SurfaceFabrication.com |

Does this ever happen at your business?

Employee 1: "I need to come in late on Thursday but I'll make it up by working through lunch on Friday."

Reality: This is the third time this quarter Employee 1 has made this request and the work through lunch scenario just means he'll eat at his desk and read the paper — not exactly making up time, is it?

Employee 2: "This isn't fair! Why should you group me in with her? I never take sick days, and I found a doctor that has weekend hours so I'd never have to ask for time out of the office."

Reality: She's right. She manages her time well. There should be a way to level the playing field for those that try harder and reward her great attendance record.

Employee 3: "My two-year work anniversary isn't until October; do I really have to wait until then to get my two weeks?

Reality: As we've grown it's gotten harder to keep track of everyone's anniversary dates, what vacation they're owed and who has seniority — all the newer employees feel slighted.

Employer 4: The lead installer called in sick for the day but now you hear him telling everyone what fun he had fishing with his friends.

Reality: The employees who covered for the installer are getting angrier by the minute and you don't like being lied to over the phone. You've never taken a "mental health day" and you don't want your service affected like this.

The Reality Of Time

If you've been in business for more than 10 minutes, then you already know that managing people and developing effective and well-balanced personnel policies (especially those dealing with attendance and paid time off) consumes a disproportionate amount of management time. Time that you would prefer spending on more traditional profit producing issues like sales strategies, pricing and service quality.