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Old Employee Poisoning Well
Training & Organizational Development
Old Employee Poisoning Well
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I recently accepted a position where my predecessor was exactly like the one you described leaving. My predecessor also gave several weeks notice so she could "train" me. One week before I started, my
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Forums » Topic Forums » Training & Organizational Development » Old Employee Poisoning Well
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Old Employee Poisoning Well
posted at 7/24/2001 6:58 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 7/24/2001 Last: 7/24/2001 |
I recently accepted a position where my predecessor was exactly like the one you described leaving. My predecessor also gave several weeks notice so she could "train" me. One week before I started, my boss told the employee to leave early because the employee was so negative and she wasn't working at all. I walked into a mess but I am so thankful that I never had to work with my predecessor. Otherwise I don't know if I would have stayed. Granted she could have trained me on a few topics but I learned that she was not qualified to do the job in the first place. I had a co-worker train me on the technical aspect. The rest I worked out myself. Now after only a few months, I know this position in & out. Sometimes it better to cut your losses. Plus the new employee will probably not mesh well with the old one. Don't sell your new hire short. He/She may not have a large learning curve. Either way I would definitely talk to the new employee. It would be a shame to lose the new one because of the old one. |
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Old Employee Poisoning Well
posted at 7/24/2001 7:31 AM EDT
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Posts: 3
First: 7/24/2001 Last: 7/24/2001 |
If there is a true concern about the old employee, say good-bye today. Never allow the welfare of your organization to be held hostage to one person's knowledge (especially if that person is a weak link). You will be further ahead to find a workaround for training the new person and getting them "oriented" the right way. |
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Old Employee Poisoning Well
posted at 7/24/2001 9:13 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 7/24/2001 Last: 7/24/2001 |
In the best interest of the organization and the future relationship with the new employee, it would be advisable terminate your relationship with the older employee immediately. You may consider having the older employee put together a list of her responsibilities along with the usual policies, procedures and methods to be used as a resource for the newer employee. If you can temporarily cross-train another employee on the most important functions of the job, this may also assist in the training the new employee. |
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Old Employee Poisoning Well
posted at 7/24/2001 9:26 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 7/24/2001 Last: 7/24/2001 |
I think it depends more on the reasons why the old employee is depressed and negative. What in the workplace created this situation? It is definitely better to terminate the relationship (for both sides) if you can, but if you really must save the person's knowledge, you can try to make the old employee feel good by creating a positive atmosphere and letting him/her know that he/she will be sorely missed. Take him/her to lunch. State how much you are sorry to see that the company's relationship with him/her has soured to this point. There is a reason for the way the employee feels, and it's not always the employee's fault. |
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Old Employee Poisoning Well
posted at 7/24/2001 12:34 PM EDT
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Posts: 7
First: 7/24/2001 Last: 7/9/2002 |
Although in prnciple darlenekh's comments are sound, remember that all the counselling should have taken place *before* the relationship went this bad.
We had the same situation, only the "older" employee become *more* negative after we accepted their resignation, and in fact started to make damaging comments outside their work group. We were forced to walk the person out the door. The exit interview was not productive from anyone's point of view. Since then, the replacement employee (who started with no specific mentor) has found their feet, has approached everyone in the company for advice and in doing so, they have made the role suit them rather than try to fit into the mould left by the previous employee. In fact by having learn everything themself instead of being handed it, the new employee has at least 2 advantages: - has learnt technical things according to correct procedures - has started all relationships with co-workers totally unprejudiced by the old employee's comments Now it's our turn to make sure that the new employee stays happy - we are trying to analyse what went wrong before so it won't happen again. |
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