# employers stories of poor employees?



## viztopia (8 Dec 2008)

OK. we have seen numerous threads on here from employees giving out their employers, poor/no bonus's, no pay rises etc. Well what about employers stories of poor employees? I have some; (note we are a professional services firm and deal with the public all the time)

1) one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break.......... (dont worry he no longer does this)
2) At his annual wage review in september one emplyee was looking for more  money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"Naturally i was worried and asked if everything was ok and he said things had just changed. Since then he has gone on his annual holidays which was 2 weeks in portugal, and he has been away for weekend in Belfast, paris and newcastle since SEPTEMBER!!
3) another employee came in three days in a row without shaving. asked him why and he said he has a skin condition.... he was told the next time he came in not shaved he would be sent home for the day and he has always been shaved since then - i know i am mean.
4) we are based outside clondalkin in a business park. one employee was asked to drive to navan to work - he had no idea where this was and had to borrow a sat nav. the same employee was working in Mountjoy square for a week last yera and had to get directions back this year. Also he need to get directions to Glasnevin.
i am sure there are plenty more like this out there..........


----------



## Guest128 (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> OK. we have seen numerous threads on here from employees giving out their employers, poor/no bonus's, no pay rises etc. Well what about employers storiesof poor employees? I have some;
> 
> 1)



Good story


----------



## askalot (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> 1) one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break.......... (dont worry he no longer does this)



You may be the boss but I hope you're writing this in your lunch hour and not on company time! Must run to the loo.


----------



## DublinTexas (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I'm sure someone in one of our state bodies is reading this post and wonders how many rules viztopia is breaking by posting stories of his employees.

But than again, they might all be on the WC right now.


----------



## Mpsox (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

1: Carried out Health and Safety assessements with my night shift, one of the "issues" they flagged on there was no natural light..........

2: I banned mobile phone calls in the office except in an emergency. Had to ban people from getting up from their desk and walking up and down the corridors instead

3: Took on a South Dublin Princess for a role and on Day 2, after she dropped something on the floor she told her supervisor that she "didn't do picking up". Let's just say we decided soon afterwards that she was not compatible with the job


----------



## NorthDrum (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I heard of an employee that thought it was justified flying over to the U.S. first class at the employers expense and then charging hundreds of euros worth of expenses including rounds of golf, all in the name of their job.

They got what was coming to them, 300k sendoff and a nice 100k pension for life. That oughta teach them ! ! !


----------



## rmelly (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> 4) we are based outside clondalkin in a business park. one employee was asked to drive to navan to work - he had no idea where this was and had to borrow a sat nav. the same employee was working in Mountjoy square for a week last yera and had to get directions back this year. Also he need to get directions to Glasnevin.
> i am sure there are plenty more like this out there..........


 
What's the problem with this? Did you hire him on the basis that he claimed to have the 'the knowledge' or something? Is he not allowed ask directions, or did his taking time to do so negatively impact your bottom line?


----------



## Pique318 (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> 2) At his annual wage review in september one emplyee was looking for more  money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"Naturally i was worried and asked if everything was ok and he said things had just changed. Since then he has gone on his annual holidays which was 2 weeks in portugal, and he has been away for weekend in Belfast, paris and newcastle since SEPTEMBER!!



What has this persons personal life/living arrangements/holidays have to do with you or whether or not they get the raise they asked for ?

Glad I don't work for you if these are the defining factors come pay-rise negotiations !


----------



## NorthDrum (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Pique318 said:


> What has this persons personal life/living arrangements/holidays have to do with you or whether or not they get the raise they asked for ?
> 
> Glad I don't work for you if these are the defining factors come pay-rise negotiations !


 
Irrespective of what the personal circumstances of the employee were, they should never make a payrise into a personal issue (ie make it a moral obligation on the employer to fullfill the requirements of their lifestyle).

Payrise should be mainly about what you deserve for the work you have done and what a company pays in relation to other employees.


----------



## viztopia (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



> Originally Posted by *viztopia* http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=761150#post761150
> _2) At his annual wage review in september one emplyee was looking for more money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"Naturally i was worried and asked if everything was ok and he said things had just changed. Since then he has gone on his annual holidays which was 2 weeks in portugal, and he has been away for weekend in Belfast, paris and newcastle since SEPTEMBER!!_
> What has this persons personal life/living arrangements/holidays have to do with you or whether or not they get the raise they asked for ?
> 
> Glad I don't work for you if these are the defining factors come pay-rise negotiations


 
what i was getting at here was that some one would stoop so low to suggest that they had problems at home to get more money/wages and then go on a two week holiday and three weekends away in the space of two months. obviously this seems fine with you!!!


----------



## Pique318 (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



NorthDrum said:


> Irrespective of what the personal circumstances of the employee were, they should never make a payrise into a personal issue (ie make it a moral obligation on the employer to fullfill the requirements of their lifestyle).
> 
> Payrise should be mainly about what you deserve for the work you have done and what a company pays in relation to other employees.


I agree, but the issue the OP seems to have is the quality of life that the employee has, which is none of his business unless it affects their work.
If his work is deserving of the extra payrise, then it should be of no importance if the employee has a weekend away 50 times a year.


----------



## viztopia (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



rmelly said:


> What's the problem with this? Did you hire him on the basis that he claimed to have the 'the knowledge' or something? Is he not allowed ask directions, or did his taking time to do so negatively impact your bottom line?


 
my issue here would be that the employee is a bit dim and Navan is only about 1 and a half hours from here. i woudl expect him to use some initiative and look on a map or the internet for directions. its not as if i asked him to drive to cork or limerick which is a good bit away. for gods sake its only and hour and a half away and he had never heard of it. (i dont want some smart ass coming on here now slagging of navan)


----------



## viztopia (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Pique318 said:


> I agree, but the issue the OP seems to have is the quality of life that the employee has, which is none of his business unless it affects their work.
> If his work is deserving of the extra payrise, then it should be of no importance if the employee has a weekend away 50 times a year.


 that is not the issue of my post. my issue was that some one would stoop so low as to claim they had problems at home in order to get a pay rise and then go away for two weeks holidays and three weekends away......


