaves.

Thank you. Appreciate your early comments.

Harlina,

I would suggest that instead of approaching the management directly, it is advisable to forward the reason to any junior HR member. Let it go through the proper channel.

Mirza

I agree. Always follow the process, and the process cannot exclude your ability to help the organization. Regardless of your function, there will - there must be a process for you to express your concerns, ideas, suggestions, and knowledge. If there isn't, your communication will at least help your company not lose your colleague and put into place a process to facilitate comments such as yours. Go for it! Regards, Joseph.

I admire your concern for your fellow worker. Before you go off talking to anyone, do you have your colleague's permission to raise his issues with management? Did he speak you in the understanding that what he said was in confidence, or did he expressly give you permission to talk to others? There is no quicker way to break a person's trust and lose their friendship than by breaking confidentiality.

Les Allan
Author: Managing Change in the Workplace
www.businessperform.com

Hi Harlina,

Nice to see that you are planning to help your employer as well as your friend for their well-being. It's a simple concern to approach; however, any mistakes in handling can lead to conflicts. Below are my inputs. If you find any of them good, you may please follow.

Please note: You have to be very clear in your mind that your friend is a high potential for the organization and is interested in continuing if his/her few concerns are fixed. If you have any doubt, then please don't touch the sensitive issue.

As your friend already sent a resignation email, it indicates that he/she would have thought well and tried to fix the concerns before making such a big decision. With reference to your point "It will be a great loss to the firm if he leaves," I understand that your friend is a very good resource.

As your friend is a valuable resource, the company would have done its best to retain him/her. If your friend has some expectations that cannot be met by the organization, then it's better for your friend to move on to his/her new assignment.

In case you know that the company has not tried at all to retain your friend, it's better not to touch the sensitive issue. It's like questioning the Manager, HR, and Senior Management on their retention strategies.

If you find that your friend is reluctant to talk to his/her manager or HR, it's better to ask him to go and approach for mutual understanding.

In my opinion, the best solution is for your friend to approach his supervisor and express interest. You should spend some time with your friend and guide him in handling the situation.

If there is a conflict between your friend and the supervisor, you can ask your friend to talk to HR about moving to a different group.

You can inform HR or Senior Management directly; however, this approach would be unprofessional. Some companies may entertain this, and some may not. Nevertheless, in this process, you might lose faith in maintaining confidential matters.

Good luck,
Pradeep

Hi Harlina,

This is really a sensitive issue. The act of approaching the management would be questioning them for their responsibilities. I believe that they would have tried their best to retain him if he has been a real asset to the company. It would be wise for your friend to talk to the HR or the management about what he feels and why he wishes to leave the organization.

Regards,
Tandeep

Hi,

It's good to note that you are taking an interest in the employees' well-being as well as employers. We do understand that you can't champion this issue by being in the front end, but you can always facilitate by making your friend meet your HR Head or any other senior person with whom he has a good relationship. People leave due to high pay increases, work environment, etc. Employees need to be retained by having periodic feedback or face-to-face discussions. They should feel personally and emotionally engaged.

Regards,
K. Manikandan

Dear Harlina,

This situation may seem simple, but it is not, and it needs to be handled very tactfully. If you really want to help your friend and company, then I suggest that you first try to gather all the correct information about this issue. Don't be prejudiced because of your friend, and then only think about what is in the best interest of all three of you - your friend, your company, and of course, yourself in the long run.

Don't rush into anything. All the best!

Regards,
Pranali🌟

Hi Harlina,

Have you ever tried discreet diplomatic communication? It can be very helpful when used intelligently. This approach will assist you in maintaining confidentiality. However, do confide in your friend. I must also mention that most problems like these stem from a lack of timely and open communication. There is nothing that cannot be solved when approached with a positive attitude. Perhaps your friend simply needs reassurance when feeling bored. Remember to consider his inner needs. Sometimes, we overlook them, and the symptoms manifest in ways we are unprepared for or not accustomed to. Many work-related issues of this nature often originate from simple yet neglected matters. Have a conversation about it, and I am confident your friend will feel more at ease in the environment, shared by many of you. Please inform me of the outcome for my own growth.

Regards,
Raphael