Fed Up follow up
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Sorry to keep moaning people but your responses do help me get through the day.
Took peoples advice and responded to the staff 'suggestions' as best I could with the little detail they had given.
Responses so far: -
1) This xmas management purchased 4 hampers (value £200) and ran a raffle (for the 15 members of staff). This means we were only showing our appreciation for 4 employees not all of them and we included part-time staff which they don't feel is 'fair' as part-time staff don't contribute as much.
2) Putting money behind the bar at staff events means that we are only rewarding those that attend.
They all know the reason behind the change to the presents last year - I had 2 deaths of close family members in the run up to xmas and simply didn't have the time (nor emotional energy) to buy them. Only three members of staff sent their condolences (one keeping in regular text contact whilst I was supporting the family).
Feel like I'm begining to sound like them but what is the point?
Took peoples advice and responded to the staff 'suggestions' as best I could with the little detail they had given.
Responses so far: -
1) This xmas management purchased 4 hampers (value £200) and ran a raffle (for the 15 members of staff). This means we were only showing our appreciation for 4 employees not all of them and we included part-time staff which they don't feel is 'fair' as part-time staff don't contribute as much.
2) Putting money behind the bar at staff events means that we are only rewarding those that attend.
They all know the reason behind the change to the presents last year - I had 2 deaths of close family members in the run up to xmas and simply didn't have the time (nor emotional energy) to buy them. Only three members of staff sent their condolences (one keeping in regular text contact whilst I was supporting the family).
Feel like I'm begining to sound like them but what is the point?
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Comments
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Re:Fed Up follow up
Don't take the reaction to the deaths of your family members by your staff members to heart. My grandfather died and then my grandmother died and being popular at work (or so I like to think
) only 2 people text me to say they were thinking of me and my family.
I returned to work to find everyone really sypathetic and they said they didn't contact me because they didn't know what to say. Some people are good at showing a sympathetic side, some aren't.
The hampers are a good idea, because they're free to the winners, but then I suppose there are better gadgets out there for £200.
If presented with the opportunity of entering a raffle to win a hamper or a new TV, I know which one i'd enter.
The money behind the bar is a necessity, that is a great benefit and basically its the employees faults if they don't turn up and take advantage of the offer you are meking them.
Full time and part time... how do you treat them differently without infringing on discrimation... very difficult, but probably runa different competition for them and have a polite conversation explaining why there are two different competitions.
Seems like you are being vilified for your generousity to your employees, I think you are geting it 80% right with the presents and benefits you supply but 20% wrong with what you are buying as presents.
I'd come work for you.... providing you paid for a bar every day :-)
I say you kick the ungrateful sods in the nuts and watch them squeel :-)0 -
Re:Fed Up follow up
I thought I would add my thoughts to this.
1) It's not the part-timers' fault if their job is part-time. Surely it's the commitment when you are actually at work; if they put 100% effort into the job, part-time or otherwise, then all you are going to do is reward those that work the longer hours and who may not put in as much effort. And it's discriminatory as well.
Could you not give gift vouchers, say £15 each for all members of staff, then they would all feel appreciated rather than they having to gamble to be appreciated? It makes the £200 and a little bit more go a lot further.
2) If they don't turn up, it's not your problem. Some may not be able to attend because they may be going away etc, but if you reward everyone with the voucher system then nobody actually loses out.
I'm sorry about your bereavements last year. J's right in that people either smother you with sympathy at one extreme and then are walking on eggeshells around you at the other end. I think it's best to express regret but treat the bereaved person like you normally would.
But the staff need to realise that your generosity is not a God given right or a benefit of working there. What will happen when you can't afford to do it for example?
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Re:Fed Up follow up
I know I'm coming into this late on and I know there is a previous thread elsewhere but thought I'd contribute anyway.
I've seen problems like this before and I do think you're handling the situation far too nicely Gill. The nicer you are the worse people like these get and they may come to see you as soft, vulnerable and easy to exploit. I've heard the phrase "canteen cowboy" used for these before...
If I was in charge of these people, I'd speak to them "off-the-record" and have it out directly. This not only shows leadership and assertion but may put them into such a flap when confronted that they usually become meek as mice. We all know bullies often turn to cowards in the blink of an eye.
When being nice fails, being nasty can sometimes be just as effective...
Robert0 -
Re:Fed Up follow upBaggybooks wrote:
Are we back on the breaking legs thread?
Has anyone ever heard of Dog the Bounty Hunter?!
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Re:Fed Up follow up
Hell yeah, what a show!
That is sooooo funny!0 -
Re:Fed Up follow up
No - heard of 'God I could kill a Bounty', though.
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