----------



## Pique318 (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> he said things had just changed.





viztopia said:


> suggest that they had problems at home to get more money



Maybe they'd changed...just changed, not necessarily for the better or worse.
Your job as an employer is to judge them on their performance and reward then suitably. 
You appear to think you've been hoodwinked when all I can see is that you gave someone a payrise and they've made the most of it by taking a few trips abroad (possibly booked well in advance and on cheap flights, staying in cheap accommodation/hostel etc, therefore not costing a lot). Why do you have a problem with this ? It seems to me that this will be remembered by you come next payrise time and may well have a bearing on what happens at that time.


----------



## viztopia (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

thanks for all the replies but i think a lot of them are a brilliant expamle of people been too polically correct and . call me a backwards ejit or someone that belongs in the dark ages but if an employee of mine will not dress appropriatley or present themselves in a professional way then they will be employees no more. its time that people in this country got real and woke up. the amount of red tape and form filling that has to be completed to take account of something is ridicilous. 
i know of a builder who sacked an employee two years ago and he has to defend himself against three governement bodies. the only one that is defending him is teh solicitor that he is paying!!


----------



## Pique318 (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

Viztopia, do you allow any facial hair at all ? Goatee, 'Elvis' sideburns, full beard etc. ?


----------



## viztopia (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

yes. we would have no problem with facial hair. we have a problem with employees not shaving because they are too lazy!!


----------



## Guest128 (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> yes. we would have no problem with facial hair. we have a problem with employees not shaving because they are too lazy!!


----------



## rmelly (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> the employee is a bit dim


 
Good to see you respect your intellectually challenged employees.


----------



## lightswitch (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

There are some, Vistopia, that would regard it extremly lazy and "dim" not to use a capital letter at the begining of a sentence.  Just as well you're self employed huh!


----------



## Purple (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



rmelly said:


> Good to see you respect your intellectually challenged employees.



He gave them a job, what more can he do?!


----------



## NorthDrum (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> He gave them a job, what more can he do?!


 
Show them some respect . . Doesnt cost a thing that . . .

Op commented on poor employees. Mentioned not shaving as being lazy, very broad assumption hence the point on beards, at what stage does a person stop being lazy with a stubble!


----------



## rmelly (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> He gave them a job, what more can he do?!


 
Promote him?


----------



## Purple (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I would have no problem telling a customer facing employee to sort themselves out if they came into work looking scruffy. That’s the core issue.


----------



## rmelly (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> I would have no problem telling a customer facing employee to sort themselves out if they came into work looking scruffy. That’s the core issue.


 
Agreed - I've had to tell someone to not wear runners again, in a professional working environment. Sometimes you have to wonder...


----------



## SlurrySlump (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I had an employee who came in to work and hung up her jeans to dry on the back of the cubicle loo door. She then turned on the two bar heater that she had requested in the loo because it was too cold to change in to her staff uniform in the mornings. I was leaving the office on this evening and was going around switching off the lights etc when I was hit with a faceful of heat when I opened the door to the loo. I hate to think what might of happened if I had not done my usual walkabout. When I spoke to her the next day she couldn't understand what she had done wrong other than say "but my jeans were wet".  
I understand that she is now living and working in the Mullingar area!


----------



## MandaC (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I once supervised a person who went around with one bit of paper with one query on it for 3 days and did nothing else.  Same person took an hour and a half lunch break constantly.  When pulled up over it, she got her Dad (she was over 30 at the time and I was mid twenties) to phone me up to complain that she was not the only one who was late for lunch (the others had been challenged too by the way)

That same place also had the wait till I am back from my lunch to use the loo type of mentality.

People would also be constantly 10-15minutes late in for their shift, but would almost disintegrate if they ended up staying a minute after clock off time.

More recently, Someone else in our office more recently clocked up 100's of Euros worth of a personal phone bill.  Also got the hump when tackled on it.


Another person I know abused the internet and took umbridge when given out to.  Ended up "going sick with stress" and employer had to pay off to get rid.

The list goes on....................but it is a two sided thing, could tell you some employer stories too.


----------



## papervalue (8 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

In a firm i worked in, a Junior employee used to text in every so often that he would be late as he had to take his younger sister to school. The manager allowed him get away with it.

Also i had a manager above me doing  fairly similar job to me. it amazing what he gets away with, arrives 9am has read of paper and tea till 10, does some work, surfs the net playing card game, goes to lunch at 12.40 till 2pm- makes numerous personal calls and uses company time to draw up and mark exam paper for night class he gives outside job. he is on over one and half times my salary and to make it worse i did a calulation of invoices issued in 2008(wanted to make sure i was making decent contribution to firm) and i issued 70% of invoices while he issued 18% and others 12%- Where is the Justice.


----------



## Mpsox (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> I would have no problem telling a customer facing employee to sort themselves out if they came into work looking scruffy. That’s the core issue.


 
absolutely agree, if the customer has an expectation as to what the employee should look like, then that is the standard that needs to be enforced. Scruffy employees can give the impression of not caring, that may not neccessaily be justified, but the customer is always right


----------



## Bronte (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

This is a very funny thread, can't believe employers are timing people going to the toilet.  In relation to beards, I can't stand them.  I realise that's not politically correct but it's a fact nevertheless and I think most women would agree with me.  They do look ok on certain men.  If you hire someone without a beard you don't suddenly expect them to show up with one especially in a job where you meet the public, in a job where  this doesn't happen then of course a beard doesn't matter.  People should be presentable for their job.  Coming in Monday and Tuesday with a stubble and then shaving Wednesday is not acceptable I would have thought.  I think things got more lax in Ireland since I've left.  I was outside a bank at 10 am one morning and they didn't open the doors until 10 past.  It was flogging rain.  When I complained to the guy opening the door I got the impression he thought I was a lunatic.  But as they open so late, 10 am for goodness sake, they should open on time expecially as they are supposed to be a professional organisation.  Previously you could set your watch by the bank opening time.   There there is dress down Friday's, it should be eliminated as some people really do not know how to dress themselves for work.


