About the CP thing though, I own the business. Personally, I should be able to do whatever I want. Also, I've been at work for an hour already, trying to get everyone else's day organized.
That type of attitude is definately somthing that your employees would notice. As an owner and manager it would probably be benefitial to lead by example. Like it or not, you set the culture at your workplace.
There isn't much that makes me work harder than seeing my boss pulling long hours as well. If it is as simple as them showing up late, let them know that this isn't acceptable, if it continues you can obviously make a decision to let them go and find a replacement, or stop complaining about.
We just need CaptainCrunch to come in and complain about kids on his lawn and the thread would be complete
Dude why be hatin?
From working for a company that provides payroll solutions, I see this all the time, and its not just the young workers, its all workers, and its called time theft.
Depending on what you pay, and how many people you have, 5, 10, or 15 minutes a day can become a pretty sizable drain. And its one of the biggest complaints that I receive.
So I have to ask, what kind of work is this? Is it retail, manufacturing? Office?
The first thing that you have to do is sit them down and lay out the expectations. Ok, you start at 8, that means your at your workspace at 8, your done at 5 that means you leave your workspace at 5, you get a 30 minute lunch, make sure that you take into account coverage, and you get two 15 minute breaks. Thats it thats all, if you can't live with it, then this relationship isn't going to work out. But at this point you can't joke about it.
Maybe you need to look at a time and attendance system. If you put a time clock in, you can then use the data at performance evaluation time, especially if they have to punch in as they're going to their workspace.
Look employee, you punch in at 8:10 every morning, and leave at 4:50, so I'm going to adjust your grace period to under 10 minutes, that means if you arrive at your workspace 10 minutes late, or leave 10 minutes early you will not be paid for that grace period.
As an employer you have a right to a agreed upon level of productivity, and the old saying goes, 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there and soon your paying someone an hour and a half a week not to work.
Be firm.
But its not just a teenager thing.
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Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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First of all, Vansmack, you dont know the first thing about me and my attitude and I am not going to take the time to discuss it with you.
secondly, the discussion was about employees and their tardiness and me venting about it.
What the basis of the discussion was, is this the trend, am I getting riled about nothing or do I have a legitimate complaint. Yes, it drives me crazy and I wanted to get a take from people on how to deal with it.
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First of all, Vansmack, you dont know the first thing about me and my attitude and I am not going to take the time to discuss it with you.
secondly, the discussion was about employees and their tardiness and me venting about it.
What the basis of the discussion was, is this the trend, am I getting riled about nothing or do I have a legitimate complaint. Yes, it drives me crazy and I wanted to get a take from people on how to deal with it.
Lol. A rant thread on CP wouldn't be complete without some jackass telling you it's your fault.
I have been 'boss' to two girls, ages 24 and 25 now, for 2 years. They drive me absolutely insane on a daily basis. I am 36, a woman, and I work in an IT related business so it's hard for me to gain respect in the first place. I have to put up with men patronizing me and making constant sexual innuendos- but the two girls bother me more than anything.
They are CS (like your people). They handle our client calls and changes to accounts. They come in late EVERY DAY, they are always eating/drinking coffee/making coffee and they are continually grouchy, like they are doing me a huge favour by being here. I know they are on facebook (I don't care, so am I) during the day and they goof off on the internet, but what bothers me is their lack of respect and their attitude. They'll come in at 8:15 (we work 8-5) and then leave at 5:10 and request overtime for the 10 minutes extra they've worked.
You SHOULD be able to come and go when you want and even more important, you SHOULD be able to trust your employees to run your business when you are gone. I make commission and part of it is retaining customers. With their flippant attitudes it's hard sometimes.
If I were you, I would have a meeting with them and tell them 'Look, this is what bothers me, if you want to keep your job, I expect you to behave a certain way.' Lay down the law. If they hate you, who cares- hire someone else. It normally takes me about 4 hires to get to someone who's reliable and efficient.
