Hire her back @ 75% of her salary before she left, but part time so that she gets no benefits. Use her to train new employee while she's there, and then lay her off.
- Oct 9, 1999
- 21,019
- 156
- 106
Here's what I did: I took the old employee back.
Cross-training wasn't the issue since there were already 3 other employees who knew how to do this work. The problem was there was simply too much work for them to do after losing a top person. It could not be divided up such that it could all get done. The work has weekly deadlines and there was no option for just taking longer.
I understand why people would keep the new person. The new person did nothing wrong and eventually would have been fine. But the pressures of the situation were happening now, and having the old person back was the equivalent of having two more average performing employees on the job.
But just as important was that, in my experience, long-time employees who leave then want to come back relatively quickly (when they still have the new job) do not leave again. I could speculate why that is, but it's irrelevant. But it is true.
Another factor is that the new person is right out of school. He did not turn down any other offers before taking our job, did not relocate to our town, does not have a family to support. Had any of those not been the case, it would have been a much tougher decision. I will give him a good reference and call the hiring manager at the other company to personally recommend him for what that's worth.
Like many situations, there's no good answer. Bringing the old person back is unfair to the new person. Keeping the new person is not putting the best available person in the job and addressing the problem of all the work not getting done.
Cross-training wasn't the issue since there were already 3 other employees who knew how to do this work. The problem was there was simply too much work for them to do after losing a top person. It could not be divided up such that it could all get done. The work has weekly deadlines and there was no option for just taking longer.
I understand why people would keep the new person. The new person did nothing wrong and eventually would have been fine. But the pressures of the situation were happening now, and having the old person back was the equivalent of having two more average performing employees on the job.
But just as important was that, in my experience, long-time employees who leave then want to come back relatively quickly (when they still have the new job) do not leave again. I could speculate why that is, but it's irrelevant. But it is true.
Another factor is that the new person is right out of school. He did not turn down any other offers before taking our job, did not relocate to our town, does not have a family to support. Had any of those not been the case, it would have been a much tougher decision. I will give him a good reference and call the hiring manager at the other company to personally recommend him for what that's worth.
Like many situations, there's no good answer. Bringing the old person back is unfair to the new person. Keeping the new person is not putting the best available person in the job and addressing the problem of all the work not getting done.
moshquerade
No Lifer
- Nov 1, 2001
- 61,504
- 12
- 56
moshquerade
No Lifer
- Nov 1, 2001
- 61,504
- 12
- 56
thescreensavers
Diamond Member
- Aug 3, 2005
- 9,916
- 2
- 81
middlehead
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
- 4,573
- 2
- 81
You've stated that the company was impacted by her leaving and would benefit by bringing her back. The fact that she left to do the same job with another company and the (less clear from the OP) notion that these is considerable training involved in the position suggest that it is a professional position. As a manager I would be more concerned with a professional's loyalty to the profession than to the company. I would look to additional factors, especially the relative cost and value of the new employee relative to the old. Is the new employee fully trained after 3 months or will it take another 9 months? Is there an appreciable difference in their salaries? Has the new employee completed probation? I'd be shooting myself in the foot if I paid more attention to getting even with her for her lack of loyalty than to my company getting the best employee of the money.
Fritzo
Lifer
- Jan 3, 2001
- 41,920
- 2,161
- 126
You have to put feeling aside in these situations and do what is best for the company and still follow the rules.
I would tell the girl that she can reapply and send in her resume. Things to consider is she's prone to make hasty decisions and life choices, meaning she may do the same thing again (she's an opportunist). All she has on her side is experience, which anyone can gain over time.
If a position comes up, the girl could be considered with every other applicant, but otherwise I'd tell her the position has already been filled.
I would tell the girl that she can reapply and send in her resume. Things to consider is she's prone to make hasty decisions and life choices, meaning she may do the same thing again (she's an opportunist). All she has on her side is experience, which anyone can gain over time.
If a position comes up, the girl could be considered with every other applicant, but otherwise I'd tell her the position has already been filled.
If your actions were entirely business based, their backgrounds should have been irrelevant. Who cares if he didn't relocate? Really? I am glad you are not my manager.
