Friend or Foe? (826 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.18 on 13 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Immure (View user info) at 2003-04-25 09:55:11 EDT
I have a bit of a dilemma. Background info.- I recently got promoted to a supervisory position in my corporation. I only have 3 staff members who work under me, as our department is a small one. 2 of them are excellent employees who help out when they can. One of them (Sandy) has only been here 3 months. The other (Chris) has been in my department over a year. Sandy approached me 2 days ago with complaints about the third employee (Jeff- been here 9 months) She was unhappy becasue he had called in sick after asking her to cover him for an extra hour-she was stuck working his shift as well. She also complained that he wasn't getting his work done and every time she came in there were many things she had to fix. Jeff had been a great worker up until a month ago, I had noticed his slacking and gave him many kind reminders and each time he would improve (so I had thought)
I told Sandy I would speak to Jeff about these things. I also informed my Manager and told him the situation
Becasue our department is small if we lose one employee it throws everyone off for a month- working overtime and sometimes 15days straight, until someone else is hired and trained. 2 months I had to postpone a long awaited and deserved vacation becasue of the sam situation.
Through the grapevine I found out Jeff is planning to leave sometime in July, but if he finds another job he will leave sooner. So be it, that can't be helped, but because of the hassel to get someone new it would be best if he stayed as long as possible.
I have had a supervisory position before, but the loss of an employee was never a big strain on anything, so when someone did something wrong they were diciplined accordingly and if they left it wasn't a huge problem.
Today I came into work and found out Jeff had left 2hrs early last night, nothing was done and I even have a suspicion he has stolen form the company. I found a voidd receipt for 10 dollars from a client that I had billed yesterday- no way could it have been refunded because we don;t do those.
I will have to speak to him today concerning the above and I need to do it in a way that won't piss Jeff off enough that he ups and leaves, but this behaviour cannot continue. I would rather not bring management into right away (unless I get proof he is stealing). If it was up to management he would be gone and I would lose another vacation.
This is a delicate situation and I would appreciate any help I could get from anyone. I am not used to 'sucking up' to my employees and I hate doing it, but I feel I have no choice but to baby Jeff. If when I speak to him today and he does not shape up I will have no choice but to request his dismissal. I would like to hold on to him long enough to begin the hiring and training process. Unfourtuantely I am not the one that does the hiring. Company procedure makes hiring such a huge hassle and is very slow.
This is getting to long already, but I thought all the info was necessary. Please help! How do I approach Jeff about all of this?????
User Reviews
Submitted by HeavensWalls (user info) at 2003-04-25 15:33:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sorry but I didn't read the replies, so if someone already said this, then I bow before you and kiss your ass [smiling]...
Approach him as a friend and ask him about it. If you don't know much about his personal life, try to make small talk and figure out if he's having troubles at home with kids, wife, g/f etc. Anything he says, try to act concerned. After all this, give him a 5 dollar raise p/h and go back to your office. Wait about 10 minutes and go to him, sneaking up behind him and whack him in the back of the head with a laptop and call him a pussy and tell him he's fired. That always works...
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2003-04-25 12:28:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
goodluck
Submitted by Immure (user info) at 2003-04-25 12:09:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks everyone! I think I know exactly how I will handle this now. Wish me luck, It'll all be over by 4pm and I'll be off to write an exam with a clear concience (sp?) I WILL have my vacation. oh yes I will. Loki...you helped me see the course I need to take, and everyone else too. :)
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2003-04-25 11:46:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
This is ugly. I know the issue with vacation. I just started here last year and through a sick twist of timing, I only got 3 days of vacation. I was on the verge of going postal by the time I accrued enough time to flee the city. BUT, and isn't there always a "but", you are running the risk of losing the other employees or worse they stay on but see that they can get away with not doing anything because this guy did.
I think antlovdog is right about him not having a new job yet and bills to pay. Have you seen the latest unemployment numbers? This is not a good time to be out there looking for a new job. You may be able to scare him into at least shaping up enough to get in your trip. I would definitely confront him with the voided receipt.
Submitted by Manfre (user info) at 2003-04-25 11:19:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Start hiring now... This way when you go to strangle Jeff youll have a back up... Id also plant drugs in his car (or cubicle to get him in more trouble) and call the cops... Thats always fun... I did it to my super once when he was being a prick to me... They drug tested him and it came back positive! THAT was real sweet cause I didnt think he did drugs... Maybe you could sneak this guy some reefer in his salad or sandwich... Just a few ideas...
Submitted by chipolatte (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:49:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Take a cue from Dilbert. Let your company take out a life insurance policy on Jeff, and then arrange an accident. Everyone wins!
Submitted by scott_ny (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:42:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Get him to quit. It's easier and cleaner for human resources. You can absolutely not baby him. You concerns now are the emplyess who will be staying. If you baby him or do anything else 'weak' they may lose respect for you and then your team can fall apart.
Submitted by Razor (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:37:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You're going to have to deal with a new employee at some point...
I'd tell him you know he's been stealing, and you're willing to let it go if he returns what he took, and make sure it's clear his nuts are hovering one inch above the bandsaw.
Submitted by Immure (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:36:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks for your help guys. My first instinct was the same, but I;m known as the 'good guy' my mangaer as the 'bad guy' My manager thought it was important that I be the authority to trust and relay on, confide in blah,blahblah...It has worked up to know. Most of the time any issues that need to be adressed are done by my manager as he does not have to work with these people on a daily basis.
Losing my vacation will be a huge blow to my sanity. I work full time and Im in school full time. I have already booked plane tickets. And if I don't get some vacation I'm going to have a nervous breakdown.
I can see your point though antluvdog, it will be worse to lose everyone else too. I just wish I was in charge of hiring, I'd hire someone by next week, train them in two weeks and, give Jeff the old heav ho and everything would be GREAT! but management does not see any reason to start looking now, no matter how much I try to convinve them.
Submitted by sky (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:30:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
we're hiring for my position at my company (i'm leaving in july). In two days of an internet ad, we received almost 100 resumes. People are desperate right now, I think replacing him would be a lot easier than you'd expect.
Submitted by antluvdog (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:16:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
If he's looking for a new job, he feels he has you by the balls. Here's how I would handle it:
1. Approach him immediately and let him know that if he doesn't straighten his ass out ASAP he's fired. Chances are he doesn't have that new job lined up and the bills have to get paid, right? This should scare him into straightening up.
2. If he fucks up again after the warning, fire him. I know it might affect your vacation and overtime and all, but if you don't fire him the other two good employees might leave too and then you'll have a humungous hassle on your hands.
Submitted by DarthAwesome (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:02:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fire his ass unless he changes his behavior in one week. If you baby him he will sense you are weak. Trust me on this, he will change his ways if you are stern. Start looking for a replacement now, though. You can't be sure what will happen. If worst comes to worst I'm sure management will back you up with a request to fire him.
Hope that helped,
Darth
Submitted by DarthAwesome (user info) at 2003-04-25 10:02:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fire his ass unless he changes his behavior in one week. If you baby him he will sense you are weak. Trust me on this, he will change his ways if you are stern. Start looking for a replacement now, though. You can't be sure what will happen. If worst comes to worst I'm sure management will back you up with a request to fire him.
Hope that helped,
Darth