Good luck
Let me tell you something, as someone who works on partial commission, who's primary role is based around retention and expansion of existing client base, if someone is making it harder for me to make money, I'm kicking their a$$es into orbit. Nobody dicks with my paycheck, you just don't accept it.
And with the economy the way it is, there are lots of good workers out there looking for work, and they're hungry, you might want to remind them of that the next time you review their quality of work.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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Lets say that you have 100 employees, you have a count of 10 employees that show 15 minutes late and leave 15 minutes early, and lets say that you pay them $15.00 an hour.
So every day you lose 30 minutes per employee x 10 is 300 minutes which at 15 bucks an hour = So every day you lose $75.00 doesn't sound like much. But this happens 5 days a week which is then 5 x 75 = 375 which in a month is $1650.00 per month which in a year is $19,800.00
Its not quite a joking matter anymore if 10% of your workforce has bad work habits.
It adds up in a hurry.
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Sample, I wasn't trying to be critical of you or accuse you of being lazy or anything of the nature. I was probably unfairly picking on the statement that you should be able to do whatever you want.
Let me put it this way. Your employees will have a lot more respect for you and their job if you take the time and discuss potential issues with them. As a young worker I have found that there is a often a big communication gap that leaves people frustrated on both sides. Maybe try being more direct about the importance of them being on time and ready to work. Your complain is definately legitimate, its somthing that business owners have been battling for a long time. Responsibility and accountability are hugely important and most young people are aware of this. If it is consitently a probelm, there has to be someone else who would love to have their job.
4x4 - im not a jackass, nor was i saying it was his fault. But there are definately two ways to deal with things in business: act or react. I know which one i would rather do.
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Sample, I wasn't trying to be critical of you or accuse you of being lazy or anything of the nature. I was probably unfairly picking on the statement that you should be able to do whatever you want.
Let me put it this way. Your employees will have a lot more respect for you and their job if you take the time and discuss potential issues with them. As a young worker I have found that there is a often a big communication gap that leaves people frustrated on both sides. Maybe try being more direct about the importance of them being on time and ready to work. Your complain is definately legitimate, its somthing that business owners have been battling for a long time. Responsibility and accountability are hugely important and most young people are aware of this. If it is consitently a probelm, there has to be someone else who would love to have their job.
4x4 - im not a jackass, nor was i saying it was his fault. But there are definately two ways to deal with things in business: act or react. I know which one i would rather do.
There are a lot of factors to consider with late employees...all being brought up in this thread. I know from my personal experience working crappy jobs when I was in highschool/University was that there was NO INCENTIVE for me to get ahead in them, so why show up early or try and impress, unless that's your natural personality.
If you want that to change then you have to give these kids incentive to come in on time, be it:
1. Pay...start them 15mins earlier
2. Consequences
3. Respect for their employer (he's an incredible hard worker and never takes a moment off)
If I see someone killing themself with #3 and I respect them I'll work for nothing; if I see the boss cruising the internet and taking off early then that filters down to everyone's attitude.
So your options are to be a leader on the issue and "make it fun in the dressing room", let the issue slide, or replace your current employees with people that are self motivated and don't have kids or pets.
As for the lady that is 36 working IT and hating her 25 & 24 yr old employees...every all girl work space I've ever seen in my life operates this way, sorry...you're F'd.
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There are a lot of factors to consider with late employees...all being brought up in this thread. I know from my personal experience working crappy jobs when I was in highschool/University was that there was NO INCENTIVE for me to get ahead in them, so why show up early or try and impress, unless that's your natural personality.
