Managing problems with an employee

Problems in the BC Public Service workplace may be related to attendance, behaviour or performance. Some problems may require a response that follows a formal procedure, while others can be dealt with less formally.

On this page

• When you have a concern about an employee
• When an employee raises a concern
• When you need labour relations resources
• Contact us

For advice on the best approach to take when responding to a problem, contact AskMyHR (IDIR restricted). Submit a service request using the categories Myself (or) My Team/Organization > Workplace Disputes & Conflicts > Other Issues & Inquiries.

Regardless of the severity of the problem, your role as a supervisor or manager is to:

• Define and communicate expectations for employees
• Provide the appropriate tools and support  
• Act fairly and in a timely fashion when expectations are not being met

When you have a concern about an employee

Several procedures and policies are in place to deal with workplace problems.

These include, but are not limited to:

• Collective agreements
• The Standards of Conduct
• Human resources policies

Legislation such as the Employment Standards Act, the Labour Relations Code and the Human Rights Code also govern workplace interactions.

With some of these procedures and policies, a problem with an employee may lead to disciplinary action. However, a different approach may also be appropriate. The approach you take depends on the issue and whether it is culpable or non-culpable, minor or serious.

To learn about processes that help you manage employee misconduct in the workplace, visit:

• Identifying employee misconduct
• Investigations of allegations of employee misconduct
• Discipline

When an employee raises a concern

As a supervisor or manager, an employee may approach you if they are concerned about a workplace issue or management decision. Encourage them to discuss their concerns with you. Supervisors have a responsibility to consider all issues and concerns brought to their attention by their employees and to follow up as appropriate.

For tips on how to build and maintain relationships, visit Managing relationships with employees.

When you need labour relations resources

The Labour Relations (LR) Practitioners' Worksite provides labour relations information for BC Public Service excluded managers and supervisors, human resource and labour relations practitioners. The site includes:

• Links to the Government of British Columbia's master and component agreements with the BCGEU, PEA and BCNU
• A contract interpretation manual for BCGEU Master Agreement, with supporting reference documents
• Indices for BCGEU, PEA and Nurses arbitration awards and all Labour Relations Board (LRB) and Industrial Relations Council (IRC) decisions involving the Government of British Columbia

The contract interpretation manual and indices also link to a database containing actual awards, summaries, appeal decisions and additional LRB/IRC decisions unrelated to the awards.

To request access to the LR Practitioners’ Worksite, visit My Access and complete the eligibility questions.

If you already have access, sign in to the LR Practitioners' Worksite (IDIR restricted) or guest account using your home tenant email address (e.g. name@pensionsbc.ca).