Edit: gender fixed
Edit2: The old employee effed you over once and you just gave her an opportunity to do it again.
you put the emphasis on production versus moral and loyalty.
did not relocate to our town, does not have a family to support. Had any of those not been the case, it would have been a much tougher decision
hopefully as a manager you realize the legal implications of involving those considerations in an employment action. That ranks right up there with "do you have children that will interfer with your ability to do your job".
for others who were watching your actions, you have identified that job loyalty is not important, and employee moral is not a factor you consider during employee actions. As a manager you have justified the bottom line, but at a cost to future actions. In a tight job market the employers can easily do this. When you are looking for specific employees that bring unique or required skills to the job, you will get applicants, and those applicants will jump to another job as soon as they get the offer because they owe no loyalty to you.
MagnusTheBrewer
IN MEMORIAM
- Jun 19, 2004
- 24,122
- 1,594
- 126
While the majority of responders seem to have made the correct decision ie. keep the new hire, I am somewhat puzzled by the comments regarding the original employee's lack of loyalty. Does no one think the company owes a commitment to the new hire? Do you honestly think all a company owes an employee is a paycheck? Aside from being short sighted, that attitude has contributed significantly towards our current economic distress. Just because that's the way most companies behave doesn't make it right either, in the long term interests of the company or morally.
FelixDeCat
Lifer
- Aug 4, 2000
- 31,052
- 2,691
- 126
I was in a similar situation and thought it was going to all be peaches 'n cream. In the beginning it was, but self employment is very different than just punching a clock.
And while I had that job for 17 years and made it into what it was, I made sure to train my replacement well for the benefit of the company and put everything I knew and did into a book of procedures.
It would be nice to get my old job back because they were very acommodating to me and paid relatively well. But I knew the score up front and wouldnt dream of asking for it back.
I knew the lady I trained for 8 years prior to training her for my job (she was already my emergency backup). And Im pretty positive shes not doing as good a job as I did, I still woudnt ask for it back.
When that old employee gets the itch to leave again, will that local person be willing to come and work for you again?
ps. My old boss still keeps in touch, however.
And while I had that job for 17 years and made it into what it was, I made sure to train my replacement well for the benefit of the company and put everything I knew and did into a book of procedures.
It would be nice to get my old job back because they were very acommodating to me and paid relatively well. But I knew the score up front and wouldnt dream of asking for it back.
I knew the lady I trained for 8 years prior to training her for my job (she was already my emergency backup). And Im pretty positive shes not doing as good a job as I did, I still woudnt ask for it back.
When that old employee gets the itch to leave again, will that local person be willing to come and work for you again?
ps. My old boss still keeps in touch, however.
eek, don't agree. If things really weren't getting done why cant you keep both? All you are saying here is that you hired the old person back to once again pull more weight than the other employees.
Superstars leave managers, not companies. I'd take it as a lesson to you that you need to reward the superstar before it happens again.
Was she right in that she has no career path at your company? I think it's kind of weird to have sour grapes if your company couldn't actually offer her the type of mobility she sought. If she is a highly valued employee who simply wanted, reasonably, to work her way up, I don't see a problem with taking her back.
SmoochyTX
Lifer
- Apr 19, 2003
- 13,615
- 0
- 0
That REALLY sucks for the new person and I hope they're able to find a job quickly. Just because they don't have a family to support doesn't mean they need money to live on any less than somebody who does have a family.
I would not have made the decision you did if I had been the manager.
Drakkon
Diamond Member
- Aug 14, 2001
- 8,401
- 1
- 0
Had same thing happen at my old company - guy had worked there for 2 years then left because he thought he had found a better career path right during a crunch time. 4 months later he comes back asking for a job. At that point I had taken over his position and I say no - i don't want him on my team - everyone else on team agrees - owner decided he'll take him back and put him on a "special project". 1 year later crunch time again - work is piling up - and once again the guy we hired back bails again, this time leaving us in an even worse place because the work he said he was doing he was just covering up.
Always keep the new hire - just like an ex-wife/girlfriend - they are an ex for a reason.
Saw your outcome...I hope it works out for ya...but in my opinion you choose poorly and for the wrong reasons.
Always keep the new hire - just like an ex-wife/girlfriend - they are an ex for a reason.
Saw your outcome...I hope it works out for ya...but in my opinion you choose poorly and for the wrong reasons.
HardcoreRobot
Lifer
- Nov 7, 2000
- 16,403
- 3
- 81
to be fair to us, you did not state that the new employee's lack of training was having negative consequences. if your back is against the wall, you have to do what you have to do to get the work done
Krazy4Real
Lifer
- Oct 3, 2003
- 12,221
- 55
- 91
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