Did you hear those employment ads on the radio recently? They state that 70% of failed job appointments are due to internal staff conflicts rather than the employee not being able to do their job properly.
And who pays the price for this conflict? Of course, it's you the employer, or it comes out of your department's budget. People state that the true cost of replacing a person is over 60% of their salary plus the lawyer's costs and the "go away" money paid in order to settle the Personal Grievance (PG), no matter how unjust it may be.
This can be nipped in the bud in a very cost effective manner. How many PG's have you heard about involve the employer having no idea it was coming? The signs in the work place are normally glaringly obvious to the people the employees report to. Normally, the actual issues involved start off quite minor but, like a speck of rust, unless it is fixed quickly, it can spread out of control.
The sooner an issue of this nature is addressed, the sooner you can have peace restored to the workplace. So, do I call Danny Gelb Employment Law Advocacy at the first sign of trouble between my staff? In a word, no. If you address the issue early enough then it should be easy to resolve internally. However, if you do not find it easy to resolve then do give us a call on 0800 HELP ME (0800 435 763). We are happy to talk you through the first steps prior to any formal engagement.
It is important that you follow the correct protocol when dealing with staff issues of this nature. Call the EMA if you are a member or talk to your HR or legal people first. Many an employer has been correct on the substantive matter but has fallen down due to correct procedures not being followed.
