Posted at 4:39 PM on Tuesday 27 April 2010
I would like to get any advice or ideas on how to handle a situtation. You have 3 admin assistants, all equal level. Two are very buddy buddy with each other and have a grudge or some type of issue with the third. Third is by far the best worker. I have been asked by the Dept Head to take care of the situation and get the two cliquie girls to have a higher accuracy/output rate. I have no idea where to start. We go through reviews in October so that isnt an option, and I have only limited "supervisory" authority. I don't want to be come the 4th in thier little party of office stress. The three sit at the end of 3 cubicle rows. One ideas was separating them a bit more to different parts of the office so non work related conversations would less. The two couldn't make random comments loud enough so the third could hear. Do you think that would help or do you have any other ideas?
Posted at 2:42 PM on Monday 17 May 2010
This is always difficult. I guess there are a few things you could do. You could always talk one on one with the two clique ladies and discuss the situation and explain that it is not professional and could potentionally hold them back from progressing in their career path. Is there something the third lady is doing to isolate herself? If you think so, then perhaps speak with her as well and try your best to coach them. I would try to partner up one of the 2 with the 3rd lady to work on a project together and make them reliant on each other for various outcomes and the project's total success. Teamwork creates bonds. If nothing works, you need to communicate to them that even if they are not friends and do not like each other, the have to respect each other and be professional and that you will not tolerate anything less. Good Luck. Let me know how it goes.
Posted at 4:37 PM on Wednesday 19 May 2010
Thank for responding, it just hasn't got any better and I am resigned for now to think I will just have to deal with it on a case by case basis. I do like the partnering idea. That may help a bit.
Posted at 5:20 PM on Saturday 4 September 2010
Has this improved any now you are approaching October reviews?

It seems there are two different issues:

Isolation of one person

AND

Two people putting more effort into their non work discussions so that it is felt their performance is lower than it should be

If you can update perhaps we can suggest ideas to address this formally in reviews?