Should I tell my IT manager there is a team member looking for a new job?

Question

I am a team leader of a software development team. There are 2 developers on the team. Before my new Leader position, the two developers and I had to report directly to the IT manager.

I knew that one of the two developers (Senior) is looking for a new job. This developer also told the other developer about his leaving plan.

My question is: Should I have the IT manager be aware of that?

UPDATE: The reason I was wondering whether I should tell my IT manager it, because the Developer recently asked the IT manager for his costly training courses, that only benefits him and his plan. Ofcourse, the IT manager did not know his plan so he approved the costly training courses.

Thank you.

Answer 1

No, do not tell the IT manager. If you tell the IT manager, he may fire that developer or otherwise remove him. Whether he does or not, you will lose the trust of both developers.

Answer 2

One option is simply to ask him if it's okay to share that info. Sometimes people will be okay with this, sometimes they won't, checking their preferences about privacy is never a bad choice.

(Exception: sometimes when you hear something you weren't supposed to, the best option is just to forget you ever heard it.)

In many workplaces, sharing that kind of info with a boss would be unwise. If the boss knows you're planning to leave, they might fire you before you're ready to go, or give you the worst jobs because they don't have to worry about keeping them.

But there are workplaces where it'd be quite normal to let a boss know about this kind of thing, sometimes beneficial for all parties - if the person leaving agrees to disclosing. (I had a bit more written about when and why it can be a good thing, but deleted as it felt a bit tangential to your question.)

If he is not okay with sharing, it may be possible to partially address the issue without disclosing, using the approach raised by Jon Custer in a comment. Instead of this:

Bob is leaving, we need to work out replacement and transition

you can say this:

I'd like to work out some contingency plans in case somebody gets sick etcetera, and we should make sure key stuff is documented so that things don't fall over if we lose a team member. It's 2022, these things happen and we should be ready for them.

Answer 3

No. If you were looking for a new job and had confided in a co-worker, would you want them telling your manager?

Seriously, no one likes a tattle-tale. That's no different in the work place than it was on the playground as a child.

Answer 4

Everyone is looking for a new job all the time. Managers know that already. The job market is unreliable these days.

You shouldn't worry about others quitting. Give your best in the game.

Looking for a job doesn't always mean they want to leave.

Do you really know the reason why they are looking for a new job? It could be family or health.

When the word comes out that you went behind the senior's back, you will lose the trust of your colleagues. You do not have to run with every little thing to your manager.

Answer 5

You should absolutely not go running to your manager to announce that your co-worker is searching for a job. Regardless of your compulsion to do so, it's really none of your business. You don't own the company, and you don't lose anything by leaving things as they are. The co-worker hasn't committed any crimes and frankly, you don't know what kind of agreement has been made between the co-worker and the company as relates to this training you've mentioned. Things may truly not be what you think they are, and there's a chance that you're going to out yourself as -- I have sharper words, but I'll save them -- someone that people don't want to deal with. As a matter of fact, you could be terminated for gossiping.

Mind your own business.

Answer 6

How sure are you this person wants to leave? Some people talk about it all the time and never do. Maybe he is that person. You run to your it manager, tell him what you think is happening which is not what is happening, and now think what’s the worst what can happen to anyone involved.

Let’s say your it manager goes to him and says “OP tells me you want to leave, so let’s make that quick: You’re fired”. That’s the worst thing that can happen to your colleague, but what’s the worst that can happen to you? If a colleague knows your big mouth cost him his livelihood?

On the other hand, if it was me in the firing line, what are the chances that I convince your it manager that you are a back stabbing liar and I turn this round on you? I can be very nasty and very convincing when I want to. Like i know that you feel extremely insecure, because me and my colleague are carrying this department and you contribute very little, and I knew that you hated me signing up to these courses and threatened me about it. So worst case it’s your reputation destroyed, and my next job can wait until you get fired.

Answer 7

People coming and leaving are common activities. If I were you, I would not do anything until I have a new long plan to any developers or until he tries to do something negative to the company or to the team.