Handling Conflict with a Senior Employee: Should I Report It to Management or Let It Go?

I am working with a small organization. I was appointed as a Manager, HR on 11-09-12. Earlier, the organization was a shop and recently expanded its size to become a company. However, the mindset remains the same for a few old employees. I am new to this organization and have started working on creating systems for its betterment.

A few new employees have joined in better positions with improved salary and benefits. I have had to face conflicts and a resistant attitude, which is quite expected. I choose to take it positively as part of my work. However, today a somewhat unpleasant incident occurred. An employee who holds a senior position here (had been demoted before my joining) began to argue about a particular system. I asked him to follow the general way/system I had implemented as per management. He used inappropriate language, but I remained composed. He was unwilling to listen and was shouting, calling me "Tu" and "helper," among other things. I decided to leave the area where he was sitting, even though he continued to say disrespectful things to me.

I can understand his behavior but do not feel inclined to accept it. Later, he came to me and apologized. I accepted his apology and harbor no ill feelings about the incident. I understand that such situations can arise.

Now, I am contemplating not taking this matter to management. Do you think I am right in handling it this way?

Thank you.

It is really nice that you adopted a humanistic approach to deal with the problem. Taking the Maruti Suzuki instance as an example, the entire episode has one final answer - they were lacking somewhere in management, proper handling of the situation. Conflict and grievances are natural in any organization; the need of the hour is to identify the problem and take corrective steps from there. Proper coordination is necessary to resolve conflicts.

Though I am not that experienced in the HR field, I liked your approach. It shows your patience. Taking the issue to management won't serve any purpose, but yes, that person has realized his mistake, so that's fine. In the future, to avoid these situations, you can create a policy or maybe a series of mailers wherein they will understand their responsibilities as well as how they should behave with their colleagues.

Thanks,
Roop

Try to sit back and sense the perspective of the situation that critically needs to be addressed. It's not about being apologetic. Think about the work culture that would develop if the person admits fault but repeats the same actions. Empathize with the remorseful behavior of that person. However, in another scenario, consider the possibility that he may be trying to manipulate the situation. In such a case, let him know and do not be offensive about his regretful thoughts.

Conversely, keep an eye on him. Go out of your way to prioritize their needs over yours until you sense that things are improving. Your approach to problem-solving and seeking solutions is commendable rather than just complaining. If things do not improve, you can escalate the matter to management.

Regards