How to approach a staff member who was meant to be working from home but didn't appear to be working?

Question

A member of my team took some leave to visit family overseas and requested an additional two weeks to work from their parents home. I agreed to the plan as our workplace has a flexible working location policy. However, based on no responses to emails (some that required a response), work not completed as agreed and not completing their timesheet, I am suspicious that they did not work for the first week (they reported ill for the second week). I am a relatively new manager and they are a seasoned staff member.

How best can I raise this with them when they return from their leave? (Remembering there is always the possibility of an innocent explanation so I don't want to make any accusations from the start).

Answer 1

However, based on no responses to emails (some that required a response), work not completed as agreed and not completing their timesheet, I am suspicious that they did not work for the first week (they reported ill for the second week). I am a relatively new manager and they are a seasoned staff member.

How best can I raise this with them when they return from their leave? (Remembering there is always the possibility of an innocent explanation so I don't want to make any accusations from the start).

Have a one on one discussion when they return. Avoid any accusations. Focus on what actually happened.

Express disappointment that expectations regarding email responses, work tasks, and timesheet were not met. Indicate that it's unfortunate they were ill the entire second week. Review the company's policy on flexible work location policy (which I assume talks about actually working). Presumably, granting the flexible arrangement is optional, and at the discretion of the manager (you).

Make it clear that you are disappointed and that you expect better next time, if there is a next time.

A good employee will get the hint. If not, you'll need to decide how to deal with that issue (such as unpaid leave). It's possible this seasoned staff member is testing you to see how you'll respond.

Answer 2

Focus on the things you know.

You know: "no responses to emails (some that required a response), work not completed as agreed, and not completing their timesheet".

You are only "suspicious that they did not work".

Therefore, focus on the things you know for sure, and ask questions about those things to ascertain what was really happening. "You know you are supposed to fill in timesheets, why didn't you? Oh, couldn't access the VPN? What did you try to do about that? Did you contact IT? Why not?" (Adjusting the follow up questions accordingly).

Then: "We estimated X for task Y, so it should be finished by now. Why is it not finished? Oh, you discovered problem Z? Why didn't you let me know it wouldn't be finished on time? How did you try to solve it? Who did you ask for help? No-one? Why not? Please show me what progress you have made."

Then: "You did not respond to this email A about subject B from person C, though it clearly needed your response. Why not? You also did not respond to my text messages. Why not?"

(Presumably the answers will not include "I had complete failure of internet connectivity and phone signal" as they've been able to contact you to tell you that they are off sick. So whatever answers they give, keep asking "why?" until the situation is clear. Why didn't you do it? Why did that problem stop you? Why weren't you able to solve it? Why didn't you tell anyone about it, or ask for help?).

The idea is not to validate your suspicion that they "did not work", and not to make any accusations of which you are not already sure - you're not a lawyer and you're not trying to prove your case to a jury. You are simply bringing to this person's attention that there are at least three things (sounds like more) they knew were supposed to have done, but they did not do; and that unless the answers to your questions give genuine explanations otherwise, this is not acceptable.

On the assumption that they did not do what they were supposed to and have no good explanation, that sounds like a disciplinary issue; how this is handled in your company may vary and may depend on the laws in your area, so talk to your boss and/or HR first, but I'd say this probably qualifies for a formal written warning as to their conduct. But perhaps discretion can be shown, avoiding a disciplinary. Perhaps retrospectively call the missing two weeks vacation rather than working time, deducting it from their vacation allowance if they have any left; or agreeing to take it as unpaid time off if they don't have allowance remaining. Again, this will depend on your company, your judgement, the laws in your area, and the employee's circumstances.

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Additional note: you should brace yourself for the possibility that they may not come back at all, or that they may resign shortly after doing so. I'm not saying this will definitely happen, I can't know that, but I've seen things like that happen before: someone takes an extended break; either because they're already unhappy with their job or they realise they're unhappy while on the break, especially if in that break they see family or their home country for the first time in a long time, and they check out. It can happen.

Answer 3

Track work progress and deliverables.

If you have Jira or other task trackers use those. If not a simple document will do to. Do regular 1:1 meetings (once a week works great) to discuss what's on the list, what got done, what new stuff should be on the list, how things are going and where help or support are needed.

That will quickly highlight the issue and in most cases it will make the problem go away on its own.

I am a relatively new manager

Weekly one-on-one meeting is a great management tool. Helps all parties to keep on track, have clarity around expectations & priorities and helps to identify and solve problems quickly before they have a chance to linger and fester.

How best can I raise this with them when they return from their leave?

Don't wait for them to return. Weekly 1:1 can be done perfectly fine by Zoom etc. I've only downgraded to bi-weekly when the time zone difference was 12 hours (which makes it a bit more awkward for at least one person).

I don't want to make any accusations

Correct. Don't accuse. Focus on outcome and results, not the how. Make sure all assigned tasks have clear deliverables and an agreed upon timeline. In most cases this will sort itself out without further intervention required. If you find that the employee is consistently late, you need to have a discussion on why that is. You can use your meeting notes as objective data to lead the discussion.