If office relationships are chronically tense or unfriendly, you must deal with the players involved. Your goal is to focus on the problem in terms of specific, observable behavior, not to make personal criticism. Ask the employee to come up with a solution, if possible. Consider a referral to the Employee Assistance Program for employees who feel unable to manage stress effectively. The Employee Assistance Program can also help mediate interpersonal conflicts between staff.
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The issue of supporting early-career faculty will likely become one of the more prominent issues in universities in the next five to ten years. With the increased numbers of retirements and new faculty hires across the country, universities who are successful in developing and retaining their early-career faculty members will have a competitive advantage. There are several points to make. First, academic leaders will have to look at the reward structure in their department or college and make sure that mid-career faculty members receive recognition and rewards for working younger faculty members. Unless the recognition and reward structure acknowledges this work formally, it will be hard to ask mid-career faculty to step up to the challenge.