----------



## Complainer (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



SlurrySlump said:


> I had an employee who came in to work and hung up her jeans to dry on the back of the cubicle loo door. She then turned on the two bar heater that she had requested in the loo because it was too cold to change in to her staff uniform in the mornings. I was leaving the office on this evening and was going around switching off the lights etc when I was hit with a faceful of heat when I opened the door to the loo. I hate to think what might of happened if I had not done my usual walkabout. When I spoke to her the next day she couldn't understand what she had done wrong other than say "but my jeans were wet".


While not condoning her lack of safety awareness or general cop-on, it is worth pointing out that availability of a 'drying space' is important for employees who cycle or walk, along with lockers, secure and dry lock-up area for bikes etc.


----------



## Towger (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Complainer said:


> While not condoning her lack of safety awareness or general cop-on, it is worth pointing out that availability of a 'drying space' is important for employees who cycle or walk, along with lockers, secure and dry lock-up area for bikes etc.


 
Not everyone works in the public sector where such niceties are common place. Just remember that every square meter of space costs money in rent, rates and maintaince etc. Anyway there is no need to get wet, now that the greens have brought in their 1k bike allowance. Gone will be the days when a pair of uncle Ben's best quality plastic bags taped to each foot was the height of fashion.


----------



## Brendan Burgess (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

Viztopia started off a very interesting thread which included a piece on employees looking scruffy. He has explained that this does not meet disallowing beards. 

I have removed all the beard discussion to a separate thread

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=99198

Brendan


----------



## DerKaiser (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> OK. we have seen numerous threads on here from employees giving out their employers, poor/no bonus's, no pay rises etc. Well what about employers stories of poor employees? I have some; (note we are a professional services firm and deal with the public all the time)
> 
> 1) one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break.......... (dont worry he no longer does this)
> 2) At his annual wage review in september one emplyee was looking for more money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"Naturally i was worried and asked if everything was ok and he said things had just changed. Since then he has gone on his annual holidays which was 2 weeks in portugal, and he has been away for weekend in Belfast, paris and newcastle since SEPTEMBER!!
> ...


 
I can see the following arising elsewhere

1) My bossed pulled me up on going to the toilet outside of my lunch hour
2) I asked my boss for an extra €20 per week because my mother hiked my rent, now he's broadcasting it on a website!
3) I developed a rash on my face and was advised not to use soap products until it cleared up. my boss said he'd fire me if i didn't shave...
4) I was asked to do a job in navan and asked my boss whether we had a sat nav so i could find the exact location. He nearly lost it with me!


----------



## SlurrySlump (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I also had an employee who was constantly absent from work.....when she told me that her granny had died, I pointed out to her that this was her third granny to die, she burst out laughing.....strangely enough this episode stopped her absenteeism.


----------



## MrMan (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



> 1) one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break.......... (dont worry he no longer does this)



Is it just the toilet break thats the issue here? i presume he is allowed eat lunch for the hour.



> 2) At his annual wage review in september one emplyee was looking for more money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"Naturally i was worried and asked if everything was ok and he said things had just changed. Since then he has gone on his annual holidays which was 2 weeks in portugal, and he has been away for weekend in Belfast, paris and newcastle since SEPTEMBER!!



Don't presume anything about peoples circumstances and maybe the breaks were to get away from something, either way its his money, he could have booked all of these for under a grand in total.




> 4) we are based outside clondalkin in a business park. one employee was asked to drive to navan to work - he had no idea where this was and had to borrow a sat nav. the same employee was working in Mountjoy square for a week last yera and had to get directions back this year. Also he need to get directions to Glasnevin.



If he was nervous about driving somewhere new (he might know the place, but not have ever driven there) it is understandable that he would ask as many questions as needed. Did you ask was he comfortable doing the job, or even in his interview was it brought up that he would need to know local areas because he would have to do some driving.


----------



## Mel (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> 2) one emplyee was looking for more money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"-


 
Was what you paid him originally based on the fact that he lived at home with his parents? How did you even know this?


----------



## Complainer (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Towger said:


> Not everyone works in the public sector where such niceties are common place.



It is more than tiresome that those with axes to grind seem determined to drag every AAM thread down this divisive road. This issue has absolutely nothing to do with a public/private split. I spent more than 20 years working in the private sector, and generally had access to some or more of these facilities. As it happens, in my current public sector role, the 'niceties' are not common place. I have a small locker, too small to hang a suit or a shirt, so the back of my office door becomes my wardrobe. There is no drying area, so the shower room tends to get clogged up with damp raingear and smelly tracksuits on wet days.

The rest of your post clearly demonstrates ignorance of these matters. Let me demonstrate;



Towger said:


> Just remember that every square meter of space costs money in rent, rates and maintaince etc.


Indeed, though in my experience, space is not always at a premium, particularly in industrial environments. Indeed, in many industrial environments where staff need to change into work clothes, it is likely that there are lockers already available.

However, where space is at a premium, a smart employer will work out that you can park 4 bikes in the space available for 1 car, so provision of decent facilities to encourage cycling may well save money in the long term.



Towger said:


> Anyway there is no need to get wet, now that the greens have brought in their 1k bike allowance. Gone will be the days when a pair of uncle Ben's best quality plastic bags taped to each foot was the height of fashion.


Regardless of the quality of the raingear, it still gets wet with use, and it still needs to be allowed dry out during the working day.


----------



## alaskaonline (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

i don't really get OP's post 

what the employee does in his/ her free time is none of the employers business regardless if the employee mentions it in the work place or not and if you give payrises based on personal circumstances - well someone just wonders.....

working hours and break times as well as company dress codes should all be detailed in the employee's contract/ handbook - if this is not the case, well then the employer just have to live with it OR change/ amend the handbook, let the employee sign it and then enforce (stricter) rules.

not once in the original post it was stated that the employee is underperforming or otherwise serious negligence so all the "superficial facts" given by OP are not really serious to take, are they????


