We have an office idiot. Not a bad lad, some skills, otherwise self-centered, socially inept (which is not a crime) and very very annoying. Yesterday he did the “I want to tell you something, can I tell you something?” thing until I gave in (managed to hold out on the one about the reason for his hospital appointment), turns out he’s got an interview at somewhere nearer home. Dilemma is, he’s told me not to tell anyone, against which we’re a small company in a recruiting phase, not a problem to replace him but we’ll take a kicking if there’s a delay in filling his seat, shouldn’t be a massive issue if we take an extra person on to pre-emptively replace him. So – keep schtum or dob him in?

Give him the sympathy coz he considers you a friend … 🙂

If the business would benefit from getting shot then yes, especially if it’s small and you all need to work well. The problem with the office idiot is generally they are crap at getting other jobs, that why every office has one – what are the actual chances he will get the job and be gone? If he’s no good at his job then might be best to give him the extra motivation to find alternate employment.

I’d mind my own business personally.. The only unethical choice in this situation would be to go whispering to others that they are thinking of leaving

If he really is an idiot, is he likely to get the other job?
If not do you want to have to deal with having started the process of replacing him?

Say nothing. It will just make you look like a gossip or a poop mixer if he does not get the job and you and the numpty will just have bad Karma in the workplace

Do you own the business? If not , bite your tongue.
He’ll have probably told the whole office by Friday.

Ask him if he intends working his notice if he gets the job. If the reply is no, drop a few hints. If yes, then I suppose the company should have agreed a longer notice period if it’ll leave them in the doodah so keep quiet.

The fact he’s an idiot is incosequential and you don’t want to be seen to be involved in some form of active management of his exit out of the company. It’s not as if you can start recruiting for his job before he’s gone – that would be unethical. Also you don’t know if he’s telling the truth or not, he might be BSing to get a reaction/response. And ultimately its not a sackable offence for people to be looking for other jobs.

If I were you i’d just sit tight and keep it to myself.

If he’s that daft he has probably told everybody, and told them not to tell anybody. Nod and smile and get on with your own work.

managed to hold out on the one about the reason for his hospital appointment

I now *have* to know.

Can you ask him?

Isn’t this what notice periods are for?

If he’s like out work idiot you’ll find he’s probably told everyone else “in confidence”

I’m in the Cougar camp.

Keep schtum, this is what notice periods are for.

If you go telling people, and he fails the interview so doesn’t leave, you become the office idiot.

Dilemma is, he’s told me not to tell anyone,

Then don’t tell anyone

against which we’re a small company in a recruiting phase,

Then one more won’t make that much difference

not a problem to replace him

Nothing to worry about then

but we’ll take a kicking if there’s a delay in filling his seat,

that’s up to the rest of you isn’t it?

Dilemma is, he’s told me not to tell anyone,

Then don’t tell anyone

+1

There is no ethical question. Your team might have to recruit someone extra and there might be a bit more work to cover in the meantime.

Cheers folks, getting a sense of the way the wind’s blowing. 🙂

Then one more won’t make that much difference

It’s just sort of, do we need one, or do we need two?

that’s up to the rest of you isn’t it?

It is, for sure, but we were a team of three, one’s just been promoted out (see my previous unreasonable anger post 🙂 ) and if the idiot goes, that leaves me to run the ship and train the newbies at the same time, and it’s pretty flat out as it is. Ah well, c’est la vie. 🙂

and why did he go to hospital?

that leaves me to run the ship and train the newbies at the same time

But on the upside once you finish that you won’t have an idiot on the team

You should offer to give him a reference…

and why did he go to hospital?

I have been advised by someone else in the office who was unable to dodge that particular bullet that you don’t want to know.

You should offer to give him a reference…

If it gets that far, he will have a fantastic reference. If it was at all practical, I might even offer to sit in on the interview on his behalf.

and why did he go to hospital?

charisma bypass operation?