Helping Co-worker return to work Update #18

[White Dragon]

I am currently working on a contract covering a maternity leave.
"Tanya" is returning to work in two weeks. There will be a brief (about 9 days) transition period and then Tanya resumes her old position.
I have been offered a contract extension and, after a holiday, will be moving to another temp position.

Tanya has been with the firm for 5 years. Shortly before she left, she'd been moved into a newly-created position and been building the list of tasks and procedures.

In the past year, the position has evolved a great deal and there is quite a bit that Tanya will have to learn.

I have been working on writing up all the various new procedures (that's actually why I'm being kept on, to complete the documentation) and I have a "cheat sheet" that summarizes the key things she'll need to be aware of.

I'm trying to find a way to make this as easy as possible.
But I have some concerns.

First, I'm not sure Tanya particularly likes me. She is polite, but has a habit of suddenly just ending a conversation in a way that feels very abrupt and dismissive.
Maybe  it's just me - I admit I'm not great at reading people, but it is kind of awkward being with her.

This idea that she may not like me has me worried that she may not want to listen to what I need to tell her.
I've worked really hard in the past year to get this role defined and get everyone used to the changes.
I want to make it clear how important it is to follow the new procedures, but I don't want to be pushy about it.

Any ideas about how I can approach this transition/training and deflect the awkwardness?

[Nemesis]

Yes. Keep it professional. List down what you need to cover with her, and then carry ite out one. By one. Do not worry if she likes you or otherwise. Your job is to hand over the responsibilities and knowledge that she needs to know. Go through what is important, ask her politely and professionally if she has any questions or doubts about the system or procedure. Once you have done everything in your list, you can discharge your duties happily.

[Pen^2]

Nemesis has the right idea. Keep it completely professional: don't go out to lunch together to discuss her new role and gossip like old friends. Do it in the office/wherever you work and stick entirely to what needs to be done.

[Hmmmmm]

Tanya may be socially awkward and not know how to end a conversation. Don't take her attitude personally, it's her problem not yours.

Also, give a list of all the procedures and a copy of the cheat sheet to her/your boss with a note saying this is what you plan to use to transition the role back to Tanya, but can add anything else she would like added. It's a bit of CYA so Tanya can't later say you didn't tell her. But it also makes sure the boss has a copy to reference if needed.

[SeptGurl]

POD both Nemesis and Hmmmmm. There are any number of reasons why Tanya might be coming across this way. Whatever those reasons are, they're not your concern. Your concern is to provide her with the information she needs to do her job. Make sure your boss knows what you plan to discuss with Tanya and then present the same information to Tanya professionally regardless of her attitude. What Tanya does from there is up to her.

[veronaz]

As others have said, you should stop worrying about whether Tanya “likes” you.

Often a temp is looked down on regardless of skills, qualifications, education, and personality.  To some people the person is just a temp, and I suspect Tanya resents a temp telling her how to do her job (even though you’re following instructions).

It’s only for 9 days.  Keep it professional.  Don’t try to be friends.  And above all, don’t say a word to others about Tanya not liking you.

[bopper]

The other thing I would do is talk to your and Tanya's boss and tell him/her that you will be briefing Tanya on the new procedures and roles...and that since Boss is okay with the changes you need his/her support to make sure Tanya can make the change to the new system. Say that everyone says good things about Tanya so it probably won't be a problem, but it is natural to want to do in the way she used to.  You will talk to her the first day she gets back and then follow up with her over the 9 days and you will let him/her know how it is going.  Also if boss could talk to Tanya also early on about the new system that would be great.

[White Dragon]

My impression has been that Tanya was well liked and I know she will be welcomed back.
I'm not sure if the job "as is" will be to her liking, but all I can do is be pleasant and approachable.

Question: should I go into this period with a plan or just help her process the workload as it comes in?

My concern about the second approach would be that I'd spend a lot of time saying "We changed how we handle X (and Y, and Z...)"

I don't want to come off as telling her that all she does is wrong.

I'm also pretty sure that 9 days will be way more than she needs - I only had 5 days training from her and things worked out okay.

[JoyinVirginia]

I would say have a list of tasks, procedures, important changes, and share with her day one. Ask what she would prefer, go over list first then tasks or do tasks and as things come up do it?  and check off the list daily together to see what is left.

[veronaz]

My impression has been that Tanya was well liked

OP, why is that even a concern of yours?

[White Dragon]

My impression has been that Tanya was well liked

OP, why is that even a concern of yours?

Sorry. I realize I didn't express my thought process very clearly.

I should have elaborated.
Tanya's return will be a happy occasion, and I don't want to make anything about it negative for her. I really like this job and the people in it, and I don't want to be seen as making Tanya's return difficult.
Does that make sense?

I am very pleased to have gotten the contract extension and I'd like it to become permanent. I don't want there to be any perception that there is conflict/issues between myself and Tanya.

Is that a bit more clear?

[veronaz]

My impression has been that Tanya was well liked

OP, why is that even a concern of yours?

Sorry. I realize I didn't express my thought process very clearly.

I should have elaborated.
Tanya's return will be a happy occasion, and I don't want to make anything about it negative for her. I really like this job and the people in it, and I don't want to be seen as making Tanya's return difficult.
Does that make sense?

I am very pleased to have gotten the contract extension and I'd like it to become permanent. I don't want there to be any perception that there is conflict/issues between myself and Tanya.

Is that a bit more clear?

OP, thanks for your efforts but no, it doesn’t make anything more clear.  Clarity of your post isn’t the problem.

I don’t see you doing your job as resulting in negativity.  I think you’re overly concerned about people liking Tanya (which shouldn’t even be on your radar), Tanya not liking you, Tanya not liking the way you explain the system, other people not liking you, etc.

It’s only a few more days, then you’ll be moving on.  Members (especially bopper) have given you excellent advice.  If you go back and read that post, and follow the suggestion you’ll be fine.  Don't get bogged down in the "likes".

[EllenS]

It sounds like you perceive - or are afraid Tanya will perceive -the changes in the job function as criticism of the way she was doing her job before.  But apparently that is not the case - it sounds like a lot of new tasks and responsibilities have been added to the job.

I think you should carefully consider what parts of your list are duties/policies driven by what needs to be done, vs. processes/methods that you prefer, have developed, or work best for you.

The new duties/policies of the organization as a whole, and specific tasks/deliverables that will be expected of her, are what Tanya needs to learn.  Your own method of getting it done is optional.  To use an example from my own job, when I took it over the outgoing person spent a LOT of time showing me her detailed notes of all the instructions Boss gave her on a daily basis, cataloging where she kept individual files, and a history of various changes to client information.  She spent very little time training me on the required procedures to get things processed through accounting, requesting library documents, and using the specialized in-house software.  That was really backwards. 

I think if you keep it task-oriented rather than process-oriented, there will be little opportunity for Tanya to feel criticized.  She will have ample time to adapt her own work process to the new requirements.

[veronaz]

Pursuant to what bopper said in reply #6, boss needs to be the one to talk to Tanya first.

“Welcome back, Tanya.  We missed you.  There have been some changes in (the system. Procedures).  I’ve asked White Dragon to go over things and work with you for a few days.  I’ll be touching base to see how things are going.”

[Rockstar420]

When you say Tanya was not being terribly polite - when was this? Probably right before she went on maternity leave and was 8 - 9 months pregnant, or did you know her prior to providing coverage for her? I assume you aren't close enough to have kept contact while she's been away.

It's possible she was just tired and cranky due to the pregnancy and it had nothing to do with you. Maybe she'll be different when she returns.