Gerry McMahon is an acknowledged national expert in People Management. He has over 35 years’ experience - as a workplace investigator (on bullying/harassment/ disciplinary/dismissal/grievance issues), trainer, negotiator, facilitator, mediator, arbitrator and team builder - across a wide range of employment sectors. He is the M.D. of the H.R. training and advisory company Productive Personnel Ltd.
Gerry has also had an extensive range of books and articles published and been a columnist with the Industrial Relations News, Irish Times, Sunday Business Post, and Irish Independent and expert commentator on H.R./Employee Relations for R.T.E. and TV3/Virgin. He has also served on numerous Legal Island and C.I.P.D. judging panels and is a Council member of the Irish Association for Industrial Relations.
Contact: Tel. 087-2471415; E-Mail: ppl1gerry@gmail.com
Introduction ⚓︎
A reference that gives a glowing account of an incompetent employee - perhaps to speed them on their way as far as possible from the employer - can return to haunt that employer. The ‘boomerang reference’ will hit hard when it returns, for if the chef can’t cook, the software programmer is incompetent or the technician proves incapable, then the new employer, that relied on the good reference can - and may well - sue.
Allied to the fact that references are a poor predictor of performance – with their hidden agendas and sub-texts – together with the employee’s right of access to what has been written about them - all makes for tricky territory when it comes
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