Hey reddit. I'm a lurker (one time poster) to this sub. I (30F) work with my mom hahahaha and yea working with family, it has it's ups and down, but that is not what I am posting about (that could be a whole other post in itself). Sorry if this is a long one.
Context:
As mush as I feel like a snake eating my own tail, there are times I do sit back and realize the extreme privilege I have to be in the position I am in. I am currently pursuing my MBA degree and the company is reimbursing me.
Our company is very small, only 10 total employees in a 65,000 sq ft warehouse. We are a closeout and overstock distributor and sell to retail and e-commerce.
I do marketing and purchasing for the company.
The issue:
We have been having some interpersonal issues in the office. My mom has asked me to step up to start being more hands on with managing the everyday general things that goes on in the office (basically general manager). I am more than happy to use what I have been learning in my classes and to get the vibe/energy in our office to be less tense…….but of course you cannot make everyone happy.
There is one specific employee we have, a sales rep, 60sF and just her personality can be a lot to deal with some times (yes she has some mental health issues which she addresses but it is coming to a point you can't use that as an excuse for rude behavior). I'm sure you can all see where this is going……I called a meeting to have a collaborative discussion about our current procedures and task divisions. I wanted us all to address where we are having issues, what we are not having time to complete, and then how can we as a team brainstorm solutions. I asked everyone to write out what they would say is their daily tasks they do and to write out how they would describe their job. This employee came to the meeting with a break down of how she thinks we need to be doing things in this office. She did not do what I asked because “it is obvious what she does” and I'm just ready to scream!!!!!!!
She is a big problem and the whole reason we are even doing this meeting because she is constantly pushing work on to other people. Then when she does do her work, she makes mistakes and blames the other 2 employees we have in the office. It is becoming super toxic, one employee told me they are ready to quit because of her attitude and how she approaches things. I did not say this to the other employee but I feel like she has no respect for my authority because I am significantly younger than her and this is where the problem is stemming from.
Kind of looking for advice from other office managers or office personnel – how do I approach her in a way that is constructive and not offensive?
Employees that have had a bad co-worker- what is something you wish a manager did to address that persons actions/behavior?
TLDR; Boomer employee is causing toxic workplace by pushing work onto others, blaming others for her mistake, and ignoring tasks given by me possibly because I am younger but in a higher position.