I am going to be honest, and a bit blunt. PLEASE do not take anything directed as personal, because it is not intended to be such, and under this new pain medicine I have…well, I will try to make this as to the point as possible.
I am learning a LOT while I am sitting here at home nursing this back injury, and I think as a humble employee, that this insight might help you owner/ops, and that’s why I want to share my thoughts.
For Kris…so, the manager has snuck in another vacation. If you do not have a limit on vacations, paid or otherwise, it’s part your oversight…so get something into writing now to prevent this in the future. 4 weeks of UPTO to me says “my work is interefering into my personal life” and I would be really concerned that this person is setting a very bad example for my crews.
While I honestly don’t think a “no” would be unreasonable, she might, and may leave you or cause other strains in your working relationship…so if it truly is covered, I’d probably let this one go, with a firm notice that any future time off, paid or unpaid, MUST be submitted to you in writing with your written approval in return before it is EVER posted to the schedule.
I have been off work for 3 months now, but I am on medical leave, and give my boss detailed progress reports (sometimes lack of progress reports haha), and even with the proof, even though I’ve been promised a return regardless of when I can, I do NOT expect it.
It appears she is taking her position for granted, I guess is what I’m trying to say.
As for the highest paid employee having NYE off. Well, it is in plenty of notice. He’s your best paid employee, so I assume to be given the title of the best paid employee, it comes with reasons, such as never calling in, always staying 'til the job is done, going above and beyond expectations, etc, right?
If so, then what WILL giving HIM the time off hurt when that day is included in a week that he is requesting off?
See, I give 110% to any job I ever work, and this back injury coming back to the forefront and me having to actually be off has given me “too much” time to think.
See, I am the doer…the thinker…the dependable one…the one to call in when chips are down. I am the one when working who you hardly EVER see a pizza get mis-made on a Friday night (maybe once every 2 or 3 months). Right now, they make about 5 to 10 mistakes a Friday.
I am also the one who gets all the hours, working every weekend, etc, because my boss knew he could depend on me to get the job done, and get it done right. I have kids and a life, too…so quite frankly, sometimes it can feel like you’re punished for being good, and I think that many of the younger kids have caught on to that and that’s why you get the crap work you get sometimes.
I guess what I am trying to say after all this medicated rambling is that if you really are wanting to develop a crew of excellent employees…reward those of us who DO step up with things that mean something to us. For that one guy…it’s NYE off. For me, it might be a free pizza to take home inbetween paychecks to my family.
It gets hard watching those like that woman at my establishment who is my arch nemesis (I have heard so many things she’s said about me behind my back) get paid more to do less, get the “glory” of it (hello, I got the 200 pie order and she tried to take the credit just because it was a school who called me, and that’s who she started dealing with AFTER that order) by higher titles and more priviledge.
If any of that makes sense…hallelujah! haha
I just hope that it helps you see inside the minds of those who do still take pride in their jobs, and actually take “ownership” without being the actual owner. There are people out there like me and others who really DO care about your business…if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be out there, and vice versa.
Kris:
I should have knocked on some wood when I posted the above post…
Right after posting I stop by one of our locations to pick up the schedule to cover the terminated employee. The manager says “Oh I have the schedule done through Nov 5” I was like,huh? (We do it weekly)
Come to find out she is taking another (unpaid) vacation. This will be the 4th week this year. What??? I said no way she said you already okayed it. I said no I oked you off halloween not the whole week. She said I got my schedule covered so what difference does it make?
So my question to ya’ll is am I unreasonable to say no. Yes in a way she has it covered, but still with some loose ends, lots of loose ends now that we lost a driver.
Also while I am there an employee who is one of our highest paid employees is asking off for Dec30-Jan 2. We are closed New year’s day but have no requests for the 31st. When I reminded him of this he said you better get it covered cuz I won’t be here. I wanted to tell him to get out right then…but instead said do what you gotta do and I will do what I gotta do…I am half tempted to go back and go off…what would you do?
Next time you can be assured I will be knocking on wood!
Kris