The Employment Lady asks the question, “What would you do?” – Your boss, manager or supervisor leaves the room for a few minutes during your evaluation and you ‘sneak a quick look’ and notice a discrepancy in your personnel file. Do you…?
a) Say nothing
b) Ask to see your file
c) Tell them what you saw
Are you telling me you’ve never read someone’s work upside down? It’s natural to look at something (especially if it has YOUR name on it). The issue isn’t that you saw the discrepancy, but you have to image what’s going thru that person’s mind — what ELSE did they read while I wasn’t in the office. Letting them know that you saw your file is noble, but because people are territorial, we don’t like it when folks are too close to our things. It’s an invasion of privacy. (Like when your roommate borrows your shampoo without telling you) By asking to see your file, it offers you legal access while the person is sitting there, and any discrepancies can be dealt with together. And by the way, if you notice something, be prepared to back it up with written documentation.
Did you get it right?
If it hasn’t happen yet, it will happen soon. Test yourself and challenge your friends to master the Employment Dilemma game.
Marja Lee Freeman, The Employment Lady
About Marja Lee Freeman
