u/Charming_Island_9715 — reddlx

I (32F) work as a Team Leader managing a team of six. We’ve been together for almost two years now. One of my analysts has been with the company for about 10 years and, to be honest, he has been quite challenging to manage.

Despite multiple interventions—refresher trainings, side-by-side coaching, and continuous support—he continues to make recurring errors in his work. I have consistently provided coaching after each incident, and all of these have been properly documented. However, there has been little to no sustained improvement.

This ongoing issue has led to repeated complaints from stakeholders, who have raised concerns about the quality and consistency of his output. Some have even requested that he no longer handle their work. As a result, I’ve had to redistribute his tasks to other team members, which has created an imbalance in workload.

It’s also starting to affect team morale. His teammates have expressed frustration and reluctance to work with him, as they feel it is unfair that while he continues to commit errors, they are the ones absorbing most of the workload and ensuring deliverables are met.

I raised this with my Manager and suggested consulting HR about placing him on a PIP. However, I was advised that we need to complete an internal PIP process first before moving to a formal one. I understand the need for proper documentation, especially given that this analyst can be difficult to handle. There have been instances where he reacts in a way that escalates situations, and there’s a concern that he may interpret standard management actions as personal attacks and raise complaints to the ethics committee.

Last week, he went on bereavement leave due to the passing of his mother. During his absence, another escalation came in from a stakeholder regarding an error in his work—specifically, missing instructions that had been clearly provided.

I debated whether or not to inform him while he was on leave. Ultimately, I decided to send a brief and carefully worded email expressing my condolences, providing context about the issue, and reassuring him that the matter had already been resolved by a colleague. I also made it clear that he didn’t need to worry about it during his leave and that we could discuss it once he returned.

In hindsight, I regret that decision.

He responded by copying my Operations Director and HR, expressing that my email added to his distress during a very difficult time and that it made him feel more depressed. Since then, he has extended his leave and is now on sick leave, stating that the situation worsened how he feels.

I feel genuinely bad about what happened. A part of me thinks I should have waited until he returned. While my colleagues have reassured me that I didn’t do anything wrong—and that he shouldn’t have been checking work emails while on leave—I still feel responsible for making the situation worse.

Right now, I’m questioning myself as a leader. I feel like I’m making the wrong decisions and not supporting my team the way I should. It’s gotten to the point where I’m even considering resigning because I feel like I may not be fit for this role.