Trouble With A Member Of Staff.........any Advice Welcome

[Guest]

Hi

 

I have a member of staff, 20yrs old and level 2 qualified but training to be level 3. This girl is lovely and at times its really obvious to see her heart is in the right place. However her performance fluctuates. She can go from doing well, impressing me, being praised etc to having a bad attitude, barely bothering and being generally poopr in terms of performance.

 

We have had numerous informal chats about things she needs to address, where advise has been given and she has had opportunity to air her views and opinions, and whereas this works for a while it never lasts. I have moved her from one age group to another, which helped but then didn't.

 

I make an effort to offer advice and praise but it seems to have little to no effect. This girl has now began to form a divide between rooms, by mixing things and twisting words although she claims this is not intentional.

 

I recently ran a team building day, all staff thoroughly enjoyed bar one, because she was 'tired'. I have a bonus scheme running at the moment where for a little extra effort the staff get extra cash, shes told other members of staff shes not bothered about the extra money so isnt doing it. We have a fun day arranged for this saturday all staff agreed to attend but now shes 'busy' so cant. I am getting really frustrated as when asked she says shes fine, happy and can't describe what is wrong. In her eyes she seems to think shes trying hard.......I am lost on this one.

 

Theres a lot shes doing that I feel the need to point out flaws etc but I dont as I dont want to squash her so I try to get round this in other ways but the fact I need to do this is frustrating me.

 

I think its time to go down the formal warning route but all the things seem so minor till you put them together.

 

Any advice or words of wisdom would be appreciated

 

Nic

[Upsy Daisy]

It's not very helpful but it sounds like she just needs to grow up a bit. Not sure how you can help her do that really but I'm not really sure I would want her looking after my child. Children need people who are constistent and positive and it sounds like you've tried to get that message across already.

 

Maybe you could suggest that she looks at what the children need from her as a practitioner so she can step back and see it from someone else's point of view for a moment.

 

Good luck with this one.

Edited June 23, 2009 by AlisonP

[Guest]

Do you work in my nursery by any chance??!! You have just described a member of my staff perfectly!!

 

I've had numerous "chats" with her, she's had numerous tellings off, she's even been disciplined AND had a pre-disciplinary warning due to her absenteeism.

 

Thing is when she's good she's excellent but then we are waiting for the bomb she'll drop as we know its coming and it inevitably does!

 

Last week however, quite voluntarily she opened up to me, told me her home life wasnt good and she cried. Fortunately we work as part of a bigger company so I am able to offer her counselling which she has accepted and asked to start her L3, told me she's committed and really wants to do it; so we'll see.

 

Dont know what to suggest you do for her, we've just lumped praise on her where its due and tellings off when they've been justified and ignored her "strops", pretty much like you would for a child LOL!!!

[chasrosam]

I think unfortunately lots of nurserys have one of these !!!!!!!!!!!

 

We have the same problem and are dealing with it like you are, offering support, guidance and training - the thing is some people dont want to change. It is hard to help someone when the attitude is well and truly ingrained!!!

 

We have tried moving rooms and age groups but find that other members of staff then get dragged down and are fed up with the unfair work load. In september we will try moving the staff member again but only out of desperation really.

[Cait]

I had one of these a few years back. I had the chats and everything and finally at her appraisal I showed her my list of jobs I had to complete over the summer and asked which ones she was prepared to help me with. She came to my house every day for a fortnight over the summer and we got loads done. Okay she was mainly feeding the printer and the laminator and sticking labels on and stuff, but it was less for me, and working together gave us time to chat properly and helped her to appreciate my workload. She did improve a bit, thank goodness and I gave her her own topic to organise - with plenty of warning (in the days when we did topics) which was great for me to sit back and watch.