One of the Most Common Reasons for Lawsuits against Employers in California

As I meet more aggrieved employees, I notice a clear, repeating pattern - and employee works and performs well, enjoying working with his professional team and in his work environment, having a good relationship with his supervisor. At one point, his supervisors leaves or is being transferred to another department, and a new manager is being appointed to supervise the same employee. The new manager might be coming from outside, might not be experienced or even worse - might be having his first management position, upon receiving which he or she is eager to exercise his new power and control (what we commonly call as "power trip.")

Your new supervisor might have very different expectations from the previous one, which can be legitimate as every professional has different idea of what and how the performance of his or her subordinates should be. But when the new person abuses his power, nit-picking an employee, who has been working for the same company for much longer, this will necessarily cause undue stress and confrontation between the employee and his new manager.  This eventually leads to a range of legal claims by an employee - from harassment and hostile work environment, to retaliation (if the employee complains about his supervisor to the higher up, and as a result gets disciplined or terminated).

How can such problems at workplace and potential liability be effectively prevented and avoided?

One effective way to prevent this problem is to have the new manager undergo training and not only on discrimination, harassment and other laws that cover California workplace, but also generally on employee relations and on what makes a great manager who receives respect and admiration from his employees and who increases productivity, as opposed to one who creates bitterness, frustration and unnecessary stress on his employees. 

In addition, it is important to consider supervising closely the new manager and his ways of handling and communicating with his employees  - at least in the beginning stages of that new supervisor's job.