Employees are the most precious assets any firm can have, given their contribution to the success of firms. Employees literally hold a firm in their hands because they run its day-to-day activities. In this regard, every firm should ensure that its employees are fully satisfied in order to get maximum output from them. On the same note, the relationship between employees and customers is vital because it depicts how a firm holds its customers. However, sometimes, management is compelled to intervene when employees’ personal lives interfere with their output as well as their conduct.
To begin with, employees’ needs have to be satisfied in the hierarchical order to motivate them to work. In this regard, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs comes in handy in ensuring that employees are comfortable and ready to work (Secord, 2003). For employees to perform their duties perfectly, their psychological needs have to be satisfied (Secord, 2003). Thereafter, their safety, love, and esteem needs will have to be taken care of. Failure to take care of any of the above needs will cause unhappiness to employees and sometimes result in depression.
Mrs. Smither’s life is characterized by the psychological disturbance caused by the condition of her husband and the issues of her son. She is depressed and that is why she drinks assuming that by doing so she will minimize her trauma (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2006). Her psychological needs are not satisfied. At the same time, no other employee is talking to her about her problem. However, it should be noted that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people who are in a situation like Smither. Therefore, dismissal might not be feasible as such under these circumstances (Miner, 2006).
First and foremost, Mrs. Smither needs to be counseled. This will help her understand that the situation she is in is not unique, because it happens to several other people out there. Consequently, she will accept the facts about her life and be ready to face them in a different, more accommodating perception (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2006). On the same note, she needs the firm to make her understand that she is still valued. To achieve this, other employees who are close to her should be exhorted to talk to her. Teamwork will also be very vital at this point.
Moreover, Mrs. Smither requires time off to reflect on her life. However, being left on her own during this period might worsen her problems (Secord, 2003). Therefore, the employee assistance program will be helpful during this period. In this regard, I will refer her to the employee assistance department. During the period, she will be off duty; she will be guided on how to approach various issues in life. On the same note, a change of workstation to minimize her chances of interacting directly with customers will be inevitable. This will reduce the possibility of customers receiving hostile responses.
If she will not improve after the above actions have been taken, then a warning letter to inform her of her deteriorating performance will be issued. Though this might seem a bit strict and against the ADA, it is the only option that will be left to make Mrs. Smither realize her declining output. Finally, if everything fails then I might resort to dismissing her, though as a last resort. This might trigger some legal actions as regards the ADA requirements. Therefore, maximum caution should be exercised (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2006).
References
Brinkman, R., & Kirschner, R. E. (2006). Dealing with Difficult People. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Miner, J. B. (2006). Organizational Behaviour: Historical Origins, Theoretical Foundations, and the Future. New York: M.E. Sharpe.
Secord, H. (2003). Implementing Best Practices in Human Resources Management. Toronto: CCH Canadian Limited.