Staff Member Caught Mimicking Boss: Should They Be Fired or Given Another Chance?

Hello, a staff member, who has been with the company for about 4 years, has been reported by other long-standing and loyal staff to have been sitting in the Boss's chair in his cabin while the boss was traveling. This incident has been occurring for a few years now, happening approximately 6-8 times in 4 years, but has only been reported recently. The staff member was once a high performer, but in the last year, has become a poor performer.

Additionally, a photograph of the staff member sitting and mimicking the Boss has been received. What action do you think should be taken? Should the person be terminated immediately for insubordination, as they are setting a very bad example and culture of disrespect, or should another course of action be considered?

Dear HR Department,

Here, you are addressing two issues. The first is that one of the staff members is not observing office decorum, and secondly, the same staff member's performance has been poor over the last year.

Regarding the Issue of Office Decorum

Please issue a warning letter promptly. In the warning letter, mention that while sitting in the chair of a senior authority is not misconduct in itself, it is against office norms, and she should avoid doing so in the future. Emphasize that any repetition of this behavior will be considered misconduct, and severe disciplinary action will be taken.

As for Poor Performance

Issue a warning for poor performance. List specific instances of poor performance. The crucial point here is whether you have previously communicated in writing the performance metrics to her, or if it was assumed by the company. If she has shown poor performance in the past year, it is likely to continue in the future. If performance metrics are not already in place, establish them immediately and provide her with a letter outlining them. Ensure to obtain her signature on a duplicate copy of the letter and keep it in her records. However, be prepared for potential resistance from her or others about singling her out for this performance measure letter.

Thank you.

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar

I agree with the comments of Mr. Divekar that "occupying the chair of senior authority is not misconduct per se..."

As reported by HRent, in 'Indian' companies, especially those which have just graduated from a proprietorship outfit and registered themselves as companies, there are certain things which are "sacred" and certain activities which are considered "taboos."

Sitting on the boss's chair signifies a perceived intent to usurp the boss's position and powers. Similarly, in some proprietary-business-turned-corporates, using the same brand as the boss—whether it is cigarettes, a pen, or anything trivial; the same color/make/model of car, etc.—are considered "profanities."

Although well-established companies and MNCs may find such practices amusing or loathsome, these are very much existent and significant, as evident from HRent's post, and the 'violators' face dire consequences; "the person may be fired immediately for indiscipline (as she is setting a very bad example & culture of disrespect)."

Despite "India shining," it might take a few generations of good corporate governance and culture to de-link the shock and evil or negative interpretation associated with such acts and also for the inculcation of acceptable office decorum.

Warm regards.

Dear Mr. Kumar, Mr. Dinesh,

Thank you for your replies, which I have received with an open mind. However, I would like to put forward some more thoughts.

Is It Justified?

Do you really feel that a junior staff member going and occupying the owner's chair and cabin in his absence—and in the presence of other staff—is justified as an 'amusing' act? A one-time incident may be considered childish and loathsome. But a repeat of the same action over the years continues to sound disturbing to me.

There is no feeling of threat or usurping in this case—what simply disturbed me out of proportion is that the employee (whom we considered an old employee by now) has made a comic out of the office decorum, discipline, and respect for management.

Impact on Organizational Culture

I feel that her action can really spread a very negative and disrespectful culture through the small organization that we are.

Performance Considerations

The second part about her performance—I think it would be worse if she was a performer. As then the message to other employees would be that if you perform, you can fool around with the office and its decorum...

Looking forward to your views again.

Thank you for your prompt response and the additional clarification provided. I completely understand your concerns. Anything that is 'stretched' too far or repeated excessively can indeed create issues. Furthermore, there is a distinction between an innocent and innocuous incident and a deliberate act of mockery that disrupts office decorum.

However, the idea of "firing immediately for indiscipline" might be seen as an overly severe punishment. It would be more appropriate to issue a severe Warning Letter, a Show Cause Notice, or impose the penalty of Censure as a first step.

Regarding her "poor performance," it is essential to take corrective action as necessary based on your organization's policies and procedures.

Warm regards.

Dear HR team, it really hurts when such a senior employee resorts to such practices. However, considering his past services, you may, in the first instance, try to counsel the employee. Even after one or two counseling sessions, if the employee continues the same behavior, then appropriate action by way of censure may be necessary. If the issue persists, harsher measures may be the only solution.

Regarding his poor performance at work, it is essential to keep him informed; otherwise, the employee may not take it seriously, affecting the performance of other employees.

Taking into account the above situations, I believe the employee may have underlying concerns that need to be addressed through counseling. Without proper intervention, the employee may continue to behave inappropriately.

I strongly believe that counseling is the most effective approach in both cases.

Regards, Shivkumar

Dear HR Team, I agree with Raj. But I have a small question. Has this been discussed with the boss? It is possible that the boss is already aware of the situation. I suggest addressing this issue directly with the boss as it may provide clarification and resolve any doubts. If the boss agrees, then proceed with issuing a warning letter or a show-cause notice as recommended by Raj. However, if the boss does not agree, you may need to start over.

I recall a similar case where an old, loyal employee was dismissed due to an extramarital affair between a female employee and the boss. The employee had reported the inappropriate behavior of the female employee in the absence of the boss.

Additionally, you may consider implementing a policy that requires locking the boss's cabin in his absence and entrusting the key only to authorized personnel designated by the boss. All key transactions should be recorded in a key register.

These are just some suggestions to address the situation effectively.

Thank you.

