GatewayRedbirds.com

He's a good dude and does good work when he's focused. But lately he's had all kinds of personal drama going on and his work it suffering.... as is his attendance.

I've had several informal talks with him about getting here on time. I don't even care if he's 10 minutes late most days. But lately it's 30 minutes late and leaving early too.

There are a few people in the office that bltch about every little thing, and they've bltched about him to me. But that always sounded like Jeannie Bueller bltching about Ferris. Now I've had people who don't normally complain about stuff tell me I need to do something or it's going to start reflecting poorly on me.

Why can't people just do what's expected of them??

Good dude, I've let this go on as long as I can but folks who don't normally complain are now complaining. I've cut you as much slack as I can but your poor performance is starting to reflect badly on me. You need to get your stuff together or I'm going to have to let you go.

Hopefully his personal stuff isn't really, really serious.

Molly wrote:Good dude, I've let this go on as long as I can but folks who don't normally complain are now complaining. I've cut you as much slack as I can but your poor performance is starting to reflect badly on me. You need to get your stuff together or I'm going to have to let you go.

Hopefully his personal stuff isn't really, really serious.

Let's see, his laundry list includes:
- 2 kids with an unstable ex-wife
- Prolonged custody battle and ongoing issues with kid exchanges, ex's boyfriend being shady, etc.
- Young son accusing the ex's boyfriend of hitting when mad
- Current wife is bipolar or something, and needs to be on meds (is now, I think)
- Grandmother fell and broke her hip, can't get upstairs in her own house anymore
- Father had some sort of psychotic episode where he thought bugs were all over his home and getting under his skin
- 2 dogs that got into something and were [expletive] all over his house for a week straight
- Been in at least two accidents, and his wife in one too
- Has had to move twice in two years


SO, I try to give him a lot of leeway (especially when it comes to the ex and his kids -- he's literally their only hope at a decent life). But I really do feel like he's taking advantage of my kindness at this point. He's supposed to be here 9-5. He started needing to get his kids from school even on days when his ex has them, so he now leaves at 4 every day. Sometimes even 3:55. Plus he hasn't been in at 9 in forever. Like I said, if it's 9:10 even, I can look past that. But lately it's been more like 9:30. And today it was 9:45. And he doesn't work through lunch.

I've had multiple discussions about this. He knows the hours he's supposed to keep. He's putting me in a really bad spot. Which sucks, because he knows the business side of what we do way better than anyone else on our team. I made the mistake of telling him a while back how invaluable he is to the company. And it's really around then that he started to slide.

Sigh.

GeddyWrox wrote:

Molly wrote:Good dude, I've let this go on as long as I can but folks who don't normally complain are now complaining. I've cut you as much slack as I can but your poor performance is starting to reflect badly on me. You need to get your stuff together or I'm going to have to let you go.

Hopefully his personal stuff isn't really, really serious.

Let's see, his laundry list includes:
- 2 kids with an unstable ex-wife
- Prolonged custody battle and ongoing issues with kid exchanges, ex's boyfriend being shady, etc.
- Young son accusing the ex's boyfriend of hitting when mad
- Current wife is bipolar or something, and needs to be on meds (is now, I think)
- Grandmother fell and broke her hip, can't get upstairs in her own house anymore
- Father had some sort of psychotic episode where he thought bugs were all over his home and getting under his skin
- 2 dogs that got into something and were [expletive] all over his house for a week straight
- Been in at least two accidents, and his wife in one too
- Has had to move twice in two years


SO, I try to give him a lot of leeway (especially when it comes to the ex and his kids -- he's literally their only hope at a decent life). But I really do feel like he's taking advantage of my kindness at this point. He's supposed to be here 9-5. He started needing to get his kids from school even on days when his ex has them, so he now leaves at 4 every day. Sometimes even 3:55. Plus he hasn't been in at 9 in forever. Like I said, if it's 9:10 even, I can look past that. But lately it's been more like 9:30. And today it was 9:45. And he doesn't work through lunch.

I've had multiple discussions about this. He knows the hours he's supposed to keep. He's putting me in a really bad spot. Which sucks, because he knows the business side of what we do way better than anyone else on our team. I made the mistake of telling him a while back how invaluable he is to the company. And it's really around then that he started to slide.

Sigh.

Tough love time Geddy.

I don't envy you.

Maybe just bringing it up to him will let him see what he has been putting you through.

I think these are the words your looking for: "Everyone has [expletive] in their lives it doesn't mean you can skirt your responsibilities. Your making me look bad and I don't like being made to look bad. Your truancy has been noted and will result in your termination if it isn't corrected immediately. Suck it up buttercup", or snowflake whichever you prefer.

It's tough because you hate to be an [expletive]; but sometimes you have to be when you're the boss. It is your job to make sure your subordinates do their job; and you have to treat your subordinates the same. So think about how you would address this issue if it was one of this guy's peers whom is not having these kinds of personal issues; how would you address it with that employee? That's the way you should address it with this guy. End of the day; everyone has crap going on at home; it is not your job to fix that for them.

Wow you guys suck as human beings. Jobs aren't the end all be all in life. That laundry list isn't anything to sneeze at. Geddy, I feel like you of all people would know this. Talk to him, but don't pretend like the needs of the business trump his personal needs. Business as usual is [expletive] stupid. Be the exceptional manager you wish to see in the world. All of this over being a 1/2 hr late? Please.

I understand youre put in a tough spot with your superiors. If you want to do the easy thing go along with doing your supervisors' callous bidding. If you want to do the right thing stand up for him. Just my naive opinion.

I'm also drinking and dgaf so

Schlich wrote:Wow you guys suck as human beings. Jobs aren't the end all be all in life. That laundry list isn't anything to sneeze at. Geddy, I feel like you of all people would know this. Talk to him, but don't pretend like the needs of the business trump his personal needs. Business as usual is [expletive] stupid. Be the exceptional manager you wish to see in the world. All of this over being a 1/2 hr late? Please.

I think the point here is that it is not just that he was a half hour late; he is late every day and leaving early every day and not doing anything to make up for it; like having a working lunch. That is not fair to his coworkers. What if one of the other employees decides to start coming in late and leaving early but doesn't have the baggage this guy has? Do you discipline him while letting the other person slide because "he's got stuff going on" Good luck with that.