----------



## JJ1982 (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



papervalue said:


> In a firm i worked in, a Junior employee used to text in every so often that he would be late as he had to take his younger sister to school. The manager allowed him get away with it.
> 
> .



I actually dont see a problem with this, is it that you think it was nice that the manager accomodated him? or are you complaining that he was too lenient?


----------



## papervalue (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



JJ1982 said:


> I actually dont see a problem with this, is it that you think it was nice that the manager accomodated him? or are you complaining that he was too lenient?


 
If you had a days work planned for that employee, and the employee out of the blue texts that they will be late, to me is totally unacceptable. If  you are training that employee they are also effecting your day as you would had time put aside at 9am to commence training them. If you want to take your sister to school at least inform management the day before.


----------



## GarBow (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> my issue here would be that the employee is a bit dim and Navan is only about 1 and a half hours from here. i woudl expect him to use some initiative and look on a map or the internet for directions. its not as if i asked him to drive to cork or limerick which is a good bit away. for gods sake its only and hour and a half away and he had never heard of it. (i dont want some smart ass coming on here now slagging of navan)


 
Perhaps it is you that should borrow a Sat Nav or ask for directions if it's taking you an hour and a half to do that journey.


----------



## MrMan (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



papervalue said:


> If you had a days work planned for that employee, and the employee out of the blue texts that they will be late, to me is totally unacceptable. If  you are training that employee they are also effecting your day as you would had time put aside at 9am to commence training them. If you want to take your sister to school at least inform management the day before.




It might be more productive to allow some leniency for very trivial matters as the employee will feel that they were treated well.


----------



## MugsGame (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MrMan said:


> It might be more productive to allow some leniency for very trivial matters as the employee will feel that they were treated well.



Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If I'm paying for someone's time I expect their full and undivided attention. Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it. Employers aren't running a holiday camp. A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%. The Working Time Act is a target, not a limit. If you want an easy ride, don't fly Ryanair. 

As for the beardies, who wants a leftie trade unionist stirring dissent and negotiating collectively? It's enough to make a small business owner pack it all in, become a dole scrounger, and get the idiot taxpayers to carry me and my numerous offspring through life. Such is the White-collar Manager's Burden...


----------



## Ceist Beag (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it.



Yikes!!  Are you a business owner? If so do you share your profits amongst the staff or expect them to give the above commitment for your benefit? Reading some of these posts I'm appreciating my current employer more and more!!


----------



## viztopia (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If I'm paying for someone's time I expect their full and undivided attention. Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it. Employers aren't running a holiday camp. A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%. The Working Time Act is a target, not a limit. If you want an easy ride, don't fly Ryanair.
> 
> As for the beardies, who wants a leftie trade unionist stirring dissent and negotiating collectively? It's enough to make a small business owner pack it all in, become a dole scrounger, and get the idiot taxpayers to carry me and my numerous offspring through life. Such is the White-collar Manager's Burden...


 to mugsgame - i couldn't have this any better my self. fair play to you!!


----------



## Purple (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Towger said:


> Not everyone works in the public sector where such niceties are common place. Just remember that every square meter of space costs money in rent, rates and maintaince etc. Anyway there is no need to get wet, now that the greens have brought in their 1k bike allowance. Gone will be the days when a pair of uncle Ben's best quality plastic bags taped to each foot was the height of fashion.



We provide a secure bike shed with a drying area (and a flow of warm air to do the drying). We also provide lockers but we don't have showers (just big sinks and lots of hot water).


----------



## cole (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%.


 
How can someone contribute 110%?


----------



## cole (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I assume that it's not just employees from the public service that are being discussed here?


----------



## Purple (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



cole said:


> How can someone contribute 110%?



Well you can turn an amp up to 11 so...


----------



## micheller (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> Well you can turn an amp up to 11 so...


Brilliant 

I'm seriously amazed at the narrow, small minded, short sighted-ness of some posters. In 12 years in the private sector I've seen a turnaround to a more enlightened way of treating the employee as a human being with human situations and things that sometimes impinge on work.
As another poster pointed out, when given a little leeway most employees then feel well treated and the dividends this pays back to the employer in effort, loyalty and hard work should make up. It's only the odd bad egg that takes advantage.


----------



## rmelly (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

sure, but that bad egg can have negative motivational impact on others if he/she is seen to be taking advantage and consistently getting away with it - if X doesn't never shows up until 9:30, why should Y bother getting up, facing a packed train/bus etc to be in for 9:00?

There is a balance but some people will take advantage and need to be handled. I had a colleague who used to come in at 9:30 and leave at 17:30, taking full lunch 'entitlement' etc. Despite numerous sit downs with Team Lead and subsequently his manager he continued to do so. It got to the point where completely out of the blue with my having had no involvement on the project, I had to work a full weekend at short notice to ship something to a customer because he fluffed it. How do you think that made me feel?


----------



## micheller (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



rmelly said:


> sure, but that bad egg can have negative motivational impact on others if he/she is seen to be taking advantage and consistently getting away with it - if X doesn't never shows up until 9:30, why should Y bother getting up, facing a packed train/bus etc to be in for 9:00?


Well, it depends on Y's work ethic. I'm a get-on-with-it person myself and trust that management will sort out the pish-takers.
(But if I felt strongly peeved enough I probably would have a grumble to the boss!)



rmelly said:


> t got to the point where completely out of the blue with my having had no involvement on the project, I had to work a full weekend at short notice to ship something to a customer because he fluffed it. How do you think that made me feel?


That's really bad form, and I'm sure you were gunning for him. I hope he got some come uppance? But I still think that giving employees some leeway is a good thing.


----------



## colin79ie (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



> one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break..........


