A member of staff, who is generally good at her job, is having personal problems. Her stress and tearfulness is now creating an uncomfortable atmosphere within the nursery, with other staff members trying to avoid her. What should we do?
The consensus view is that an effective manager should be able to intervene to stop a problem deteriorating to this level, because they know their staff well enough via team-building exercises and staff appraisals to be able to spot the early warning signs.
As Jane McKeown, manager of the Kids & Co Nursery in Darlington, says, 'Given the average age of nursery staff, 20 to 30, there are bound to be emotional ups and downs. They have so much going on in their lives: forming relationships, getting married, having children, buying a first home, possibly splitting up and getting divorced.'
June O'Sullivan, operations and training manager of the Westminster Children's Society, says young staff may be homesick. 'Often after a weekend, homesickness can kick in. We have girls who have moved away from home for the first time and London can be quite daunting if you do not know your way around.'
A manager working with a close-knit team may be seen as a 'mother-figure'
with a comforting shoulder to cry on. However, it is advisable to be supportive but a little detached.
Diane Sinclair, employee relations adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, says, 'The manager, unless they are trained, is not a counsellor. The reality is that managers have to take on some kind of counselling role at times, but they should not get involved in the detail. It is not necessarily appropriate.'
Rosie Pressland, principal of Pocklington Montessori School, supports an employee through a traumatic time by scheduling daily meetings. 'Perhaps we will meet at the beginning or end of the day or I'll bring in sandwiches and we'll have lunch together in my office. I will outline the various options for where they can go for advice and help so they can work out what to do. The next day we re-cap and talk about what they have decided to do and go on from there. People can be very resilient if they know there is someone there supporting them.'
Jane McKeown will reorganise someone's work roster for a few days to take them off the front line. 'When someone's granny dies, for example, they will come to work the week of the funeral and be feeling low and perhaps not up to talking to the parents. There are always jobs that need doing. I say, "Come and work with me in the office today" and let them get absorbed in an administrative job.' NW
Further information
* The National Day Nurseries Association runs courses on all aspects of nursery management in conjunction with Early Years Partnerships. Contact your local partnership for information.
* The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is the professional body for those involved in the management and development of people. It runs courses and operates an extensive bookshop. Details can be found on its website: www.cipd.co.uk