Each week Alison Green, who also writes the "Ask a Manager" website, answers workplace and management questions from readers. Please comment or ask you own question by emailing her at alison@askamanager.org.
Question 1. Getting employees’ attention when they’re wearing headphones
What’s a good way to get someone’s attention when they are listening to music with headphones or earbuds?
I have a staff of three in a fairly small office and don’t mind at all that they listen to music on headphones while they work, but sometimes I need to get everyone’s attention for an announcement or just one person’s attention regarding a question or comment.
I feel uncomfortable tapping them on the shoulder, and if I just start talking they don’t hear me.
Usually I just hover until they notice me, but that feels weird and like an invasion of personal space. My employees have missed important information in the past because I thought they were listening to me but they had earbuds in. Any advice?
Answer:
Usually, standing directly in their line of vision (and I mean directly — not off to the side) and making eye contact should work — but when someone is absorbed in work, it may not.
I’d actually explain the problem to them and ask how they want you to handle it: “I sometimes have trouble getting your attention when you’re listening to music on headphones, and I don’t want to tap you. What’s the best way for me to quickly get your attention?”
It’s also reasonable to ask them to be alert to someone approaching them when they have headphones in — most people will be happy to try to do that in exchange for not losing your okay to have the headphones in at all.
(Depending on the dynamics and workflow in your office, instant messaging can also be a solution to this — as in, message them “got a minute to talk?” rather than walking over to them.)
Question 2. New employee keeps trying to go over my head
My team has a new employee, and as part of my responsibilities (I am a team lead) I have to tell her about regulations and policies that impact what she is allowed to do at work. We’ve also discussed things like what type of schedule flexibility will be possible with our work schedules.
Everything I tell her is either clearly spelled out in written policy or something I’ve discussed with our manager beforehand, but she reacts as though I’m on a power trip and “appeals” things to our manager.
How do I say “Tywin and I are in agreement on this and I need you to discuss your concerns with me rather than wasting his time” without sounding like I’m saying “you need to respect my authority and I don’t want you to talk to our manager"?
I feel like this is undermining my ability to effectively manage my team’s workload, as well as making me look bad to our manager.
Answer:
You need your manager involved in this one.
When she goes to him to appeal your decisions, he needs to say to her, “I’ve asked Lucinda to manage these sorts of things, so you should speak to her rather than to me.” That should shut the behavior down pretty quickly.
If he doesn’t seem to see the need to say that to her, say this to him: “Jane has established a pattern of going to you when she doesn’t want to accept guidance or decisions from me. Can you start redirecting her back to me when she does that, and explain to her that you’ve asked me to handle these things? I’ll explain that to her too, but I think she needs to hear it from you as well, or we’re just training her that she can routinely go around me to you.”
And then as for talking with Jane yourself — once you’re positive that Tywin’s got your back on this — say this: “I’ve noticed that you’ve been talking issues like X and Y to Tywin. He’s asked me to handle those things on his behalf, and I need you to bring those things to me, not him. Can you do that going forward?”