 
This was posted at 2.30pm on a Monday. Pot/Kettle black and all that!!


----------



## gabsdot (9 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I used to work with a guy who used to leave his PC on and coat hanging on the back of the chair while he left the building. Allegedly this happened loads of times until one day someone from work rang his mobile which he answered thinking it was someone else,(not from work) and he said something about being at the shops or on the golf course or something. 
He left the company soon after and due to a clerical error he continued to be paid for 3 months. 
In the same company there was a guy who was secretly running his own import / export company from his work computer. He was fired for something else and when he left they discovered all his 'other job' stuff on his computer


----------



## NorthDrum (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

Work to Live is my motto. 

Some here seem to think paying you a wage commands respect and quality of work.

Eh no,You can buy peoples labour but not their loyalty. Some people think money and power automatically commands respect, nope, not everybody leads their life by the mighty Euro. 

Good businessmen dont make good managers. Yeh, they might make money and upset people along the way, but ruling with an iron fist is counter productive to a positive environment in an office.

I think that if you need to run an office like a strict dictator you are simply not capable of doing a good job managing your employees. By assuming most employees will take advantage of you in every turn, you are automatically programming your office culture to be me v them.

If you hire a bad worker then look in the mirror as to how you judge a persons character. Your obviously not good at spotting good talent (instead of moaning about them).

Yes an employee in general will probobley do whatever they can get away with, but with the right balance of rules, discipline and fairness an employee will not take the mickey. Problem is that most businessmen couldnt manage an office if their lives depended on it. Their main concern is the bottom line. Thats fair enough but they should hire people qualified to harness employees strengths (try telling a businessman they are not qualified for a specific job in their company!! Oh My!). Or at least in a small company try going to some sort of HR or Managing training, more then likely most businessmen would be at odds with recognised management practises ! !

I remember hearing this quote from some bigwig exec being interviewed on some radio show thats always stuck with me. Any idiot can manage employees, its the good managers who can manage the difficult employees.


----------



## MugsGame (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

NorthDrum, you need to wake up to the new economic reality and mind your good job. Work all the hours God sends and they will respect you when it comes time to place people in a "selection pool".


----------



## Guest128 (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Work all the hours God sends and they will respect you when it comes time to place people in a "selection pool".



Rubbish, if there is no need to work all the hours God sends, and you _don't_ get thanks for it. Employers measure results, not time spent doing the work. If you are in a job you should be able to do it in the 9-5.30 timeframe. If not you are either not good enough or are being assigned too much work.


----------



## MrMan (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If I'm paying for someone's time I expect their full and undivided attention. Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it. Employers aren't running a holiday camp. A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%. The Working Time Act is a target, not a limit. If you want an easy ride, don't fly Ryanair.
> 
> As for the beardies, who wants a leftie trade unionist stirring dissent and negotiating collectively? It's enough to make a small business owner pack it all in, become a dole scrounger, and get the idiot taxpayers to carry me and my numerous offspring through life.




When you say 'them' I'm sure you are talking about the lowly employees and not the uber intelligent employers who would never take advantage of employees good nature. You take the approach that they are lucky to have a job and good luck to you with that I'm sure that people have great respect for your kindness.
As for the beards, I know plenty of employers who have beards so I don't know where that leaves your theory?


----------



## NorthDrum (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> NorthDrum, you need to wake up to the new economic reality and mind your good job. Work all the hours God sends and they will respect you when it comes time to place people in a "selection pool".


 
Hard work isnt always rewarded with hard cash.

Theres also the point that the harder you work and less time you have for leisure and relaxation the less productive you are.

I work hard, but try to get a proper balance in my lifestyle. 

I dont live my life to the max per say, but I live it on the lines of if I ended up paralysed, unable to communicate and had nothing but my thoughts, would I be happy that I spent all available hours in the office or that I spent more time with friends in family . . When I was younger and got a personal shock, I made sure that I said everything I wanted to say to those closest to me so I would never have any regrets. If something happened to me today, I could honestly say I have no regrets. I believe most people have been too busy, riding the money merry go round and trying to just get by, to stop and look and appreciate their lives and those around them.

Lifes too short to place such importance on work. Yes, work to make a living, do that job to the best of your ability, but never ever let your job take preferance over your health. Stress is one of the leading cause of low immune system (or so my doctor tells me).

I still get stressed in work, still have serious pressure situations and high financial goals , but I try to balance this out by stopping every so often to take a deep breath and remind myself whats really important in life. If you need to work long hours to pay your bills you obviously over spent or are living outside of your means. I could work in Burger King or Tescos and still afford my mortgage (Im not rich, live in a small semi detached house in Bettystown), thats how I put things into perspective when worrying about my business. At the end of the day, if the worse case scenario happens, I will be able to get by.

Anybody who lives for the job, I feel sorry for, its them who need to wake up. I think its a sad sad life for anybody who thinks working every hour god gave them is actually "a life". Sure they will possibly end up rich, but at what cost. Losing the best years of your life to work! ! !

Some people would sneer at my look on life, but they are probobley the same people who say people who have over extended themselves with loans have only themselves to blame! Well, if I live my life within my means in a Job that affords me the opportunity to not spend every hour of every day working in it, then good for me ! !


----------



## Complainer (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If I'm paying for someone's time I expect their full and undivided attention. Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it. Employers aren't running a holiday camp. A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%. The Working Time Act is a target, not a limit. If you want an easy ride, don't fly Ryanair.
> 
> As for the beardies, who wants a leftie trade unionist stirring dissent and negotiating collectively? It's enough to make a small business owner pack it all in, become a dole scrounger, and get the idiot taxpayers to carry me and my numerous offspring through life.





Ceist Beag said:


> Yikes!!  Are you a business owner? If so do you share your profits amongst the staff or expect them to give the above commitment for your benefit? Reading some of these posts I'm appreciating my current employer more and more!!





