Episode #5
Take the Vacation. Fire the Problem. Coach the Leader.
It’s time for another round of audience HR nightmares. In this episode of HR Nightmares, Lisa Leath, Amy Conway, and Beth Looney tackle three workplace situations that HR leaders and business owners run into all the time: confusing PTO policies, an employee whose performance never quite improves, and a well-liked leader who isn’t actually leading. First up: What should a modern PTO policy actually look like? The team breaks down traditional accrual, rollover policies, use-it-or-lose-it rules, unlimited PTO, company shutdowns, sabbaticals, and why smaller businesses should be careful not to overengineer time off. They also take a detour into bereavement leave and why policies surrounding loss could stand to be a lot more compassionate and human. Then, an employer asks what to do about an employee who improves every time they’re coached…only to slide right back into the same performance problems a week or two later. Add frequent callouts and possible health concerns, and suddenly the employer is afraid to make a decision. The conversation covers separating performance issues from medical concerns, documenting expectations, exploring reasonable accommodations, and recognizing when continued patience is hurting the rest of the team. Finally, what happens when you promote a longtime, well-liked employee into leadership and discover they’re much better at doing the work than leading the people doing it? Lisa, Amy, and Beth talk executive coaching, courageous feedback, accountability, nonprofit board responsibility, 360 reviews, and the difficult transition from doer to leader. The bottom line? Take the vacation, have the hard conversation, and stop assuming every great employee will automatically become a great leader. Have an HR nightmare of your own? Submit an audience write-in to Leath HR Group for a chance to have it answered on a future episode of HR Nightmares . We hope you enjoy this episode! Submit your anonymous workplace questions at LeathHRGroup.com. Subscribe and share this conversation wherever you get your podcasts, and join us next time for more straight talk from the frontlines of HR on HR Nightmares.
