The Disgruntled Employee by Peter Morris

Author:Peter Morris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Adams Business, an imprint of Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
Published: 2008-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

CASE STUDY

When It’s Okay to Speak Up

Suppose you have an employee who witnesses an inappropriate conversation between another employee and the boss. Even though the worker who is being harassed does not report the incident, the employee who witnessed it decides to report it. It might go something like this:

Angie and Lisa are both young women in their twenties and administrative assistants for a large manufacturing company. They’ve been good friends for a while. Over lunch they’ve discussed the various people who work at their company, and one thing they agree on is that Jack, the head of their department, is a slime ball. Jack is married and has two kids, but that doesn’t stop him from hitting on most of the woman in the office. So far, he’s never bothered Angie or Lisa, at least that’s what Lisa thought until she happens to be walking by the copy room and sees both Jack and Angie inside. Angie is making copies, and Jack is standing in the doorway, basically blocking Angie from leaving. Lisa walks past but stops just past the room when she overhears part of their conversation.

“So, I was going to head out for a cocktail after work, and I’d love it if you’d join me,” Jack says.

“No, that’s okay,” Angie responds. “I may have to stay late to finish up some things.”

“Well, that’s even better,” Jack says. “What if I run out and get us some booze and we can enjoy it here after everyone’s gone home? You know, I’d really like the chance to get to know you better. You’re probably the prettiest girl in this office.”

Angie moves toward the door, but Jack stays put so she can’t get past. “Thanks for the compliment. Um, I’d better get back to work.”

“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun. I bet you look really sexy without your glasses.”

“Jack, you’re making me kind of uncomfortable right now. Can you please get out of the way so I can go back to work?”

Jack moves just enough that Angie still has to brush against him on the way out. At this point, Lisa has walked a little farther down the hall so that neither Jack nor Angie can see her, but she has seen and heard the whole thing. At lunch she brings up what she’s seen.

“Listen, I was walking by the copy room yesterday, and I heard what that scumbag Jack was saying to you,” Lisa says. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. But he made me feel super uncomfortable. I didn’t really know what to say, and he wouldn’t get out of the way, so I actually had to touch him. Gross!”

“I know. I saw,” says Lisa.

“I’ve been trying to avoid him all day, but he keeps giving me this creepy smile. I hope he doesn’t try it again. I am never, ever going for a drink with him or anywhere else!”

“No kidding. But you know what I think you should do? Report it to HR.

I mean, I heard it, too, and I’m happy to go in there with you.

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