MugsGame said:


> NorthDrum, you need to wake up to the new economic reality and mind your good job. Work all the hours God sends and they will respect you when it comes time to place people in a "selection pool".




While I'm not 100% absolutely certain, I suspect that Mugs's tongue was firmly in his cheek in writing these posts.


----------



## DerKaiser (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



NorthDrum said:


> Work to Live is my motto.
> 
> Some here seem to think paying you a wage commands respect and quality of work.
> 
> ...


 
Here here!  

Most sensible analysis of the situation.

If an employer can't trust their employees to do a job without constant supervision then it reflects badly on the employer.  

The employer responsible for motivation, training, hiring and firing.  Any opinions on this last point Viztopia and Mugsgame?


----------



## Pique318 (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If I'm paying for someone's time I expect their full and undivided attention. Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it. Employers aren't running a holiday camp. A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%. The Working Time Act is a target, not a limit. If you want an easy ride, don't fly Ryanair.
> 
> As for the beardies, who wants a leftie trade unionist stirring dissent and negotiating collectively? It's enough to make a small business owner pack it all in, become a dole scrounger, and get the idiot taxpayers to carry me and my numerous offspring through life.




MugsGame....such an apt username !


----------



## Bronte (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> NorthDrum, you need to wake up to the new economic reality and mind your good job. Work all the hours God sends and they will respect you when it comes time to place people in a "selection pool".


I think Musgame is being honest and making a good point.  Highly relevant currently.  Times are tough out there and when employers are going to fire who will be first in line.  People have to get with reality.  
Remind me though never to send a cv to your organisation mugsgame.
I prefer a job where I have an incentive to work, I've worked in jobs I've hated and had no motivation.  If working 110% will progress me I see nothing wrong with that.  Currently I imagine the 110% motivation is just to keep a job.


----------



## MrMan (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Bronte said:


> I think Musgame is being honest and making a good point.  Highly relevant currently.  Times are tough out there and when employers are going to fire who will be first in line.  People have to get with reality.
> Remind me though never to send a cv to your organisation mugsgame.
> I prefer a job where I have an incentive to work, I've worked in jobs I've hated and had no motivation.  If working 110% will progress me I see nothing wrong with that.  Currently I imagine the 110% motivation is just to keep a job.



A good employer will keep the most productive employees not the ones sitting at their desk the longest. Having a motivation of just keeping a job is often counter productive because people feel that they are working under a shadow and can't relax, get more stressed etc.


----------



## MugsGame (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

When you hire a tradesperson or a servant to come and work in your home, you expect their undivided attention. Employers naturally expect the same of their employees. It’s not unreasonable. Leave your unstable relationship or your sick child at the door when you clock in, and just get on with the job to the fullest extent of your ability.

Poorly performing employees will be paid poorly and shown the door. If I’m working myself into an early grave to keep my workers in a job the least I can expect is for them to do the same. 



> Some here seem to think paying you a wage commands respect and quality of work.



Far from it, good employers provide far more than a regular wage. They provide a sense of purpose, a daily routine, they make lives meaningful. In fact for the better employees sometimes you almost don’t need to pay them! It's very frustrating that only the troublesome employees demand pay rises. 

Don't get me started about funerals and the multiplying grandparents. Compassionate funeral days are for close relatives only (close relative meaning you would give them a kidney if need be. And I want to see your kidney donor card before I’ll let you go!).

The medical profession should proactively manage care of older patients to minimize cost to the system and allow scheduling of all funerals at weekends. This would minimize the number of working days lost, in the interests of productivity and national competitiveness. Managed effectively it could also free up long-stay beds in nursing homes and hospitals and make patient throughput more predictable. 

We are literally living beyond our means; the obvious solution is to reduce the living. In this time of national emergency everybody needs to make their contribution and stop selfishly prolonging their own cosy existence. We need to get back our Great Hunger for success!


----------



## DrMoriarty (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

That's a far more modest proposal than some I've heard...


----------



## Mpsox (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If I'm paying for someone's time I expect their full and undivided attention. Work should be their priority in life and everything else should revolve around it. Employers aren't running a holiday camp. A business exists to turn capital into profit by maximising worker output, not to carry lazy passengers who can't be bothered contributing 110%. The Working Time Act is a target, not a limit. If you want an easy ride, don't fly Ryanair.
> 
> As for the beardies, who wants a leftie trade unionist stirring dissent and negotiating collectively? It's enough to make a small business owner pack it all in, become a dole scrounger, and get the idiot taxpayers to carry me and my numerous offspring through life.


 
Work should not be the priority of anyone's life. Your family should always come first and foremost. You can always get another job, you can't go out and get another family

My family is my priority, having said that, then as a husband and father, I have a responsibility to work hard to provide and take care for them. That is why I come to work. I don't come to work to simply make a profit for my companies owners. I come to work to provide for my family and the best way for me to do that is work hard, do my job to the best of my ability and ensure my company makes it's profits. I also know that if I drop dead in the morning, my employers will send a wreath to the funeral, probably attend it, and will replace me the next week. My wife wouldn't have it as simple

I will give my staff some leeway, within reason, and I have found that for the most part, in the long run it pays off because you get a greater loyalty if you treat people decently. That means you don' have the expense of hiring, training etc. In addition, those people tend to be the ones who will do that bit extra for you. It's not a one way street,  if I scratch their backs, I expect a little something in return.


----------



## Sunny (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

Interesting debate but I have to be honest and agree with the people above who say that managers should look at themselves if they have so many bad experiences with employees. 

In all my years working I have seen alot more really bad managers than I have seen lazy employees.


----------



## Purple (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



jaybird said:


> Your business should be their priority in life?


 Your job should be your number one priority while  you are there. Your personal problems etc should not come into it.


----------



## MrMan (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> Your job should be your number one priority while  you are there. Your personal problems etc should not come into it.



It should, but how often does life fit outside the 9-5 hours. There has to be leeway and understanding. If you have personal problems then you are going to find it very hard to switch on and off your concerns.


