Can HR play mind games?

[Tacopie]

This isn’t about me. We have a really nice lady about 65 years old and works self checkout. She is great at her job. Always zoning and doing extra. But she is always called into the HR or SD’s office for no real reason.
‘Yesterday HR calls her in and ask her if there is anything she can help her with and is she okay but wouldn’t say why. SD called her in to his office last week asking her if there is anything on her mind. He told her she has changed and isn’t the same person he met the first day. She has repeatedly ask what they are referring to but gets no answer.
I know when SD came he instantly took a dislike o her.
Why stress her out like that. She says she is losing sleep trying to figure it out.
Any advice?

 

[AngryElec]

I dunno some times people read too much into things

Two months into covid measures I got pulled in by HR and SD and asked if I was having issue and needed the equivalent of our suicide hotline...which for some reason I'm forgetting the name of. Life Resource?

They said they noticed I hadn't been smiling as much...I was like damn, I have to wear a mask and can't see my friends for the last two months what would I smile for!

 

[Captain Orca]

HR may have been flexing their HR muscles. Chat with the person and see what comes of it.

 

[NotCynicalYet]

Hard to say. Maybe there's something you don't know about this person that leadership does?

 

[redeye58]

Hope they're not trying to performance her out

 

[countingsheep]

Can they yes any himan can play with anothers head. Usually HR or highers do this to performance someone out. Niw its possible someone or more than one has complained about her if she has a certain way about her that may come off unfriendly. It could also be she had a bad day and snapped at the wrong person or came off rude to someone who pushed the issue.

Unfortunately whem they play these games instead of speaking plainly of what they are doing you can run a gambit of what ifs. All she needs to do is keep on her Ps and Qs and ignore their mess. Eventually they will find anothet target to harrass unless their real goal os to performance her out. Which sadly you cant do much about if thry are dead set on it. Seen my share of that bull and its not pretty.

Side not: if this is the case she needs to take detailed notes on their behavior. Becsuse thas t can be construed as illegal age descrimination if thats the reasoning for this targeting. Always document when your a target its saves alot of headaches down the road.

 

[MPLSbullseye]

Can a member of HR play mind games, yes they certainly can. Should they no. What I would do personally is reach out to the next level of HR and report what you have observed, so there is documentation. I would also encourage your co-worker to speak to this persons HR supervisor. Make sure you document document document document document.

 

[Planosss]

Maybe someone that’s 65+ needs frequent check ins? Maybe there’s an issue your are not privy to?

 

[FlowTeamChick]

The only thing I can think of, besides the potential of age discrimination, is that a guest complained about something she said or even thinking she looked at the guest crossways or didn't help them fast enough.
Not long after covid started, I was taken aside by a TL because a guest complained about me - pretty new mask mandates were in place but not enforced and she kind of scared me when she was all of a sudden in my face and she wasn't masking at all. (Not even wearing it as a chin strap or under her nose - just no mask.) She said my reaction scared her two young boys.
My reaction was basically, "too bad" although I said it a little more politely to the TL. As far as I knew, she was breathing virus directly at me. But she felt like I had no reason to react as I did and complained about me after checking out.
(And let's not rehash all the covid debate - this was when the hospitalization rate in my area was very high and long before vaccinations were available. Lots of discussion swirling about mask effectiveness and ease of transmission. I'm in my early 60s and it's still scary to me; it was really scary then.)
If I was in her shoes, I think I'd ask someone who works closely with me and would be honest with me, who is around her enough to observe her interactions with guests, if they notice anything amiss. Since covid, I know I've become somewhat less outgoing, less interactive with guests. I still offer assistance and provide it as needed, but I'm less likely to chat with a guest.

 

[WalmartDrone]

Could be many things. I recently was calling an older TM to my office a lot, because I was working on her retirement stuff.

 

[KarmaToBurn]

Sounds to me like these young kids don't know how to accept that us older folks are just as capable or more than them... I wouldn't worry about it, they'll both be gone in a year or so...

 

[Rarejem]

Maybe someone that’s 65+ needs frequent check ins?

Wow

 

[Planosss]

Wow

I am not 65, are you?

 

[Captain Orca]

Our older crew would run circles around some of the younger pups. We've forgotten more than they've ever learned.

 

[Rarejem]

I am not 65, are you?

Yes, I've been with Spot for more than 20 years. I've had many positions, including tl, and am still going strong . I am currently the top in all fulfillment metrics, though not actually on that team, and have been for the past 6 months. I don't need a lot of check-ins.

 

[Planosss]

Yes, I've been with Spot for more than 20 years. I've had many positions, including tl, and am still going strong . I am currently the top in all fulfillment metrics, though not actually on that team, and have been for the past 6 months. I don't need a lot of check-ins.

That’s great. Keep up the hard work producing top metrics.