Dealing with a staff dispute at a charity

DontStopMeNow

I volunteer as a trustee at a small local charity. One manager has been accused of speaking harshly and rudely to a member of another manager's team, upsetting other members of the team. I really don't want this to have to go to a disciplinary, so I wondered if there were suggestions for dealing with this sympathetically?

Undervalued

DontStopMeNow said:

I volunteer as a trustee at a small local charity. One manager has been accused of speaking harshly and rudely to a member of another manager's team, upsetting other members of the team. I really don't want this to have to go to a disciplinary, so I wondered if there were suggestions for dealing with this sympathetically?

What is the chain of command. You say you are "a" trustee. Normally with such bodies the trustees hire (and fire) the most senior employee who is then responsible for all the other paid staff.

What you must avoid is individual trustees independently getting involved in staff matters, certainly without a collective decision. Resist the temptation to have an informal "word in the ear" of the supposedly errant manager!

Savvy_Sue

It's going to depend whether anyone has started a formal grievance or complaint. If they have, follow the charity's process (please don't say you don't have one ...)

Next question is, what's 'usual' for this person? I remember from my teenage days a really scary GP receptionist who spoke very abruptly to EVERYONE, whether you were in the surgery or on the phone. I went in one day and in EXACTLY the same tone she said "And how's your brother, is he OK now?" (he'd been in hospital for a prolonged period.)

But if it hasn't become formal, surely you can have an informal conversation with the 'rude' manager? Who manages them? Is all well? Are they struggling with something at home, or their health? Which leads on to, how can we support you through this? And you need to understand if this is a one-off incident, or whether it might be part of a pattern. 

And then, the upset team, can their manager establish whether this was a one-off incident, or whether this person is habitually perceived as rude or difficult. And if it turns out there are reasons for a change in behaviour, then - without breaching confidentiality - asking for grace to be shown right now, because X is dealing with some difficult circumstances and may be struggling as a result. And I'd also encourage people not to !!!!!! among themselves, but to speak to their manager AND THEIR MANAGER ALONE if there is a problem. And, obviously, their manager doesn't share it with the rest of the team either ... 

I was, apparently, somewhat scary at work - perhaps because I am a processes person who generally knows how to claim expenses and read a payslip, whereas many of my colleagues were touchy-feely types who ... didn't. And I was occasionally known to have 'outbursts', which were never directed at individuals who might be hearing the outburst, but more at the unjust world in which our clients were not deemed to matter to officialdom. It got to the stage where whenever a new member of staff started, I'd say something like "I can be a bit scary, but honestly it won't be you I'm ranting about, and I don't mind how many times you ask me the same question, I will explain it again until you get it."

YBR

If the accusation is not a formal complaint, as yet, I would suggest having one-to-ones with the members of the other manager's team, listen to them, how they feel, what happened, is it one incident or ongoing, whether there may be some bias or discrimination involved. 

Then also a one-to-one with the first manager, listen to them and how they see things. Reflect back the feelings of the other manager's team - is the first manager aware of how s/he comes across to the team, how s/he made them feel? Does s/he accept that or is s/he

One person's matter-of-fact is another person's rude, and one person's polite is another person's beating around the bush. I know this because I can be blunt myself and around my work team it's fine because we're all like that, but others would say I can be abrasive.

If you listen well, you might discern a softer approach that will calm things, or it might become clear that it needs to be handled formally, as a complaint or disciplinary process. Best of luck.

EnPointe

DontStopMeNow said:

I volunteer as a trustee at a small local charity. One manager has been accused of speaking harshly and rudely to a member of another manager's team, upsetting other members of the team. I really don't want this to have to go to a disciplinary, so I wondered if there were suggestions for dealing with this sympathetically?

are the Managers in involved the  Seniors within the organisation as a Trustee  ( or a NED)  you wouldn;t necessarily be involved in in the  day to day meat and bones of this  unless  the alleged aggressor was the  'Chief Exec'  type  role  ( as the NEDs / Trustees    hire and fire the  Chief Exec )

leaving that aside 

the Manager of the  Alleged  Aggressor needs to  act swiftly to make an assessment of the  allegation 

In that rapid triage of the allegation , if it  looks  prima facie  like Gross Misconduct , do not  pass go , do not collect £200 , suspend the alleged aggressor  get the disciplinary  wheels in motion, aim to have full hearing   within a short a time frame as  practicable for all involved. if Gross Misconduct not  proved at the disciplinary then you have to look at  how to manage and mitigate the issue  going forward with the  people involved still in post ( even if Misconduct is proven and the Individual gets a Stage 2  or Final  warning* ), if it  Gross Misconduct  proven at  discip the alleged agressor is getting dismissed, demoted   or  exceptionally  remains in post with a development plan and Final Written Warning. 

If it's clearly not Gross Misconduct at the triage you could consider  some  kind of mediation or an informal resolution  which  is still going  to involve a file note on the  records of the  alleged  agressor  if they accept  culpability,  this is not be  a warning  per Disciplinary  policy , but might be referred to if  a similar accusation comes to light in the next year or so - iuf the alleged aggressor  denies culpability  go to  formal Discip

* assuming policy allows for Final written warning  against a (?first current)  finding of Misconduct ...