to worry about my employee or should I be ruthless?

[thebosslady]

Just sat at home mumsnetting and realised that at the top of my mind is one of my employees. This person is having a lot of trouble managing their commute arrangements. They've worked with me for five years and it used to be fine but their partner left and so they have to get home to pick up from the nursery on time and the traffic is awful and the parking situation at work is dire and person is fussy about where will park - nowhere they feel is 'dark' - even though the clocks haven't gone back yet We have spent quite literally hours talking about this over the last month and I have made so many suggestions including ones which will really put me out. Have also made allowances for leaving early and being slightly late. Now just realised that I'm spending my weekend worrying about then.

I try really hard to be a good boss but where is the line? How long is it before I can say 'enough, be on time or not at all!' Their work is fine btw. I reckon mine's suffering though!

If their work is fine and it's not something where timings really matter, i.e. they have to open a shop on time, I would chill about their timings, but expect the time back, such as a shortened lunch hour.

If it is something where it matters what time they get their, it's time to act like a boss and tell them to get it together!

Bottom line is that is employee is paid to do a certain number of hours a week. You sound lovely, but probably yes bit too soft. Could said employee reduce their lunch break say to half an hour, thus legitimising starting later and finishing early?

Tough one. My Mum (who employs a lot of people) is tough on them. Basically "I pay you to be here from X until Y. How you manage that is your business - I can accommodate genuine emergencies, but have no need or desire to know the minutiae of your childcare or commuting arrangements"

Seems to work for her, and I adopt the same policy with my employer. In the interview they did ask how I manage the holidays, and I just said I pay the childminder more. Nothing else. Actually, I have a variety of arrangements but it really isn't any of my employers business until it affects my work.

This issue is affecting your and her work. Can she work a shorter day to help?

How about if you wrote her a letter outlining her options (shorter day / working from home if possible / lift share arrangement) and tell her to pick one, but the current status quo has to change?

Look at it logically:

You're running a business and have business needs for X hours to be worked during a certain working pattern (between hours of a and b, Monday to Friday or whatever).

Can this employee meet your business need(s)?

Can you change your business needs to cater for their personal situation on a) permanent basis, or b) temporary basis? If so, how.

Put solutions forward to employee, back up in a letter and clearly state that you need the business need to be met.

The onus is then on the employee to meet their contractual obligations or make a decision about working for you going forward.

Thanks. Useful kick up backside. No I can't change the business needs and tbh I think one of the needs is for me not to be disproportionately stressed by a non-work issue. I need to be clear with them that's their role to meet the business needs not my role to meeet their personal needs. OK.

The trouble is I can be tough in a black and white situation. No problem at all. But this sort of thing creeps up on you and it's not immediately obvious that eventually you'll be spending Saturday night worrying about it.....

If it's practical for you can you offer a later start and earlier finish, paying pro-rata? I presume she isn't your only employee in which case it's unfair to others who get themselves organised and in extreme if it damaged your business and profits fell you'd need to make cuts which could affect everyone

Also, you sound like a great boss don't let someone who may be taking the piss sour it for the rest of us who'd love a boss like you!

You do sound nice. I have to do appraisals in about a month, and I'm pretty sure one of them is going to be vile. Work not up to standard, performance management plan to be put in place. Bloke in question likely to kick off.

Being the boss is not nice sometimes, but you have to meet the business needs.

How long has it been going on? If I were you id call her in for a meeting and ask:
*What steps are you taking to resolve the childcare issues?
*Do you need to contractually reduce your hours?
*What do you need me to do about the parking, honestly?
*If you were the boss, and it was your business, what would you do if I behaved like you are?

gintastic - appraisals shouldn't be a surprise. There should be regular meetings up to that point which highlight any problems. This would then prevent any 'kicking off'

It isn't going to be a surprise. We've had gentle chats. We've had training. We've had mentoring. We've had stern chats.

This is the first time it'll be on paper in black and white though.

Oh dear. Well they need to improve then. It's horrible managing under performance. Hope it goes ok for you