Employees

[daisy]

How do you prevent or try to explain to employees that they should not talk to each other about how much they make an hr. I had an upset employee last nite because I had another employee brag about a raise they had got and that just upset this other person becuase they have been with the company longer. I gave this employee a raise because of the good job he is doing also increased his hrs, I felt he deserved it, now this other employee was jealous and upset, I had to explain to this person that he deserved it, and this person feels that I should not have given him a raise and has to point out certain things wrong with him, but when ever I work with the person I gave a raise to, he is a good worker, dont know if its just becuase Im the owner and his work ethics around me are better or what.

Both these employees perform the same amount of tasks, but the one person who is upset with the situation is more on the side of my manager, all though she does not perform everything that a manager should do, and thats only because she has another job, and is a single parent and really does not work as many hrs as the person I gave a raise to, not sure if that makes a difference or not

 

[Daddio]

During the hiring process we make it clear that we pay on a merit basis so you are paid according to the tasks you do not on the time you have been there. we also make it clear that discussing wages is grounds for immediate dismissal.

In the keynote session at pizza expo last year an interesting spin on wages was presented. The general idea was they had developed a training program that as various tasks were mastered a raise was triggered. Each level wore a different color of hat so everyone knew what pay grade they were at as well as what tasks they could do. How fast you moved up was totally in control of the employee.

 

[HoustonPizza]

We’ve had that problem in the past as well. I thought about insituting a policy that if we find out you discussed it because someone complains to us, you lose the raise. That would be a good incentive to keep that information to yourself.

 

[royster13]

I can not imagine firing someone for talking about their pay or taking back a raise is legal…I am sure it is wise to encourage them not too talk about it but other than that I am not sure there is much you can do about it…

 

[daisy]

I tried to explain to this kid that you can not talk about any pay or deals I make with him and he is like, well I am not coming to work to make friends I am working to help my family out. I sorta laughed and said if you are coming to work to help your family out and not make friends why then would you discuss your personal stuff with your co workers. This is his first job ever and he just dont understand or get it, I tried explaining to him that if you discuss things such as pay to other co workers then is just causes tension between you and your co workers and that just causes a bunch of problems. I already have a policy about discussing pay with other co workers, and yeah I agree that firing them is not a solution, either is revoking the raise, my policy just states that you are not allowed to discuss pay or bonuses to other co workers

 

[paul7979]

daisy:

I tried to explain to this kid that you can not talk about any pay or deals I make with him and he is like, well I am not coming to work to make friends I am working to help my family out. I sorta laughed and said if you are coming to work to help your family out and not make friends why then would you discuss your personal stuff with your co workers. This is his first job ever and he just dont understand or get it, I tried explaining to him that if you discuss things such as pay to other co workers then is just causes tension between you and your co workers and that just causes a bunch of problems. I already have a policy about discussing pay with other co workers, and yeah I agree that firing them is not a solution, either is revoking the raise, my policy just states that you are not allowed to discuss pay or bonuses to other co workers

I bet he would “get it” if you explained that if giving him future raises would cause tension among the employees, you would not be able to offer any more raises to him.

 

[daisy]

paul7979:
I bet he would “get it” if you explained that if giving him future raises would cause tension among the employees, you would not be able to offer any more raises to him.
[/quote]

I seriously thought about telling him that tonite

 

[Deacon_V]

I like Paul’s suggestion. I bet that word will get around the kitchen quite quickly.

On the other note, I just finished a case where I had released a guy, my kitchen manager sort of…because he was consistently stirring up the pot with the other employees when it came to wages, who made what, who worked harder than who etc.

We too had a paragraph in our Employee Manual that forbade them discussing any financial information included sales, and wages. I was floored to find out, at least in my socialist State, that I have zero ability to write and maintain a policy like that as it is against their 1st amendment rights of “free speech”.

Seriously??

Lost the appeal and now have to have this this termination on my “record”. Balls.

 

[bodegahwy]

Get over it. Employees will talk. There is no keeping this stuff secret.

When an employee asks about it, I am always able to tell them things they could do or change that would earn them more money. (And when they do them, I pay)

 

[Registered_Guest]

Someone comes to me asking about someone else’s raise - I politely tell them it’s none of their business. End of story.

 

[flippinhonda]

if you feel forced to pay someone that isnt as good as another person… then you are in the wrong business.

You do not have to answer to anyone… Your the owner.