This week we are bringing you another capability vs. disciplinary case study.  Meet Karen!

Karen has been working for your company for eight years and during this time has failed to be a team player which has had a marked effect on both her performance and those working with her.  The underlying problem with Karen’s performance is the way in which she interacts with her peers:

• Karen will often refuse to speak to her colleagues
• Karen fails to take responsibility for her actions and blames her colleagues for problems that she has caused herself
• Karen has been known to have threatened and intimidated a number of her colleagues
• Karen has singled out one member of staff in particular for not particular reason

Over the eight years you have built up quite a thick file on Karen including complaints from peers, supervisors and managers.  Recently you have received two complaints from managers in relation to Karen’s attitude to other members of staff and the upset she has been causing.  In addition you have received an email from one of Karen’s colleagues which concludes by saying -…I can’t work with Karen any longer, her petty behaviour is making my work life unbearable, I am going to have to leave?.

What action should you take in this case? What procedures should you invoke? Tune in next week for the answers…