On one hand I agree with the expert that Elizabeth is not in the correct frame of mind to make large professional or financial decisions. From the evidence in the case it seems she is frequently suffering emotional trauma and potential teasing or social abuse from colleagues and managers who think she is “overreacting” and “damaged goods”. Because of this sentiment, the ability to rationalize what’s important and how much she likes her job is impaired. That being said I disagree with the experts proposal to wait one more year until her stock is vested- it could be that one more year of that treatment would send Elizabeth over the edge. What I would suggest is that Elizabeth take a few days off to clear her mind and weigh the pros and cons objectively, and possibly in the presence of Ada. By removing herself from the inflammatory environment at the office, and not allowing herself to be distracted by Brad and Claudia, Elizabeth will have a better judgment of her current purpose and goals in the company.
I am conflicted with the expert Wendi S. Lazar’s analysis of Elizabeth’s mistake in engaging in office relations. As a young professional soon to enter the workforce, I would say office relations are best avoided as they often lead to conflicts of interest and dysfunction. That being said, I can also see how individuals who are high-up and performing well at a company are likely to have many traits in common and shared experiences (whether professional time spent at the office or in life), which naturally attract them to each other. And honestly, who am I to decide whether two people can or cannot date? I feel like if they are dedicating their time and energy to furthering company goals, and they happen to develop a relationship on the side, blaming them would in part be blaming their managers at the company who had them further company goals. I also don’t fully agree with the feeling that C-suite executives are given preferential treatment in the company, and that a nasty company culture is evolving around Elizabeth- this could very well be in part a perceptual thing from Elizabeth, and there could be more to the story we do not have access to.
If I was manager I would have both parties agree to find a rapid conclusion to the matter- if the two are having problems working alongside each other, I would get them to make up, or I have to fire / displace one of them. I think I would keep the person who is less replaceable, but I would keep in mind who did what and signal they were on thin ice. Finally, for office standard’s sake I would ban PDA at the office and make it a clear policy that co-workers do not continue to discuss relationships and personal matters with co-workers who aren’t comfortable doing so.
