NorthPath: Balancing Workplace Performance with Employee Empathy

A manager witnessed first-hand a customer call in which her employee was unable to answer the customer's routine questions and was slurring her speech. The manager supervised 10 customer service specialists at NorthPath, a software company based in Madison, Wisconsin. NorthPath was a high-growth software firm with a team of 100+ professionals who supported digital transformation for their clients in the health care industry. The employee, a non-exempt customer service specialist at NorthPath, was responsible for key customer interfaces and support. She worked two days from home and three days in the office.

Before following up with the employee, the manager reviewed the applicable company policies, pertinent laws, and company benefits so that she could go into the conversation prepared to learn what was happening and then decide how to proceed. She wondered how she could address this serious issue, remain compliant with the laws and company policies, and still feel like she had been fair to the employee. She also had to consider how the employee's peer, who had observed the behaviour, might view the situation. It was key that the response was consistent with the company's values and expectations for all associates, and that it was expedient to prevent a future occurrence.