Anyone?

I'm Team Leader of a small administration team. I have six people in my team, one of them is a part-timer. This part-timer, let's call her PT, is retiring this week.

PT has been with this company a long time - twenty years. I've not even been here two years, so she is fairly certain that I have no idea what I'm doing, and she knows everything.

PT can be a difficult person to manage. For the above reason (she knows everything about this place, and I know nothing), and just her personality in general. I've mostly just let her do her own thing. I couldn't see any benefit to pushing myself into her day-to-day functioning.

Since the day I started here, I've always taken the approach of PT will be retiring soon, just let her do her thing, and we'll reevaluate the role at that stage.

Now that the time has come for her to leave, she's making it very clear that she thinks this place is going to fall down with out her. That we will crash and burn without her years of expertise and knowledge.

I hate to tell you, PT, but all you do is maintain a few spreadsheets and answer some email. Literally anyone could do your job.

Honestly, I don't think we'll even need to replace you. Your work can be done much more efficiently than how you've been doing it, and can easily be absorbed across the rest of the team.

When you're gone, we will be a more efficient team with less drama. But I do hope you enjoy retirement.