When I started this business long back, one of the first employees I hired was R. He was not a qualified engineer or exceptionally bright candidate, but yes, very dedicated and sincere. The salary I could offer him at that time was peanuts to be honest, but he never really complained about it. Looking back, it might be due to the lack of his degree and very limited options in software development field in the city but okay, that is not the point of discussion here.
As the time passed by, the company grew, and so did the salaries and number of employees. I figured out that despite all motivation, better working environment and other facilities, company was now offering, R was somehow unable to cope with the increasing pressure, emerging technologies and customer’s exigencies. As a senior member in team, I expected him to be responsible, initiative and reliable but it turned out that chances of him screwing up were directly proportional to the seriousness of the matter. In other words, if a client is growling on certain issue and we are the defaulters, I could always rely on R to make the matters worse.
We spoke about these things several times coz I accept it or not but somehow I had a soft corner for him. He supported us by not switching over the jobs and working in the odd conditions when the single most important thing we needed was stability from employees in those unearthly conditions. Every time we spoke, he used to pick mistakes in others but never wanted to improve his own self. I warned him so many times as things were literally going over my head, almost everyone in the team was unhappy with his attitude, bossism and peculiar ideas. The day came when I issued the last warning followed by sacking him from the job. It was not a pleasant moment but in a way it had a positive effect on the team. The message was clear, if R can be dismissed, no one is safe and instead of sticking to government employees kind of attitude, they need to prove their worth if they want to stay in the company.
Every thing was fine, well almost, until one day, R called back asking for a meeting. What followed up was a long discussion with him accepting all of the mistakes, willing to improve and requesting for just one chance on any cost. I usually have a rule to never take an employee back once they move out, be it from my side or theirs. So I did with him.
Another week passed by and he called up again. Almost crying, requesting for another chance, even willing to work without pay for a month or so and then proving his worth. Now at this moment I am in a quandary. The gut feelings say, things have changed for good after his dismissal and I should keep it like that. On other hand, when I think of his family, the school going kid and other problems in his life, I think of giving him another chance. So far instincts are winning, let us see what comes next..
In any case feeling better after writing it out!!
Cheers!!
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Two things:
1. With the experience the fellow gained while working with you he should be in a position to apply elsewhere
2. You could take a chance by giving him work which isn't of prime importance, see his performance and then decide. Probation kinds
Not like you were asking for advise! Just came to my mind
Well, you truly are in a dilemma!
Btw, I agree with Ms. Speaks totally. Well, at the end of the day I do u'stand you've lot more thinking to do and I hope for you, you take the right decision.
No advice, just sharing thoughts :)
TC and may the force be with you!
if I were u i wudn hav taken him back - maybe cos of lack of experience.
for now - i gues taking him back wud have a negative impact on the rest of the team.
havin a gut feel cos of emotional bonding is fine as a person, but i guess an EMPLOYER shud NOT be a normal human. wut ever tht means.
ST, I feel you should give him one last chance...see i know your company has been doing well after he has left...but then since he had been loyal to you when the company was growing...i feel one chance needs to be given. Don't give him a huge responsibility, let him start from the scratch...
Maybe i am saying this b'coz i do not own a business of my own. I could be wrong...but i just shared my view regarding this. chill!
Ms. Speaks - Well, yeah. He has gained experience for sure but look around in current scenario when even qualified professionals are being laid off.. so its not easy to get a job just with the experience and without the degree. I think you know it very well.. dont you?
And no worries about advise.. coming from you, its always welcome. :)
Sparkling - Thanks Ma'am.. BTW, I said a No to him.. somehow that looked like the right thing to do.
Sawan - Yeah, that was the major hitch in my mind.. the impact on team.. If I would have taken him back, it was kind of a wrong signal to the team that any one can do any thing and then come back for that another chance.
Gayatri - Thanks for your views but like I said, the hitch was negative impact on team.. they must not think that its a charity show and anybody can go past any thing..
whoa!!! i hope your syustem doesn't crash under all this pressure, ST :)
go with your gut failing, i would say. they never lie.
Have you ever heard the fable about the frog and the spider? basically a spider wants a ride across a pond and promises not to bite the frog. Reluctantly, the frog gives a ride to the spider and his biten and dies. The moral is, people don't change. This story moved me so much, i wrote a comic book on it and distribute in my law class. you are a man with a heart. i wish you peace in whatever decision you make.
These decisions must be so tough on you. I hate appraisal times when I have to award grades and find uncomfortable to give below average grades. Yours must be a million times difficult.
But, in the end, all one shoud ask oneself is, "Am I being fair to everyone?". That solves the problem many times.
I hope he finds a job somewhere elsee soon :).
Maheep!!! I had deleted my blog and gmail id both and I didn't have you anywhere else!!! New blog hai ab, check it out. And I promise I'll stay in touch. :)
I kinda agree with Ms Speaks. Give the guy a chance..maybe he has chnged
awww... am glad I don't run my own biz ST. Difficult decision indeed.
I feel sorry for the guy, but then, you need to convey your message to your team as well....
God help you make the right decision and steer your company along good times.. :-) and God help the other guy as well...
Do NOT take him back...advice from an HR pro