Employee's Troubling Behavior Reported by Wife: Should HR Take Action?

Hi, I work as an Asst. Manager - HR in an insurance company. Recently, I received a letter from one of the employee's wives. He recently got married on 16th Jan 2011. His wife couriered a letter about her husband (who is employed with us) regarding his bad behavior. She mentioned in the letter that her husband and other family members started hitting and abusing her from the 3rd day of their marriage for dowry. She also mentioned that he has some mental issues and is addicted to drugs. She has also filed a 498 Dowry case against him.

Many other things about her husband were mentioned in the letter, which can force anyone to think about human behavior. I believe such an employee is not a good fit for the organization. Please advise if our management should take any action against him?

Thanks & Regards,
Ashu

Dear Ashu,

First of all, could you please provide me with answers to the following questions:

- Did this incident occur during working hours or on the work premises?
- Has there been any complaint about him within the company or from customers?
- What is his caliber? Have you observed any instances of inability to perform or underperformance in his work?
- How would you describe his discipline in terms of punctuality, interpersonal skills, working style, and adherence to the work culture?
- What are the company's policies regarding police inquiries, employee arrests, and participation in political or communal activities?

As an HR professional, it is important to approach such situations with impartiality and empathy, rather than sympathy. Remember to handle these cases with care and maintain a sense of humanity.

Thank you.

Perfect reply from Bhaskar. To add on:

As an HR representing the company, you should be watchful and only concerned about what the employee does in the company. If his actions or deeds have resulted in the breach of "Terms & Conditions" of employment, you can take necessary disciplinary action. In this case, on what grounds will you terminate this employee?

On a personal note, what if this is a trick played by his wife to sabotage her husband's job, and she is mentally unsound? Think and act.

Hi Bhaskar, this happened when he was on his leave (for a wedding). As an employee, we don't have any complaints about him, but he is a bit introverted. He never participated in other activities of the company like birthday celebrations, picnics, outings, or any other function. He also sounds dominating to his peers sometimes.

He comes on time and leaves on time from the office. I also had a discussion with his Direct Manager and Head of the department. They said, "We never had a problem with his work; even when he tried for other options in the market, we retained him."

They left it to the HR Department to take further action as per HR policies and make the decision. However, we don't have any HR policy on such disruptive behavior of an employee in their personal life.

Hi Sriram, I agree with you, and I know it would not be the right decision to terminate the employee. But what if the employee is really not mentally fit? I am not sure about his wife, as she also works as HR in a realty company. To create awareness of his disruptive behavior, she wrote this letter to us.

Thanks and Regards,
Ashu

Evaluating Employee Conduct and Company Policy

Can you check his wife's character before marriage for any issues? If she complains about him, she may end the marriage and settle with someone else. Always consider different perspectives. Take appropriate action according to your company's rules and regulations. Avoid making hasty decisions.

Do not concern ourselves with his activities outside of work unless they impact the company. If the police receive complaints about his involvement in criminal activities, termination may be necessary. Please assist him in resolving this issue; he could be an asset to your organization. All the best.