DEAR JANE: One of my female employees quit for a CRAZY reason – now the company is trying to fire ME because of it
- In her latest column about Aunt Pain, bestselling author Jane Green offers advice to a man whose job is in jeopardy due to the actions of a female employee
- Do you have a question for Jane? Email dearjane@mailonline.com or ask below
- READ MORE: My family is torn apart by a row over a RECIPE
Dear Jane,
I am a 35 year old man leading a team of four women at a cosmetics company and recently my job was threatened over a stupid and trivial incident that I am convinced was orchestrated.
I have been leading the team for five months and my transition to the company was not made easy by the four women who now report to me.
It felt like they were trying to catch me from the start and make my job much harder, and it became clear pretty quickly that they just didn’t want me around.
The woman who held the role before me had been there for years, they were all good friends, and I know the team was upset when she left to move to another state.
Dear Jane, I am a 35 year old man who manages a team of women. One of them recently quit for some crazy reason – now the company wants to fire me for it
I knew I wasn’t going to be soul mates with all of them in the same way, but I really made an effort to get to know them all, and it feels like it’s being thrown in my face.
Recently one of them got a new haircut, so I complimented her on it and told her it looked great.
Instead of thanking me, she just responded with a joke about the fact that I thought she looked terrible earlier.
International bestselling author Jane Green offers sage advice on DailyMail.com readers’ most burning issues in her column Dear Jane agony aunt
That wasn’t the case, and not what I said, but I shrugged and moved on.
But the next thing I know, I’m being dragged before HR and told that this woman was ‘so offended’ by my ‘insult’ that she has now decided to resign – and the rest of the team is threatening to leave. with her.
I have tried to explain my position but they seem quite determined that I should be the one to go and have said that my job is now in serious jeopardy.
I really don’t know how to handle this. I know the dynamics here are difficult, but I don’t want to go down without a fight. Is that foolish?
By,
Lonely at the top
Dear Lonely at the Top,
This is a brave new world we live in – and I may very well be speaking harshly about that description – a world where what used to be considered a compliment is now considered an insult and where many are now terrified to say the wrong thing. thing.
I have read and reread your letter, and if the company is indeed asking or suggesting that you leave, then I recommend that you see an employment lawyer fairly quickly.
The dynamics don’t seem difficult to me. It seems like you have already been found guilty and your words are falling on deaf ears.
It also seems that if they do indeed fire you, you have rights. I don’t know where you stand, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable advising you to do anything other than talk to someone who knows exactly what you should do in this situation.
I wish you good luck.