Sue Says:

I commend you for your concern and your desire to learn what you might have done to contribute to this employee walking out on you. It would be quite easy for you to assume that the ex-employee was the problem and that it had nothing to do with you!

Now that some time has passed and she probably has cooled down, you could consider contacting her to see if she would be willing to talk. However, it is possible that she won't or that there isn't a good reason or explanation for her behavior.

Unless you have had this happen before, it may just be an isolated experience. This employee may have had things affecting her personally that had nothing to do with you or your business.

Consider letting your other employees know how concerned you are about what happened and that you want to prevent anything similar from happening in the future. Be sure you are communicating effectively and openly with your employees, and let them know that you want to hear from them about any concerns or problems. Some people are uncomfortable talking about problems so consider providing an anonymous suggestion box to make it easier for those who may be uncomfortable talking with you directly.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

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