AIBU not to buy my employee a leaving card /present?

[EloiseTheFirst]

Small business. Me and 4 part time employees.

I hired this person to start beginning of August.

She resigned beginning of Sept. apparently going elsewhere as she needs more hours.

This is a part time role which was explained in the job ad, before interview, during interview and at job offer.

Employee says she was "job hunted" but I saw this job advertised mid Aug so I don't believe her.

I had to pay another member of staff to work extra hours to train her during a time I can barely afford to be paying double wages. Now I have to start all over again with someone else.

I am convinced she took this job as a stop gap to tide her over until she got something with more hours.

Consequently I'm not planning on giving her a leaving card / present.

Am I being bitter? Or is it fair enough?

A card and some friendliness, I'd say, but no gift required.

You can all chip in to get her a card, surely? You can get them from Card Factory for £1. Something that says "Good Luck", not "We'll Miss You".

It's not about the employee as such, it's about the company. How you treat your staff, how you treat those who progress, would she recommend you to others? It's the experience of your company because that gets around. Sure, it's a hassle for everyone and happens with our company all of the time but I can't imagine she's done it for the fun of it in the current climate.

So it sounds to me like she lacks ethics.

Unless you're a 'little dim' then you'll know living isn't free so that's a ridiculous statement to make. She can have ethics to the utmost but still needs to eat and pay her bills

@CitizenFame

I think that's a bit unfair. She took a job that was 15 hours a week and is going to a new job 40 hours a week.

So?

I do pay well and have a great working environment (other employees have worked for me for 15 years, 8 years and 2 years. This role was to replace someone whose circumstances changed and moved areas and she'd worked for me for 3 years).

And?

I don’t think you should get a card or a present for someone that’s been there for a month but you seem to think she owes you some kind of loyalty or should have stuck it out a bit longer. Why should she? If she’s taken a job thats 40 hours she obviously needs or wants the hours and the wage. Unless you’re providing the hours and the wage then why should she stay there when something more suitable for her has come along?

You seem to have missed WHY the OP said these things. They were in response to someone who suggested that had the OP paid better, then maybe the person would have stayed when in actual fact, the person was not wanting a part time job after all and that is why they left.

To turn it around she would feel really awkward having a leaving speech and been given a present knowing that she's leaving under a cloud.

Wish her well for the future on her last day
and let her slip quietly away.

I've been that person and I would have been mortified. You know when you've pissed someone off.

Op are you seriously saying that if you needed a job you wouldn’t apply for anything with less than your perfect hours? Because I think that’s a very fortunate position to be in. Most people need to take whatever they can get and then move on as/when they can.

Don't be churlish; give her a card and wish her well.

There is nothing wrong with taking a stopgap or part time job to tide you over until you can get a full time one.

You could do her an online kudos board which costs nothing for less than 10 people. No point in burning bridges.

You might want to pause and think about your recruitment techniques. You could have found out if really she was after a full time job in the interview by asking after the circumstances of her job search.

Sometimes I think people are so focussed on their own needs as employers they forget that they need a close alignment with the needs of the employee too.

The fact the OP is concerned about this would indicate that the woman in question moved because of a petty boss unpleasant to work for

Is she working her notice? Unless it was cutting off your nose to spite your face, I'd be tempted to tell her to go now.

I'd get her a card with a neutral 'best wishes' type message.

Aww I see both sides . I would just genuinely and warmly wish her all the best and thank her for her contribution to your company . It costs nothing to be nice and it might leave you both feeling good 😊

I don't think after a month that you need to get either a gift or a card. Most likely in a month or two she will hardly remember your name.

I do think that you are taking this a bit personally. For all you know her circumstances could have changed dramatically and she has no choice to seek the extra hours.

I would be very pleasant and wish her the best in the future. Bear in mind she can praise your business or slate your business to her friends/family/employers etc

i have had flowers/cards after 6 weeks stint in temp jobs.

you could get her a good luck card.

No you don't need to and she won't expect it.

I’d agree with the previous posters who have suggested you give her a card, @EloiseTheFirst. If you were feeling generous, you could add that bottle of wine that was a gift, but you don’t like i, so it is languishing at the back of the cupboard.

Result - you look really generous and get space in your cupboard for a bottle of gin.

People are entitled to leave jobs as and when they like. I can see that you're a bit upset, but she would probably be pushed by the job centre advisors to take anything and if it was just to tide her over till something more suitable came along, or just to keep the household finances ticking over, that's fine. I get annoyed at employers expecting loyalty nowadays when pay and holidays are the minimum they can get away with. You don't need to get her a card or gift; don't take her leaving personally, forget about her and move on. Hope you get someone who is more suited to what you need next time.

I don't mean to sound mean but you are being petty and you are taking it personally.

A job is a job. It's your business, not hers - she doesn't owe you any loyalty, she works the job she's paid to do and something better/more appropriate has come up.

Get her a card but no need to get her a gift, and wish her well.

OP, this is less about buying a present and more about your recruitment method. I once saw a job advert that said "Must have a legitimate reason for looking for a part time job rather than full time".

Next time, ask more thorough questions at the interview. Ask the person why they're looking for part time work, and what it is they do the rest of the time (childcare/studying/second job/"side hussle"/health problems). If you don't ask, then you're naturally going to get people who'd rather take something as a stopgap.

I really hate it when employers blame employees for their own hiring mistakes. This is on you.

You say you explained the hours throughout the process - did she question this at any point/try to negotiate more hours? I wonder if she wanted more hours all along, and if she left any clues.

I wouldn't give anything for just a month service, not even a card.

"she may well be entitled to, but morally its not nice, and she has dropped you in it."

She hasn't dropped her in it any more than anyone else leaving. And there's nothing immoral about getting a job because you need the money. Not every job is a career job or long term.

@InFiveMins

I don't mean to sound mean but you are being petty and you are taking it personally.

A job is a job. It's your business, not hers - she doesn't owe you any loyalty, she works the job she's paid to do and something better/more appropriate has come up.

Get her a card but no need to get her a gift, and wish her well.

I find that small business/family businesses/businesses set up by friends tend make this mistake the most. Small business owners care deeply about their business, that's natural, but they forget their employees don't have to feel the same way. Anyone with experience knows not to work at such a place - I know I'd never do it again.

Why are you taking this personally?

You are running a business and business isn't personal.

You need to manage your business reputation so get her a "Good luck" card, wish her well, pay her final salary on time and send her her P45 promptly.

I've worked for a few different companies and the only ones I wouldn't recommend were the ones that were miserable about me leaving even though the project had ended.

No, it would probably look a bit passive aggressive imo to give a present and a card after such a short time when she probably knows you are miffed. The recruitment process is a pain in the ass, of course she has done nothing wrong in leaving, but I can see why it's a bit annoying too.