To quickly ask you for advice about my dh's employment situation

[PippiLongTights]

DH works as a manager in a well known fast food chain.

Today he has just called telling me he is going to resign because something has happened.

Basically, one of his employees is always trying to get out of doing jobs. Today she was serving her sister and kept going back to check her rota or check her phone. My DH told her numerous times to stay at the front to take orders but she wouldn't listen. He got a bit angry and took the rota off the wall and handed it to her to take to the counter so she wouldn't keep going back. She went back to serving her sister and started complaining about him. When he went to the front her sister called him an idiot and to shut up. To which he replied "you shut up". I told him he shouldn't have said that but he says he'd had enough.

Anyway now he's afraid he's going to get into trouble because the employee phoned their area coach and started crying that he'd bullied her. He was just frustrated that she wasn't doing her job.

I've told him to calm down and tell then exactly what he told me and they know from his work ethic that he's a good manager. I'm worrie they may fire him. He's saying if they do, he'll have a resignation letter ready.

Sorry pressed enter too soon.

Do you think they could fire him for that? He just got frustrated because this same girl never pulls her weight. She didn't want to work today either and was acting more lazy than usual.

They wont fire him. He needs to talk to area manager about dealing with/warning this employee.

I think he should take the opportunity to put his side across and not resign on the spot. That just suggests guilt which tbh yes he said it but under intense provocation.

I'm sure that if the area coach was to talk to other employees it wouldn't reveal a culture of bullying. In fact they may get an interesting picture of the complainant.

Thank you. Maybe I should tell him to prepare a list of times she has not pulled her weight. Getting her family involved seems like a stupid thing to do. She jeopardised his safety and her colleagues.

Its unlikely that he'll be sacked for one error of judgement. Does he have any records of the member if staff in question being difficult? Any records of conversation, performance review etc.?

The area coach will already have a good idea of your dh's management style and is quite possibly aware of the member of staff involved so as long as he has a good reputation I wouldn't worry too much.

They will not fire your husband. It is the girl who should be concerned about her job. I think that your dh should request a meeting with the area coach and should outline the 'problem' with the employee. Hopefully, she will be given some type of warning.
Your dh should definitely NOT quit.

I would advise your dh to put everything down in writing, with dates, times etc.

I doubt t hey will fire him but as a manager he needs to manage his team and show that he is capable.

does he have a coach to support and help him manage effectively?

I would have very little respect for a manager who tells a customer to shut up tbh

Thank you for the replies. I think he was just very shocked that someone would complain about him which is why he was talking about resigning. He's a very good manager and is firm but fair. I have told him not to make rash decisions because of one thing.

I've just text him to look at this thread.

Bluelights, so would I. I think that's the big mistake he made and he knows it. In his defence the employee should not have started backbiting him whilst working infront of customers.

We all have bad days, I hope your DH is being supported in handling the situation, the staff member needs dealing with via an investigatory meeting to talk about her attitude and work ethic.

Part of our job descriptions has a line about devoting your whole time at work to doing your work etc, this is the line I would go with to open an opportunity to remind the staff member to behave herself.

Is there a HR dept available to support and advise your DH and do staff members have reviews and one to one meetings?

I expect this will be investigated and during that process both sides will be looked at and the provocation will be identified. He should phone his area manager and explain what has happened, also giving details of any witnesses.

I doubt he will be fired, as although it is serious, he was definitely provoked. I work in a similar-ish industry (not food but very labour intensive) and would look at this sympathetically. I would also look at what support he would need as a manager going forward.

My manager has had lots of complaints made about him but there has been no question of him being sacked because he is a good manager (some people just don't like to be told when they are not doing their job properly).

If I were him I would ask other members of staff if they would be willing to give witness statements about this girl's behaviour leading up to him losing his temper. If willing they should write them down immediately, so that if the area coach needs them they are available.

It does sound like your husband needs guidance as to what the policy is for misdemeanours. At my work it is 3 strikes and then dismissal. When something happens that warrants a strike the person at fault is taken into a meeting with the manager where the incident is discussed, and then a piece of paper is signed to show understanding that a strike has been given.

Having a phone out and being used at my work could be a strike, though my boss normally just reminds whoever is caught that use of their phone is not permitted. If it kept happening it would be a strike.

If we were caught complaining about the boss to a customer we would be taken into a meeting then and there and given a strike I imagine.

I agree with forehead get your husband to write everything down that happened. Dates, times, conversations. Was any other member of staff there?

At my work you could not be dismissed without having both informal and formal written warnings. If your DH works for a large organisation, their policy should be available on the staff moodle or intranet. It might be under something like 'procedure for managing poor performance'.

If it's a one off I doubt he'll even get a warning.

I think the bigger question is why this girl has been allowed to get away with poor performance? Does DH need some training or support on dealing with difficult employees?

Thank you for your replies.

DH is home now and says that there will be a meeting with the assistant manager and area coach and the employee in question probably next week. He is really adamant he didn't lose his temper at the start and only lost it and said shut up back when te employee's sister shouted at him. I suppose they will decide at the meeting if he needs extra training or what the next step shall be.

He has 3 witnesses who can support what happened and that he was provoked.

I think their store does have strike system aswell, but my DH doesn't use them all the time because he likes to keep them all onside. Usually reminding them does the job.

The problem is that the people at the top are telling him to cut employees so when they get someone in they're trained ASAP and then they can't afford to lose them or else there will be a long period with no cook/cashier as they have hardly any people applying. The store itself does really well, it's just this one particular employee.