How Should HR Handle Unauthorized Leave and Performance Issues? Seeking Advice on Next Steps

Greetings to all the HR professionals, I'm here to seek your advice. I hope your guidance will help me in finding the right solution.

Employee Unauthorized Leave and Performance Issue

In my new company, there is a female employee (T.L) who took the Diwali week off without approval from the HR department, despite being informed that her leave was not approved due to her poor performance. She did not inform anyone that she would be off work. Moreover, she was expected to submit important reports to the director today.

The director is not inclined to continue her employment. Is this the right decision, or should we give her a final chance? Should we communicate her performance issues and the unauthorized leave via email? I also want to set an example for other employees. How should I address this situation, and what is the appropriate way to inform other employees?

Kindly provide your suggestions.

When an employee starts showing ignorance in their behavior, there is no point in retaining that employee in the organization. I am well-experienced with these employees who are the root cause of demoralizing other employees as well. It is advisable to issue a warning letter or a show-cause notice. Conduct a meeting with her immediate supervisor, other respective HODs, along with HR, and document all the conversations via email or letter.

If you genuinely want to give her a chance, discuss the matter with her immediate manager and other HODs, conduct a proper SWOT analysis, and proceed further.

As Mahesh suggested, you can issue a show cause notice to the employee in case she has turned up for work. If not, initiate disciplinary procedures against her. If she is at work, issue a notice and initiate a discussion with her manager as well as with the Director. You can even put her on a Personal Development Plan (PDP) for 3 months.

If she is in probation, extend her confirmation and put her on a PDP.

Thank you very much, Mr. M.R. Girdhar and Mr. Mahesh. I have discussed it with our director. As we cannot fire that employee immediately, the reason being it is not possible to fulfill that position within a day or two, so we decided to send a mail explaining both reasons.

Communicating Consequences of Unauthorized Leave

Now, I want to convey to other employees the consequences of taking leave without prior permission and without informing, especially in case of emergency. I do not want to email everyone, nor do I want to post it on the notice board as it may demotivate them. What should I do to set an example in the organization?

Regards

While concurring with Mahesh, there's one thing your HR department shouldn't have done—linking Diwali with her festival leaves. Everyone knows how important a festival like Diwali is. They ought to have foreseen or anticipated this situation which emerged—the employee disregarding the instructions. Frankly, your HR only put themselves into a clumsy situation by mixing up two different issues, in a fit of hang-up or ego.

You haven't mentioned her stay in the company. Is this attitude a new development, or was it something that has been there earlier too? Was this discussed with her anytime by HR or her boss?

Like the legal quote goes: Justice should not only be done but should also be seen to be done. Rather than resorting to 'shoot a mail,' first get to the bottom of the 'why' of her attitude by talking face to face with her. If she can't give convincing answers, then she can be given a clear indication of things being put in writing. For all you know, her attitude could only be a 'response' to the way she was treated. The possibilities can be many—including herself. But when drastic action is being planned, it's better to be sure you are on the right and appropriate track. If not, the very objective you want to focus on ("set an example for the other employees also") could be a reality, albeit in a reverse order of things.

Regards,
TS

When an employee starts expressing negative behavior towards work, reasons can be: trying to get attention from the management, expecting a hike in salary, feeling unrecognized for earlier efforts, looking for another job, or having an offer in hand. They may be of vital importance to the team due to the knowledge they possess regarding the project, and many more reasons.

As an HR person, you will have to get a clear picture from the management about whether they desperately need this candidate, if they would feel good about retaining the employee, or if they won't mind (if the project does not get affected) if the employee leaves the organization.

Next, you need to talk to the employee and find out what has caused the lack of interest in her. Skills required are to empathize, comfort the employee, never criticize, listen and talk less, never commit anything, and probe by asking more open-ended questions.

Now that you have the employee's reason for the current behavior, you will be in a better position for assessment. Discuss the same with the management; make a practical, logical, realistic, and non-biased agreement (Plan A and Plan B).

Now talk to the employee, assure her that the management wants her to be part of the organization, and present her with Plan A. If she agrees, then fine (keep a condition based on time and performance). If not, use Plan B (keep a condition based on time and performance).

Now you will have to wait and observe the behavior. If everything goes fine, then it's good; if not, you can take action as you have the condition of time, performance, and behavior. Send warning emails and also get the warning letter in hard copy and issue it. This will help other people in the office understand that the company will take action on employees who do not abide by the company's policy.

"Work is love made visible. And if one cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that one should leave the work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy."

More often, we see that when our work demands it, we cancel all other work appointments and even leave during festival times. I second Mr. TajSateesh and would like to present the quote/saying "Work is Worship" that encapsulates it all.

I understand that the festival of "Diwali" is significant and holds value, but when an employee is aware of the responsibility for crucial work, such as submitting reports and reporting to a Director, they should not act irresponsibly and unprofessionally by avoiding important tasks and taking time off without informing seniors.

We all know how important our work is in this fast and competitive world, constantly requiring significant efforts and inputs from us to thrive. If an individual is not taking their work seriously and displays unprofessional behavior, they deserve to face strict action.

I support Mr. Mahesh, Mr. Alwar, and other members in favor of issuing a warning letter.

All the thoughts are presented here by our fellow HR practitioners for your further analysis. As a practitioner in the HR arena in a senior capacity for almost 15 years, I may add that you should please get to the bottom of the issue and listen to her side completely over a discussion. There are many reasons and factors to consider such as her attitude, personal reasons, family background, experience, knowledge, and her importance in her work. Find out and then take any action by emailing to make her understand that her stand is not fair and incorrect. You will find that at the end of the day, people will look at you with respect and value your judgment.

In any profession and decision, fair play will go a long way.

Best regards,
V. Rangarajan

Thank you to all the respected seniors. I really appreciate your advice. For the time being, we have sent an email stating that she will rejoin the back office on Monday. I will then be able to find out the reason for her behavior.