HR Advisory · Phone-a-Friend
An employee just said something that scared me.
A harassment complaint. "I'm talking to a lawyer." A comment about a coworker that made your stomach drop. Now you're replaying it in your head and wondering what you're supposed to do next.
First, breathe. Then don't do these three things.
- Don't retaliate, even by accident. Changing their schedule, duties or attitude toward them right now can become a bigger problem than the original complaint.
- Don't promise total secrecy. You can promise discretion. You may need to look into it.
- Don't ignore it or hope it blows over. A complaint you didn't act on is the one that ends up in front of a lawyer.
If anyone is in danger, call 911 first. Then call me.
What's really going on
How you respond in the first few days matters more than almost anything that happened before. Owners who listen, write it down and look into it fairly are usually fine. Owners who panic, get defensive or rush a decision are the ones who end up in trouble.
How I help
- Talk it through with you the same day, calmly
- Tell you what to write down, who to involve and what to say
- Plan a fair look into the complaint, or bring in a full investigation if it's needed
- Tell you plainly when it's time to loop in your attorney
No forms. No pitch.
Tell me what's going on.
Text me, call me, or grab 30 minutes on my calendar. I usually reply within two hours during business hours.