I think we can all relate to something like this, so let’s unpack this a bit.
We are not dealing with a productivity issue, at least in the immediate.
This is an issue of culture building.
Our department culture is built day in and day out and compounds over time.
It is the context of our team’s working environment which is larger and has higher priority than a single individual’s preferences.
We have to ask ourselves what effect does being late and blowing off huddles have on the team or the co-op?
Does allowing this behavior to exist help everyone else’s productivity and our relationship with them?
Are we setting the tone for what we want culturally in our department?
Are we being the defining voice?
What is needed here is to sit down and have a conversation with our employee after we have processed and neutralized our own emotions.
We can let them know that they are amazing; however, their actions are having a negative impact on the co-op and team. Important coordination and communications are missed impacting service and productivity, as well as missed opportunities for team learning by not having their voice and experience.
We can give them an opportunity to consider the impact for themselves by pointing out that when they miss huddles the perception is they don’t care about the team and our work together.
We can reinforce that contributing to the team as a whole is what building a strong culture is all about.
As a manager, what’s in front us here is a cycle and pattern of an employee not meeting expectations and our willingness (or not) to let it continue.
We have to choose.
Yes, they might emotionally react in all sorts of ways and at the same time it is our job not to get distracted by that and keep focused on the basic steps of managing to an outcome that is best for the co-op as a whole.