----------



## Purple (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MrMan said:


> It should, but how often does life fit outside the 9-5 hours. There has to be leeway and understanding. If you have personal problems then you are going to find it very hard to switch on and off your concerns.


 I agree but that understanding has to cut both ways. I suppose it comes down to mutual respect and common sense.


----------



## Purple (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



jaybird said:


> You can be a hard working diligent employee and still be human. As pp's have said, it is usually those employers that treat their employees with respect and flexibilty that get the same back and the best results.



Which is why I said;



Purple said:


> I agree but that understanding has to cut both ways. I suppose it comes down to mutual respect and common sense.


----------



## Complainer (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

I guess that if work was really top priority for most people, there would be very few posts on AAM from M-F, 9-5! 

[Posted from home, on a sickie]


----------



## sandrat (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

man flu?


----------



## Ceist Beag (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Complainer said:


> I guess that if work was really top priority for most people, there would be very few posts on AAM from M-F, 9-5!
> 
> [Posted from home, on a sickie]



sickie eh, pah ye just can't get the staff these days!!


----------



## Purple (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Complainer said:


> I guess that if work was really top priority for most people, there would be very few posts on AAM from M-F, 9-5!
> 
> [Posted from home, on a sickie]


 Gettin' paid for it though, aren't  ya?


----------



## NorthDrum (10 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

You generally get what you give as an employer. Not just financially but as far as loyalty goes. Yes there are people who will always exploit kinder employers, but I would prefer to believe that most people will give back to a company exactly what they get (in terms of respect) once properly balanced (rules). Having the respect and loyalty of an employee is worth more then having a hard working suck up who doesnt give too shts about the company and would sell their granny for a raise.

And no, a job is only your number one priority when there are no other personal issues at hand. I dont mean breaking up with a girlfriend or losing money, I mean deaths, Illnesses or real serious events that you have no control over. Yes in theory these are not the problem of the employer, but the good employers will factor these things into their business and work with their employees to find a mutual arrangement. 

Also people looking for a wage increase arent necessarily slouches, many deserve it but management for their own self interested reasons, decide not to give it. Have been on the receiving end myself. Whats worse then not getting a raise you feel you deserve is being told you can discuss it with your manager and when you actually physically proove you are deserving of the rise, he then says "well, Im afraid I already made my decision"!. Same company gave wage increases and promotions to people whom spent half their days doing sweet f.f, more then 10mins in the toilets and left at 3.55 leaving the rest of us to hold the ship up!! What I would say to some employers is that sometimes those who look busy arent and those who are taking the breaks may very well be doing more then the others, but just aint as cute as the slackers. Whats the David Brent way of working - Always have something in your hand and look like you are rushing somewhere . . . 

Personally, I believe that anybody who sees having employees simply as employees (with terms and conditions) in black and white is a bad man manager (or simply not management material) or simply are just not capable of looking at the whole dynamics of employment (or dont want or need to). That is the oldschool way of thinking, hence the emergence of HR departments and specific areas of behaviourial science in most management training.


----------



## shnaek (11 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



jaybird said:


> And would people stop saying 110%! Its nonsense Apprentice style management speak like thinking outside the box, and highly irritating!



I agree! Like turning my AMP up to 11. Or having a 25 hour clock.


----------



## gramlab (11 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> 1) one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break.......... (dont worry he no longer does this)


 


viztopia said:


> i woudl expect him to use some initiative and look on a map or the internet for directions.


 
Using it during lunch is a no-no, but during work hours is OK?

I hope your business doesn't grow so big that I might end up working for you!


----------



## Complainer (11 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



sandrat said:


> man flu?


That's right, it's the real thing.


----------



## MugsGame (12 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

With the greatest of respect, of course you can give 110%. What you are giving now is 100%; you just need to increase that by 10%.  Imagine what you could achieve if you worked harder as well as smarter. With the decline in church attendance, Sunday is the perfect day to do some extra work and get ahead of the rush. It's a great feeling to know that your emails sent at 11pm the previous night are the first thing people will have to deal with on Monday morning as they struggle to catch up on their backlog.

Your potential is unlimited; none of us are anywhere near making a full effort, we only use about 10% of the brain's capacity. So stop making excuses and Just Do It going forward!


----------



## micheller (12 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> Just Do It going forward!



Ahhh, you've been reading the managers phrasebook again, haven't you?


----------



## MugsGame (12 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



DrMoriarty said:


> That's a far more modest proposal than some I've heard...



DrM this is off-topic and should be in the Dealing with the Deficit forum. But since you posted it here, I will respond.

I don't think things are quite that bad - yet. There is no need to start eating overfed unhealthy Irish children when there are plenty of non-nationals collecting child benefit who would be more than willing to bring their tender lean children here if suitable "subsistence" grants were made available. THEY eat their young after all. Best of all, as most of THEM are being reared abroad we know their feed is not contaminated due to the actions of lazy Irish workers.


----------



## MugsGame (12 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



micheller said:


> Ahhh, you've been reading the managers phrasebook again, haven't you?



As it happens I recently completed a management development programme, but what does that have to do with my ability to take the helicopter out of the ballpark and see the trees for the forest?!


----------



## micheller (12 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> As it happens I recently completed a management development programme, but what does that have to do with my ability to take the helicopter out of the ballpark and see the trees for the forest?!



 Oh nothing, nothing. Get that flag up the pole and let it fly in the wind


----------



## Purple (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



MugsGame said:


> DrM this is off-topic and should be in the Dealing with the Deficit forum. But since you posted it here, I will respond.
> 
> I don't think things are quite that bad - yet. There is no need to start eating overfed unhealthy Irish children when there are plenty of non-nationals collecting child benefit who would be more than willing to bring their tender lean children here if suitable "subsistence" grants were made available. THEY eat their young after all. Best of all, as most of THEM are being reared abroad we know their feed is not contaminated due to the actions of lazy Irish workers.