Hi Hrent,

Don't be too serious. Just call her and counsel her, which should be done initially. No problem, do it right now. She will definitely improve herself.

Warm Regards,
Arun Gupta

I personally feel that you should issue her a memo stating that if such an act is observed in the future, strict action will be taken, which may result in the loss of her job.

I fully agree with @arung73. A memo, letter, email, or anything in writing would permanently push her into her shell, causing detachment. A detached employee is a liability to the organization; hence, it is wise to avoid detachment rather than trying to repair it. A simple pep talk would suffice.

@neeraj4all: Just locking the boss's cabin is a good idea, without any entry registers. Current management literature repeatedly advises letting go of 'control' and giving more autonomy to employees to enhance 'intrinsic motivation'—the key factor in employee productivity.

Regards,
M Rama Krishna
TQM & Business Excellence

Sitting in a boss's chair is never an offense if he/she is absent. This is a sign of respect when he/she is physically present. However, if someone has a grudge, they can make it an issue. The person who sits is likely not a minor (4 years old?), I presume. What he gains from sitting, he knows well.

Hello,

A staff member, approximately 4 years old, has been reported (by other long-serving and loyal staff members) to have been sitting in the Boss's chair in his office while the boss was traveling. This behavior has been ongoing for a few years now, occurring about 6-8 times in 4 years, but it has only been reported recently. The staff member was once a high performer but has been a poor performer for the past year.

Additionally, a photograph of the staff member sitting in the Boss's chair and mimicking the Boss has also been obtained. What action do you believe should be taken? Should the individual be immediately terminated for insubordination (as they are setting a very poor example and culture of disrespect)... or should another course of action be considered?

Yes, of course, it's an act of indiscipline, but why not take the opportunity to convert this behavior into increased commitment towards the organization through counseling? By suggesting that if the concerned individual wants to achieve that position, they need to understand the accomplishments required and similar aspects.

Just consider this perspective as well. I feel it may work out.

Dear HR Team,

Please do not take such innocent acts so seriously. Such acts, at best, can be called "silly" and should be addressed accordingly. I would be upset if disciplinary action is taken in such instances.

You have stated that the concerned staff was a performer until about a year ago. Of late, his/her performance has dipped. The fact that he/she has the potential to perform well (having been a good performer in the recent past) should be motivation enough for you to talk to him/her, find out what went wrong, and try to understand all the "whys" and "whats." Believe me, you will certainly find the answer.

Regarding sitting in the Boss's chair, I am sure a bit of serious counseling will help in sorting out this very innocent gesture of "attention-seeking." I am totally with Raj and agree with his observations. I am confident that with a bit of personalized counseling, this staff member can easily be salvaged.

Best Wishes,

Vasant Nair

A True-Life Experience

I will narrate a true-life experience in a union-dominated environment in a manufacturing unit where I was the HR Head. We had a high-powered delegation from Russia visiting our plant, and we had to put up a great show. The workers' toilets were generally in very bad shape with "PAAN" stains all over the sinks and toilet area. We had to keep the area absolutely clean.

I took pictures of the toilets when they were very dirty and again when they were very clean (after they had been thoroughly cleaned). I called for a meeting of the Union members and showed them the two sets of pictures. A task that once appeared almost impossible was successfully completed with this very simple exercise. The battle was won, and we had clean toilets almost always after that.

All I am stressing is that with a little bit of imagination, we can cross hurdles that only appear to be tough or impossible.

Cheers!!!

Vasant Nair

Awareness of the Immediate Boss

Is the immediate boss of the lady aware of the silly things done by his subordinate in his absence? Have you attempted to inform the boss about the whole incidents? What has been his reaction?

It is quite possible that the boss may not think of these incidents as very serious and needing your attention and disciplinary action. She may be behaving in a particular way because of confidence and protection from the boss, and there is a risk of you getting a stick and a bad name in the whole affair.

I am very curious to have your response. This will be a good case study in organizational behavior.

Immediate Action Required for Intentional Misconduct

Fire immediately. It's an intentional mistake, and that too on a repetitive basis. I am sure the employee is portraying themselves as extra smart. In this way, he/she is disrupting the administration and productivity of your organization. Just think, what if everyone starts engaging in such drama? I am sure there are a good number of spectators too; otherwise, why is he/she doing this?

Make sure you have a one-on-one talk with the girl or lady about the issue and explain to her that whatever she's doing may or may not be intentional. However, it portrays a completely wrong image of her, as she has been one of the best employees in the organization so far. By the end of the conversation, mention that she is an excellent performer, so what's wrong now? This may encourage her to open up to you. Lastly, convey that the organization expects a lot from her, and people look up to her for being supportive of female employees. Females need to be handled gently and carefully, so there is no need to use harsh words.

Thank you.

Authorization and Guidelines for Officiating Employees

Was the employee authorized to officiate in the absence of his boss? What are the guidelines or policies of the organization for an employee who is officiating?

I was working in Pune, and the company directed all officiating employees to sit in their boss's chair to attend to daily papers and conduct official meetings. This was a kind of motivation. In such situations, seniors from other departments used to sit in front of an officiating junior and guide him in the meetings if he made an error of judgment.

Kindly review your policies and clarify them to all departmental heads and second-liners. You may call the employee who was found sitting in the boss's chair and talk to him separately. If his intention was to "show off," initiating appropriate action may be required; otherwise, ignore this but keep a watch to catch him committing other acts of indiscipline.

Regards,
K. Sambasivam
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]