You reprimand a worker for turning up late to work on a number of occasions. The

Question

You reprimand a worker for turning up late to work on a number of occasions. The worker bursts into tears. How should you respond to this emotional state?

After talking to the worker they tell you that the cause of their emotional state and the reason for them running late repeatedly is that their elderly and terminally ill mother is living with them. The in-home care nurse who is supposed to look after them when the employee is at work frequently shows up late and the worker cannot leave the home until they arrive. What could you do?

Explanation / Answer

The given case can be considered as a classic case of managing emotions. When a manager leads a team, it is not just the tasks that need to be completed but also the emotions that come attached to every team member. The productivity, efficiency and accuracy of any task is highly dependent on the mental and emotional state of any individual. In the given case, the worker is repeatedly coming late to office and has a valid reason for doing so. Taking care of the ill mother is a priority for him and though he has made alternate arrangements, certain genuine delays can occur.

There are few ways to deal about these situations. I would sit down with the worker and understand the issues he is having and give him full support. I would also have a word with the management to ensure they are updated and can offer assistance when needed. Since the nurse managing his mother is coming late, I can help the worker in trying to find a new nurse. Another way is to ensure the worked has flexible hours to compensate for the delays. One of the approach I would take is to plan an activity handover plan for all employees. In case someone is unable to reach on time, then work should not be stopped and instead the backup worker can help in taking on the responsibility and complete the work. The way I deal with the worker will be closely monitored by the workers union and peers. To ensure all the stakeholder are managed properly I would have to take these steps. If the worker is still coming late, I would give him some time off from work so that he can manage the issues and ensure that the job is waiting for him when he is ready to join back.

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