Advice Needed

[Guest]

Hi

I just wondered if someone could give me some advice on how to handle a situation, i have a new memeber of staff who is working her 3 month probabtion, but she is very upset about a member of staff who has been there for years who keeps telling her what to do and if the new member of staff is talking to a parent the other one butts in..... the new member of staff is very upset about this. I know i need to speak to the long term member of staff but i need to do it diplomatically so as not to upset her and to ensure that they can work in partnership!!! just not sure how to word it!!!!! I wondered if anyone else had dealt with anything like this?

[Steve]

I'd suggest first saying that it's good that she's trying to help a new member with her experience would be the best way to start, just to let her know you're not being critical.

 

Then to suggest that you'd like to see this new member talking to parents without prompting now that she's been here a little while, as it's a part of her developmental process to communicate with parents unaided and you'd like to see how she copes. You could say that you've discussed this with the new member and the new member has agreed to give you direct feedback as to how she feels her conversations with staff are going - as part of her probation. That might help her feel positive about standing back and giving a new member more experience?

[Gezabel]

I agree you need to have a word with your long standing member of staff and also agree with Steve's suggestion of starting the conversation on a positive note

 

Butting in on conversations is rather rude and must make the new member of staff feel undermined. Perhaps the long standing member of staff could be 'around' when the new member is talking to parents - perhaps busy nearby but keeping an ear. Perhaps you could ask her to then give feedback to the new member after the parent has gone - and for them to have a joint discussion?

 

Could it be that the new member has 'unsettled' the other member, is the new one showing to be particularly good and is there any hint that this 'new blood' has unsettled the other member of staff. The long standing member perhaps needs to know that she remains a valued member of staff but the new one also needs to know she is 'doing OK' and to feel part of the team

 

Tricky situation and you in the middle and yes I think diplomacy is the key in your approach

Good luck and let us know how it goes

Edited May 23, 2010 by Geraldine