Question to all bosses/directors
Discussion
Looking for some advice on how to handle a staff member that’s becoming problematic
Me and my brother own a restaurant and we have one staff member in particular who is becoming very sensitive and annoying.
He decided to book a 2 week holiday without asking and even telling us until we asked him, this is not an option as we don’t have enough staff to cover him and we won’t allow it.
His argument is that every company gives a month holiday to their staff members and that’s his right but what he doesn’t understand is that it’s not that simple, i have many friends all working in decent places and none of them are allowed to take 2 weeks off in a row, if they are, it’s down to who is off in those 2 weeks etc, it’s a long process.
I told him he can go for 10 days max and he can go for another 10 days in a separate time after a few months but not at the same time. The trouble is that the clown booked his flight on a Friday night at midnight so even if we give him 10 days, it still overlaps on 2 weekends which is a big issue for us as we can’t not have him here for 2 weekends.
I said to him, you either go on the Friday and come back on the Thursday or you cancel your holiday and rebook for a Sunday to a Tuesday for example, 10 days. He’s now thrown a strop and ignored my brother earlier, he walked off and hid behind this wall by a local Sainsbury’s as he saw him approaching. (It’s his day off)
Just to point out that we pay him very well, he loves over time so we give it to him, some weeks he earns 400 a week along with free accommodation.
Sacking him is not an option as we need him and he’s very good, been with us over a year and yet no matter how well we treat him, he still acts up and throws strops when we tell him to do something differently. We NEVER shout at him either. I even drove him to Luton airport before his last holiday as it was an awkward time and there’s no busses.
Any of you long time bosses know how to deal with staff like this? I’m lost and I’m not sure how to approach it
Me and my brother own a restaurant and we have one staff member in particular who is becoming very sensitive and annoying.
He decided to book a 2 week holiday without asking and even telling us until we asked him, this is not an option as we don’t have enough staff to cover him and we won’t allow it.
His argument is that every company gives a month holiday to their staff members and that’s his right but what he doesn’t understand is that it’s not that simple, i have many friends all working in decent places and none of them are allowed to take 2 weeks off in a row, if they are, it’s down to who is off in those 2 weeks etc, it’s a long process.
I told him he can go for 10 days max and he can go for another 10 days in a separate time after a few months but not at the same time. The trouble is that the clown booked his flight on a Friday night at midnight so even if we give him 10 days, it still overlaps on 2 weekends which is a big issue for us as we can’t not have him here for 2 weekends.
I said to him, you either go on the Friday and come back on the Thursday or you cancel your holiday and rebook for a Sunday to a Tuesday for example, 10 days. He’s now thrown a strop and ignored my brother earlier, he walked off and hid behind this wall by a local Sainsbury’s as he saw him approaching. (It’s his day off)
Just to point out that we pay him very well, he loves over time so we give it to him, some weeks he earns 400 a week along with free accommodation.
Sacking him is not an option as we need him and he’s very good, been with us over a year and yet no matter how well we treat him, he still acts up and throws strops when we tell him to do something differently. We NEVER shout at him either. I even drove him to Luton airport before his last holiday as it was an awkward time and there’s no busses.
Any of you long time bosses know how to deal with staff like this? I’m lost and I’m not sure how to approach it
Sounds like you need him more than he needs you. GLWT. Do you have a formal holiday booking process? Do you have any formal, documented processes? I doubt it from what you've said so far. Seems like you have two choices, let him go or let him go. (as in, go on holiday or get rid). From then on, document the policy in everyone's contracts of employment and apply it equally to everyone.
Does he have a contract? Does that state the holiday booking process?
You cannot deny holiday without good reason. For example, we cannot spare you is not a valid reason. Unless there is something in his contract, to the contrary, he could take all his accrued holiday in one go if there was no valid reason to refuse.
It sounds like you don't have a formal agreement in place with him (I might be wrong) because he would know to book with you before booking flights, etc.
I would bite the bullet, let him go, put something more formal in place for next time, and get agency staff in to cover this leave.
You cannot deny holiday without good reason. For example, we cannot spare you is not a valid reason. Unless there is something in his contract, to the contrary, he could take all his accrued holiday in one go if there was no valid reason to refuse.
It sounds like you don't have a formal agreement in place with him (I might be wrong) because he would know to book with you before booking flights, etc.
I would bite the bullet, let him go, put something more formal in place for next time, and get agency staff in to cover this leave.
Pothole said:
Sounds like you need him more than he needs you. GLWT. Do you have a formal holiday booking process? Do you have any formal, documented processes? I doubt it from what you've said so far. Seems like you have two choices, let him go or let him go. (as in, go on holiday or get rid). From then on, document the policy in everyone's contracts of employment and apply it equally to everyone.
We don’t and we definitely will but every time we lose a staff member and we have to sack them, there’s something new that we have to do, why can’t people just be grateful and get on with it. I’d say he needs us more but he just doesn’t see it. If he left, it won’t be the end of the world for us, me and my brother would have to work a little bit extra, get more money and look for someone new, train them etc. It’s just hassle we don’t need.
If he left, he’d have to go and find a room to rent, roundnhere it’s around 450-650 a month. Start on minimum wage and work his way up again at another restaurant. It won’t be a family business either, will be a chain and he’ll get treated like crap.
There’s gotta be a way to tackle this attitude problem without sacking him.
Let him have the holiday. If he's as important as you make out then perhaps this may be a cost of running the business. As annoying as it may be.
I'd personally let it slide, hire a temp to cover your 2nd weekend but also introduce a policy around leave where all applications have to be approved in advance and documented. If it's to the detriment of the business (as in having 2 weekends off) then it won't be approved.