Even if you work a crappy job, your obligated to live up to those conditions that are laid out, or go find something else to do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rutuu
If you want that to change then you have to give these kids incentive to come in on time, be it:
1. Pay...start them 15mins earlier
Or stick with the standard 15 minute break x 2 and 30 minutes lunch, and count their screwing around for 15 minutes and leaving early as their breaks. or set their grace periods for 15 minutes at the start and end of the day and decide if your going to play for early in and out, but then you need to be precise and look at time collection instead of assumptive time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rutuu
2. Consequences
This only really works if you can lay solid proof in front of them, maybe implement a written warning system.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rutuu
3. Respect for their employer (he's an incredible hard worker and never takes a moment off)
If I see someone killing themself with #3 and I respect them I'll work for nothing; if I see the boss cruising the internet and taking off early then that filters down to everyone's attitude.
So your options are to be a leader on the issue and "make it fun in the dressing room", let the issue slide, or replace your current employees with people that are self motivated and don't have kids or pets.
Depending on how many people are doing it in an organization its now about money, and thats crucial with small companies. And it sounds like he's tried to make it fun, by pointing at it jokingly, this is where he needs to do the impromptu performance review followed by the compliment sandwich so to speak.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rutuu
As for the lady that is 36 working IT and hating her 25 & 24 yr old employees...every all girl work space I've ever seen in my life operates this way, sorry...you're F'd.
Yeah, I don't get this, but it happens everywhere.
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i'm not sure how that pertains to starting work on time but..one is technician and one is a customer service representative.
Both involved in the retail industry.
It's because depending on the work, punctuality may not be as important as long as they are willing to stay the extra 15-20 minutes or work overtime.
When I was 22, I'd often be less than punctual on arrival but you would always find me in the office long past my supposed get off work time just because it's just as easy to stay a bit longer to do a bit more work or have stuff overflow as it is to spend a few minutes getting ready for the work day when you first get in.
When their shift is over, do they demand to be let off right on the dot even if there is a customer or unfinished business sitting around?
I always hated my bosses who never recognized this and harped on me for being 5-10 minutes in getting going in the morning (getting office, getting ready) when I would often spend 30+ minutes (unpaid) longer in the office than I was supposed to at the end of the day working much harder or because there were things that just couldn't be abandoned for tomorrow. They never recognized that but criticized the former.
First of all, Vansmack, you dont know the first thing about me and my attitude and I am not going to take the time to discuss it with you.
secondly, the discussion was about employees and their tardiness and me venting about it.
What the basis of the discussion was, is this the trend, am I getting riled about nothing or do I have a legitimate complaint. Yes, it drives me crazy and I wanted to get a take from people on how to deal with it.
Here's how you need to look at it, Sample:
Is it affecting the experience of customers who are shopping at your store?
If yes: disciplinary action needs to be taken. Start procedures to remove these guys as employees - write ups, or whatever the procedure is at your store.
If no: then you need to realize that it's just you who has a problem with it, and it's only a problem because of your personality. It's not a business issue and you need to figure out how to let it go.
There's a way to penalize your employees for being late.
You have to break their pay out into a base pay and an hourly performance bonus. So if you want to pay them $15 an hour, pay them $10/hour base pay and a $5/hour performance bonus. Clearly lay out your expectations for them to receive their performance bonus (e.g. no more than 15 late minutes within a pay period, no theft, no quitting without notice, no drugs, etc.). If they don't meet your criteria, dock them all or some of their performance bonus.
Dock that bonus once and you'll whip everybody into shape. Or they'll quit. Either way, the problem will be taken care of.
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Wow, thanks Reaper! Without your invaluable knowledge I don't know how I'd get thru life. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
If all of CP were more like you everything would be just peachy.
And saying details, details can be easily interpreted as a statement that means to ask for more details. Don't worry a few more years and you might figure out engrish.
Wow, thanks Reaper! Without your invaluable knowledge I don't know how I'd get thru life. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
If all of CP were more like you everything would be just peachy.
And saying details, details can be easily interpreted as a statement that means to ask for more details. Don't worry a few more years and you might figure out engrish.
Actually "details, details" is a common statement meant to dismiss claims that an activity may be detrimental.
Now, quit acting like a little girl who got mud on her dress.
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