But Swift would be proud of posts on this thread.
Excellent


----------



## truthseeker (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



viztopia said:


> OK. we have seen numerous threads on here from employees giving out their employers, poor/no bonus's, no pay rises etc. Well what about employers stories of poor employees? I have some; (note we are a professional services firm and deal with the public all the time)
> 
> 1) one employee sits at his computer from 1 until 2 eating luch and surfing the net. Come 2 o clock he goes to the toilet for a 10 minute break.......... (dont worry he no longer does this)
> 2) At his annual wage review in september one emplyee was looking for more  money that was offered and argued his case for more (€1,000 in the difference) he lives at hoem with his parents. he said things had "changed at home"Naturally i was worried and asked if everything was ok and he said things had just changed. Since then he has gone on his annual holidays which was 2 weeks in portugal, and he has been away for weekend in Belfast, paris and newcastle since SEPTEMBER!!
> ...



Is that you Mr Jones (my boss)?

Ill be late on Monday, I have to drive in from Tallaght and need to go via Rathmines to drop my sister to school (things have changed at home again) so Ill be needing to borrow a sat nav to find my way to the office.


----------



## sfag (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*

Clearly the original poster is Mr Scrooge. Imagine resenting someone having a dump on company time. Is this thread a wind up?


----------



## MugsGame (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> But Swift would be proud of posts on this thread.



I'll be in St. Patrick's Deanery this evening, so can check if Swift's ghost agrees.


----------



## Purple (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



sfag said:


> Clearly the original poster is Mr Scrooge. Imagine resenting someone having a dump on company time. Is this thread a wind up?


 I think he's taking the P


----------



## MugsGame (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Purple said:


> I think he's taking the P



Surely not? If you have evidence you could  to the mods.


----------



## Towger (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Complainer said:


> It is more than tiresome that those with axes to grind seem determined to drag every AAM thread down this divisive...


 
We just love pulling your leg. After all, how else are we going to reconfirm your view that elements of AAM are racist against public servants, even if many of those elements are working the in the very same public sector!

Get well soon, but make sure you use all your sickies up by the year end


----------



## Towger (13 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



SlurrySlump said:


> She then turned on the two bar heater that she had requested in the loo because it was too cold to change in to her staff uniform in the mornings.


 
I hope that two bar heater in the loo is a permanent wired fixture or you'll have Health and Safety and RECI etc after you.   If not, better remove it and have her freeze her behind, just blame it on Health and Safety regulations.


----------



## SlurrySlump (14 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Towger said:


> I hope that two bar heater in the loo is a permanent wired fixture or you'll have Health and Safety and RECI etc after you.  If not, better remove it and have her freeze her behind, just blame it on Health and Safety regulations.


 
I remember I asked the same employee to assist in the training of a new entrant. She was to sit with her for the day. 11 A.M. came and she headed off for her break leaving the new entrant sitting at the desk. When she came back she continued on with her work and never offered or told the new employee that she could also have a break.  When I mentioned this to her she just looked at me with this vacant expression on her face.


----------



## putsch (14 Dec 2008)

I'm working now in the private sector - lots of the young guys come in and during the morning prepare some breakfast (porridge, muesli etc) for themselves in the kitchen and then take it to the desk and munch happily for 30 mins or so. Never saw this in 20 years in the public sector!  

I know breakfast is "the most important meal of the day" but......... 

A personal bugbear is chewing gum - even if you're not in contact with clients I still regard it as unsuitable for the workplace (or anywhere really but that's another day's work).


----------



## rmelly (14 Dec 2008)

putsch said:


> I'm working now in the private sector - lots of the young guys come in and during the morning prepare some breakfast (porridge, muesli etc) for themselves in the kitchen and then take it to the desk and munch happily for 30 mins or so. Never saw this in 20 years in the public sector!
> 
> I know breakfast is "the most important meal of the day" but.........
> 
> A personal bugbear is chewing gum - even if you're not in contact with clients I still regard it as unsuitable for the workplace (or anywhere really but that's another day's work).


 
30 mins to eat a bowl of cereal? Are they doing anything else during that 30 mins - catching up on email, reading etc. or just munching?

What about people who spend their morning monitoring others breakfast habits? They mustn't get much work done either. Especially if they're logging the activities of their colleagues.


----------



## Bronte (15 Dec 2008)

Anyone who thinks that they are entitled to being treated nice by their employer had better not apply to amazon.com.  They'd get a real shock to the system there.  It's akin to slavery.  I once worked in a now extinct Irish supermarket.  They timed everything including loo breaks, forced overtime, fiddled the workers hours and rates of pay, working late at night (before the 24 hour shopping culture) not knowing when you would be let go home etc. AND I begged to get the job !  Some of you don't know how lucky you are.  I'm lucky and I know it.  Two bar heaters in a toilet indeed, maybe the toilet seat should also be heated.


----------



## gillarosa (18 Dec 2008)

viztopia said:


> 4) we are based outside clondalkin in a business park. one employee was asked to drive to navan to work - he had no idea where this was and had to borrow a sat nav. the same employee was working in Mountjoy square for a week last yera and had to get directions back this year. Also he need to get directions to Glasnevin.
> i am sure there are plenty more like this out there..........


 
You are pulling our legs aren't you!! I've never met a guy who asked for directions!!


----------



## AgathaC (18 Dec 2008)

gillarosa said:


> You are pulling our legs aren't you!! I've never met a guy who asked for directions!!


Brilliant!


----------



## BoscoTalking (19 Dec 2008)

*Re: poor employees*



Mpsox said:


> 3: Took on a South Dublin Princess for a role and on Day 2, after she dropped something on the floor she told her supervisor that she "didn't do picking up".


 
Fabulous!


----------



## MandaC (21 Dec 2008)

Was organising a presentation for some staff that would take nearly up to lunchtime.  Intended organising soup and sandwiches to be brought in for lunch.  Supervisor told me not to bother, that the staff would not be happy with this and there could be complaints, as they prefer to bring their own lunch!!!


----------

