Although the two experts disagree on the immediate actions Elizabeth should take, they are both chiefly concerned with protecting her career. I agree with Karen that Elizabeth’s first action should be to contact headhunters and get a sense of her options outside of the company. Once she has a gauge on her outside options, I think she should weigh those opportunities against the cost of not waiting until her stock options have fully vested. If leaving or staying has big financial differences, those should be the priority when it comes to making a decision. However, if the two are relatively commensurate, it will come down to whether or not she believes the office is still a healthy environment for her to be a part of.
If I were her manager, I would approach the situation in two ways. First, I would have detailed professional conversations with Elizabeth about her feelings. I would then take it to HR and potentially have combined discussions with HR and Elizabeth about possible solutions to have her remain at the company (through switching teams) or make her situation more comfortable.
