How Can I Support an Employee Struggling with Behavioral Issues at Work?

Hello All,

I have a very strange problem here. The employee whom we have hired is a psychiatric patient. She quarrels with every employee here. Also, she doesn't talk to her managers and VP of the company with respect. She doesn't seem to be normal. How do I help her? She had a breakup with her boyfriend a year back, and she's very rude with all men here. Maybe she has grudges against all men here. Instead, she fights with women too... Her work is very good, but her nature is not... Please help.

Geeta

Hi Geeta,

If her work is good, it means she is an asset to the company. You can seek help from a psychiatric doctor who can conduct clinical therapy in 2-4 sessions, followed by a course to restore her natural behavior and confidence level. Someone should understand her problem and try to help her overcome it so that she can return to normalcy. Please understand that this process may take some time, but it will yield results. I have used this method in my previous company and achieved positive results. Start now.

Regards,
Mahesh K Prasad

Hi Geeta,

The persons like this have much potential and go ahead in life, always looking to do well for the organization. They are laborious and very talented. If you want to help her, then try to talk with her daily and find out why it is so with her. If she has any grudges with seniors, then try to ignore that. Always behave well with seniors in front of her so she can learn and try to behave like that in the coming days. Try to talk to her a little bit daily so that she can come up from depression. You will see a drastic change in her attitude within a few days, but never let her down. Try this.

Regards,
Anurag Sharma
Grassik Consultants

Terming an employee in your organization as a psychiatric patient is a serious issue. The first advice to you is to show some respect. It is like calling someone mad.

There are many ways you can help the person. You may seek help from professional counselors as well. But first, start treating the person with respect.

Thanks, Indra.

But instead of calling MAD, I mentioned as a psychiatric patient and not a MAD person. Doctors use these terms only. I think you need to learn to refer to these people with doctor's terminology. I'm sure you're new to this world. Thanks for your advice anyway. :)

If you don't know whom you are posting this message to, then you should learn to respect first and not show what respect is. Good luck anyway.

Hello Prasad,

Thank you so much for your help. I was trying to reach out to some doctors but felt it might be too direct to call them here. Instead, I was thinking that we could take her out and spend some quality time, inviting the doctor to join us. We can then ask the doctor to be friendly and take it from there.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Geeta

Hi Anurag,

I have also tried to behave as well as we can with our managers in front of her, but to no avail. She doesn't realize that. I thought of sending a FW: message on etiquettes, but I'm scared it might hurt her sentiments. So, doctors will be the last hope.

Thanks a lot.
Geeta

Dear Geeta,

I have learned my lessons the hard way - one does not know why one behaves in the way they do. There are so many internal and external issues preying on one's psyche.

Talk to her, believe she will open up, and then you will realize her true self.

Regards,
Colonel Jude

Geetha,

Will your management bear the expenses for the doctor and treatment to get back to normalcy? In short, please try to resolve this matter directly at your level, inform seniors, conduct a meeting, and make appropriate decisions. Avoid making individual decisions.

THANKS,
RAVI:icon4::icon4:

Hello GeetaK,

How do you determine whether a person has a rude character or has turned rude and needs psychiatric treatment? I am quite surprised as to how you jump to such conclusions. Why should the company pay for psychiatric treatment? Do you have a policy on that? Would you also treat any other disease, such as TB or Cancer, the same way? If you want to take the help of a counselor as a policy to assist an employee for a short term, it's okay, but as a long-term measure, it should be a strict no. Maybe the person is just taking advantage of the situation and knows that you value her work; therefore, you will tolerate her tantrums. Give her a warning, and maybe you won't need a counselor at all.

Riyaz

Hi Geeta,

The solution is very simple; I guess it's just blown out of proportion.

Look at this person as a regular employee. Would you take any crap from any of your other employees?

First, get in touch with the referrals that she has provided. Recheck her behavior pattern. Also, call up her previous two workplaces and check the same.

If the same is being said by her previous employers, then go ahead and issue her a warning letter citing the reason and consequences if she repeats the same issue. Give her two more warning letters, and then FIRE her.

No employee is worth the effort if the cost is making your workplace uncomfortable for a lot of people. In a corporate environment, it's very simple; there is not a lot of place for personal issues. If you set this as an example, you are looking at tackling a lot of issues from a lot of people. Each person who has a bad day at home will start making the workplace miserable. Set this as an example.

Now on the personal front, I am not asking to be inhuman. You can choose to accompany her to a doctor or to a support group. You will have to do some research on that. Also, you can set her up on dates as a friend.

Hope the above sorts all your queries. I am really sorry, but according to me, there is limited place for our personal issues in a corporate working environment.

Also, before asking her to leave, you have to make sure that she gets the message why she is being thrown out and it also matches with your company's exit policy.

Regards,

AJ

Hi AJ,

Thank you so much. I really think you make a lot of sense to me, at least. In fact, this is what happened last year. She was given warning letters and then finally asked to leave. But she came back, apologizing for the same, and has rejoined us by saying that this will not repeat, and she will never misbehave with the employees here. Now, she concentrates on her work and talks to everyone in a better way. As she is the breadwinner of the house, she needed her job back. At that time, she was the only resource in that department for programming.

Thank you so much.

Regards,
Geeta

Hi Geeta,

You are afraid of someone, and that's not good from your point of view. It means you hesitate a little bit while talking to him if you think that she is not responding to you or to other members in the organization. In that case, you have to show some assertiveness. Have you heard the proverb from Ramayana that "Bahy binu priti na hoye gopala"? It means if you show some assertiveness, she will definitely change her behavior. If that doesn't work, then you should consider seeking advice from a professional. However, I believe it works; I am enjoying a similar approach in my workplace.

Anurag Sharma

Hello Geeta,

Every organization has a workforce with diverse personalities. Individual behavior depends on organizational culture and etiquettes followed in the workplace. As an HR professional, you have to counsel her with your authority and position, which demands this solution to retain her as well as reprimand her too. She may feel bad for a while and may be glad after realizing that she was wrong and you provided the proper word of caution. It is warranted and a must. We are responsible professionals and do not hesitate to highlight individuals to improve their performance and workplace discipline practices; this is our main function.

I hope nothing strange was advised.

With Kind Regards,
Sawant

Hi all,

Thank you for all the responses. The story has come to an end. She has walked out with another offer in hand, and we have not tried to retrieve her.

Thanks all,
- Geeta