Girls arriving and leaving work early morning late evening

[OneCheeryGoldMoose]

I know I'll probably be told off but just for traffic posting on here.

My husband and I run a company and we have two younger girls who run the office with us.

Husband and I are going away for three weeks for a wedding and making a family holiday of it as it's over the other side of the world.

We have an office that's on an industrial estate and is very dark and not well lit in the mornings and evenings- and we start early due to the nature of the business 5.30/6am to get all the boys in and out with job pack if they are required on the day.

Normally we pick the girls up on the way in and drop them home during the winter for safety as they are local.

I know it's probably over the top of me but we are worried about them feeling safe getting in and out on their own in the mornings and evenings (it is a sketchy South London Industrial estate)- does anyone have any suggestions to make them feel a bit safer. We have a ring camera set up on the door of the office.

None of the boys can bring them in as they have material to pick up.

Pay for cabs?
Ask if they have somebody to bring them in/pick them up?
Get all staff a personal alarm?
Get them to walk together to a safe place before getting public transport?
Alter theur working times temporarily?

Are these women? Don't call them girls.
Offer to pay for a taxi? Is there some lone worker training you can arrange for them. Buy them a personal alarm. Consider the lighting in the area.

You are a good employer to be thinking of this.

@OneCheeryGoldMoose Agree with others about leaving them an option of calling a taxi if needed.

Will there just be the two of them in the office while you are away? I think more of an issue than the travelling is if one of them is ill and the other ends up in the office on their own - do you have a lone working policy?

Would there be an option for them to divert phone calls and work from home if one of them was unable to come to work?

How about you respect people as individuals and let them be called what they are comfortable with, not what makes you feel comfortable, someone who never has to meet any of them

You sound extremely caring and that's wonderful. But if they've refused a taxi then leave it there. I went round the world by myself at 21, including working in remote places, I'd have found it incredibly suffocating to have someone implying I couldn't risk assess a situation myself.

I know some places provide personal attack alarms for their employees who start early or leave late. TK Max for one.

🙄

You sound like very kind, caring employers.

They should make their own risk assessment - then you stick with it. It's really nice of you to offer, but they need to be heard. If they say they are ok with it then all good.

I don’t understand the issue. You offered a cab, they said thanks, but we don’t want one. Why are you still postulating about it?

I’ve worked with trades all of my life. I’ve not experienced the boy/girl thing. We would definitely be pulled up on it, so not all trades are like this!

I’m not bothered by the terminology ‘girls’ and ‘boys’. Never heard it objected to in RL Just the mad world of MN. However I would be really peeved at you infantilising two grown woman to the point you want to book them a taxi despite their refusal. No wonder women these days are such wet lettuces because they never aquire any coping skills and always have to be ‘looked after’.

Oh your getting a hard time OP i understand where your coming from worked with tradies for 17 years and we were the girls in the office and the boys were out working. Oh and some of the readers would be appalled to hear the language used in the office.. Every second work was F-this... F-that... Its the nature of the business and never did we go to court over "banter".. Is there any way of putting up some better ligthing before you go and just get them to stick together.

In your mind what is the most concerning regarding safety ...the early starts or late finishes? You could cut the expense of taxis for three weeks by refusing to take no for and answer for the time you think is more problematical...Look girls, we've been thinking this over and we are particularly concerned about the mornings/evenings and we really want to insist you accept a taxi for that time of day. You sound a good boss and they seem to be good employees. They may be concerned at the cost for you so if you put it this way they might accept the lesser cost and you would also have halved your anxiety on this issue while you're away.

OP, I think a lot of people in large corporations and the public sector, where being (or pretending to be) a good employer involves a lot of tickboxing and absolutely no thought or genuine care, just don't understand small businesses and the genuine humanity, as opposed to corporate-speak, that the best ones show to their employees. I was in a profession and a senior academic, and we all called each other 'the girls' and 'the boys' too!

If they are arriving and leaving together im sure they will be fine. A personal alarm and pepper spray would be a good thing, if theh dont already carry them

You could buy personal alarms for them and/or hefty torches so they can see in the early hours (and which could double up if they needed to defend themselves).

I’d have thought it unlikely they’ll need to use either, but if they don’t think they need to use taxis then you’re doing your best.

Evenings are getting lighter so it’s prob just the mornings that are an issue. Deffo do the Uber thing. FWIW you sound a caring and supportive employer. Ignore the twats.

Pepper spray is a weapon and cannot be legally carried in the UK

Can you set up an Uber account for your business that they have access to?

I know they're saying it's fine (and it most likely will be) but you'll be gone for three weeks, so if the first few days are fine but then something spooks them, they have an option available to them while you're away! Give them the details and tell them they can use it or not use it as they wish

Wowzers OP what a bashing from the MN massive today.

If my daughter worked for you then I'd be very happy that you took such good care of her and wanted to do what you could to keep her safe when going to and from work. I agree with a PP who said to give them an Uber card that they can use if they want to and also try to add some more lighting outside. Sounds like they will be arriving together so they should be fine.

My son also works in a trade and he always talks about 'his boys' and I refer to my DCs always as 'the kids' they are 27 and 32. Totally agree with @WalkDontWalk you can't do right for doing wrong.

You sound great OP - got any jobs going?😜

I think you are sensible & caring to think of this. I worked near a harbour as a young graduate. When I worked late, my employer paid for a taxi, other times there was an employee mini-bus which ferried us to the local bus station.

But if they have said no, then let them get on with it, and don’t let worry spoil your break.

OP you sound lovely, well done for taking care of your employee's Im sure their work reflects this.

As someone who worked in a construction environment (both on site and in an office) many years ago people honestly need to get a grip, its PC gone mad.

In answer to your question, as PP have said, maybe make an Uber account available, they may well think they'll be fine then get spooked and change their mind, other than that make sure there is sufficient lighting etc.

Have a lovely holiday.

Haven’t read the whole thread (MN cardinal sin) as tbh so many of the answers depressed the hell out of me. As a pp said, only on here could you be called “patronising and controlling” etc for simply giving a shit!

@OneCheeryGoldMoose you sound like a lovely boss. Half of MN would be stampeding to get to HR if they worked in my job! We are a close team, work in a very high stress environment and we look out for each other as well as have a bit of fun while getting the work done.

I also live / work in SE London and agree with all your concerns.

I do not feel that you’re infantilising or patronising your staff. I work with and for, people of all ages (HCP) and I do not agree that all people (REGARDLESS of age or gender) can fully risk asses. There’s still all too often the “it won’t / couldn’t happen to me” mindset. Until it does. If they didn’t work for you then it might be slightly different but if I understand correctly you feel like you have a duty of care to them plus clearly a close working relationship.

And yes, we have young women / girls / females travelling to and from work at all hours in a slightly dodgy part of London but it’s all well lit, busy streets and generally there’s always staff coming in and out of the hospital at the same time.

Do you really not have any women outside of the office in your workforce? That's such a shame when the messaging out there is that trades have become more welcoming for women in recent years.

God some of you need to pipe down. Girls and boys were both used thats classic London talk. Stop taking a kick af a woman who clearly is very respected by her staff and is very caring to them