I'd personally let it slide, hire a temp to cover your 2nd weekend but also introduce a policy around leave where all applications have to be approved in advance and documented. If it's to the detriment of the business (as in having 2 weekends off) then it won't be approved.
juice said:
Let him have the holiday. If he's as important as you make out then perhaps this may be a cost of running the business. As annoying as it may be.
I'd personally let it slide, hire a temp to cover your 2nd weekend but also introduce a policy around leave where all applications have to be approved in advance and documented. If it's to the detriment of the business (as in having 2 weekends off) then it won't be approved.
Obviously don't know all the ins & outs, but this sounds like the holiday thing is just the icing on the cake. If so letting the holiday go is just postponing the evil day at cost.I'd personally let it slide, hire a temp to cover your 2nd weekend but also introduce a policy around leave where all applications have to be approved in advance and documented. If it's to the detriment of the business (as in having 2 weekends off) then it won't be approved.
Only the OP can gauge if it's a situation worth compromising on & saving for the long term.
Regardless of company size, if he is going to push the boundaries then he is either not commited or wants to be bound by better rules. In small companies the rules are created once someone ruins it for all others and there is no discussion.
Unless you find some legal reason for not allowing a two week holiday (which does seem excessive) then you have to go with it. The notice period to book the holiday is the issue, most companies say if you have not had authorisation then please don't book the holiday.
Unless you find some legal reason for not allowing a two week holiday (which does seem excessive) then you have to go with it. The notice period to book the holiday is the issue, most companies say if you have not had authorisation then please don't book the holiday.
Getting rid of him is the right thing to do but in my OP I said it’s not an option right now and it’s a last case scenario. I was just trying to figure out the politics behind situations like these. I doubt every business on the UK sacked people immediately otherwise half the country would be unemployed. People can be dicks, everyone can be and that’s a given.
I think we’re going to tell him to cancel his holiday and book another 10 day one where it over laps on 1 weekend.
It will create a stand off, we won’t budge and that should show us how much the job means to him. If he decide’s to leave, we’ll f
k him off and tell him to leave his room immediately. This was always on my mind but I was hoping on some other answers but it’s clear how there’s no other way by your response’s.
He’s in tomorrow and I’ll update everyone.
I think we’re going to tell him to cancel his holiday and book another 10 day one where it over laps on 1 weekend.
It will create a stand off, we won’t budge and that should show us how much the job means to him. If he decide’s to leave, we’ll f
k him off and tell him to leave his room immediately. This was always on my mind but I was hoping on some other answers but it’s clear how there’s no other way by your response’s.He’s in tomorrow and I’ll update everyone.
To be fair if you let someone take 10 days they would be an idiot not to make sure it overlapped weekends , 10 days holiday = 16 days not at work for most people.
If you don’t let him go he’s going to be very annoyed. If it’s not in his contract then all you can do is threaten him with things like “no more free room, pay rent now as you can’t help us out” but it’s a sloppy slope and the relationship will break down.
You say if he leaves then it’s just a bit of extra work for you and your brother , if that’s the case just do that for 2 weeks , it’s the easiest option
If you don’t let him go he’s going to be very annoyed. If it’s not in his contract then all you can do is threaten him with things like “no more free room, pay rent now as you can’t help us out” but it’s a sloppy slope and the relationship will break down.
You say if he leaves then it’s just a bit of extra work for you and your brother , if that’s the case just do that for 2 weeks , it’s the easiest option
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Obviously don't know all the ins & outs, but this sounds like the holiday thing is just the icing on the cake. If so letting the holiday go is just postponing the evil day at cost.
Only the OP can gauge if it's a situation worth compromising on & saving for the long term.
Maybe..But the inference is that they rate this guy, but can't deal (or won't) with his mannerisms.Only the OP can gauge if it's a situation worth compromising on & saving for the long term.
I'd agreed it's crunch time but either way it'll get resolved (but having a formal policy so everyone knows the ground rules)
Or
They decide that this is enough and let him go. Either way there will be a cost it's just they need to work out which one causes the least pain.
Chestrockwell said:
Pothole said:
Sounds like you need him more than he needs you. GLWT. Do you have a formal holiday booking process? Do you have any formal, documented processes? I doubt it from what you've said so far. Seems like you have two choices, let him go or let him go. (as in, go on holiday or get rid). From then on, document the policy in everyone's contracts of employment and apply it equally to everyone.
We don’t and we definitely will but every time we lose a staff member and we have to sack them, there’s something new that we have to do, why can’t people just be grateful and get on with it. I’d say he needs us more but he just doesn’t see it. If he left, it won’t be the end of the world for us, me and my brother would have to work a little bit extra, get more money and look for someone new, train them etc. It’s just hassle we don’t need.
If he left, he’d have to go and find a room to rent, roundnhere it’s around 450-650 a month. Start on minimum wage and work his way up again at another restaurant. It won’t be a family business either, will be a chain and he’ll get treated like crap.
There’s gotta be a way to tackle this attitude problem without sacking him.
juice said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Obviously don't know all the ins & outs, but this sounds like the holiday thing is just the icing on the cake. If so letting the holiday go is just postponing the evil day at cost.
Only the OP can gauge if it's a situation worth compromising on & saving for the long term.
Maybe..But the inference is that they rate this guy, but can't deal (or won't) with his mannerisms.Only the OP can gauge if it's a situation worth compromising on & saving for the long term.
I'd agreed it's crunch time but either way it'll get resolved (but having a formal policy so everyone knows the ground rules)
Or
They decide that this is enough and let him go. Either way there will be a cost it's just they need to work out which one causes the least pain.
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