The Hindu Business Line : Solution to `problem employee' is not a sack order

STORY so far: After a day filled with busy meetings ranging from cost control in the face of rupee appreciation to studying the impact of the WTO on agriculture, I take time off to hang around at an election meeting. Somehow the whole exercise of speeches by politicians looks too hollow to stimulate thinking.

Episode 71

With elections on, and a gruelling summer month accompanied by high decibel campaign in the forecast, the only predominant thing in the media appears to revolve around parties and their leaders, statements and allegations. Even as I lazily surf the TV channels, my phone rings. "Yep," I say, grabbing the handset.

"Swati," it is Gupta at the other end. "Are you still in office?" I asked. It was past 9 p.m. "That's right," he said. "At this rate, I could become a good candidate for my doctor to study." He didn't seem to be joking and I could guess he was quite hassled. "What's the problem, Guptaji?" I enquired. It was then that he began telling me about a problem that was bogging him down for months.

"You know Kiran?" Gupta asked. "That chap from the B-school who joined us a few months ago?" He was giving me some clue to recollect and I was rapidly searching my database in the head to match with his specs, but could only manage to say, "Hmmm." Gupta didn't give up, "No, Swati, it was he who brought to you an analysis about product development. That crazy report."

Immediately, I could remember how about a month back, a staff from Gupta's department had come to give me a copy of what appeared to be a thesis. "I am Kiran," he had introduced though I was concentrating on the report he gave me. "Are you sure it is for me?" I had asked, because it was about manufacturing process and such, not numbers and tables.

"I know you are a CA," Kiran had said. "That's why I wanted you to take a look at what I have prepared about improvements that can be implemented in our factories." I was feeling queasy, because this was the subject matter of Gupta's department and he shouldn't see me as encroaching into his territory.

Kiran could perhaps guess what crossed my mind, so he added: "I've given a copy to my chief, Gupta, but this one is for you to browse. I am sure you would be able to see links and suggest controls where necessary." I had said I'd try, and then we spent a few minutes talking about the status of B-schools, CA syllabus, and the perennial debate of whether MBAs were better than CAs.

This playback happened in about a few moments when Gupta gave me the right clue, but what was disturbing to me was the `crazy' tag that he put for what appeared to me as a detailed work. What was making Gupta so angry and peeved? "Something happened to him?" I asked.

"Oh, Swati, how concerned you are about him," Gupta said laughing wryly. "It's me who is the affected party." I asked, "What's the matter?" Gupta explained by narrating one incident after another to show how he was finding Kiran to be a tough team worker. "I need to sack him," said Gupta. "There is no other alternative." It was already 10 p.m. and I was yawning. "I think you can postpone your decision by a day," I suggested, "rather than rush through some e-mail or letter so late at night."

Gupta paused, and asked, "You feel so, Swati?" I said, "Yeah, why spoil your health. And, if you don't mind, I'll have a chat with Kiran tomorrow." Gupta seemed relieved as if a hot potato was getting out of his hands, "Well, Swati, don't tell me later I didn't warn you!"

*********

The next day, I got up to my desk an hour before usual and the first thing I did was to dig up the report Kiran had given me and begin reading it. After a good thirty minutes into it, I could understand he was trying to implement some of the best practices into the factory's working.

His report spoke about feasibility questions — both technological and economic — and gave answers too in a language I could understand. Immediately I shot off a mail to Kiran: "How about meeting at 3 p.m. in Qwiky's?" I didn't know he too was in his seat early, because I got his call within the next five minutes.

"Birthday party?" he asked. "No," I said. "Thought I'd discuss the report you gave me." He was happy, "How nice. I thought you'd trashed it long ago." I didn't want to tell him I had retrieved it from the heap I had piled under the table.

*********

Over a leisurely coffee, I asked Kiran, "How is the job?" I expected him to tell me a thousand wrong things about Gupta, just as Gupta had told me about Kiran. But no. Kiran kept talking about his views about our processes, standards for practices, and so on.

At the end of about an hour's chat, where I interjected now and then with some questions, I was of the firm view that sacking Kiran could make Gupta happier, but the company would be poorer in human resource.

*********

How does one deal with a problem employee who happens to be bright? Send in your thoughts by Friday.

(To be continued)

Swati_CA@hotmail.com

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