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Habitual Lateness

11/13/15       
Dave Member

Website: http://north52cabinets.ca

Not really cabinet related but I thought I would get your input. I have one of my best employees who is ALWAYS late, sometimes dont even show up without even calling in. He has some alcohol and drug issues and I have already fired him last year over it but brought him back cause I needed him. He is back to his old ways. What would you all do in this situation, thanks in advance.

11/13/15       #2: Habitual Lateness ...
Bill

Give a written warning. Then fire him.
One rotten apple spoils the bunch.

11/13/15       #3: Habitual Lateness ...
Dropout Member

Your statement that he is one of your best employees is telling, I'm not sure I would want my people to try to emulate this definition of "best", but it's your business.

11/13/15       #4: Habitual Lateness ...
Al K Hall Member

You may be what is called an enabler. Nothing personal, but you have yourself hamstrung by thinking this is the best you can do.

There is always a better employee than one that doesn't show up. You can not accept that as OK. You encouraged his aberrant behavior when you called him back.

11/13/15       #5: Habitual Lateness ...
Mike Fuson

If he doesn't value his job then why should you?
There is no way I'd have him if he has a drug problem. To big of a liability. Definitely wouldn't have him on a job site, drug addicts have sticky fingers.
Employees are a reflection of you.
Just my two cents...

11/13/15       #6: Habitual Lateness ...
Larry

I've had some ex-employees that were that way. EX is the key here. Life's too short for that sort of thing.

11/14/15       #7: Habitual Lateness ...
Factory Owner Member

Dave,

I have to go anon on this one.

What you described is what I put up with for a while with my own son, who was heir apparent to my operation.

When I had my fill of it I let him go, and while it took some time to fill the void in an 8 man shop when he left, we are running much better without him.

The guys respect me for doing it and they also know if I would do it to my son, I will do it much quicker and easier with them.

11/14/15       #8: Habitual Lateness ...
Jim

Finally a topic I know something about!
I'm (at least used to be) a sucker for losers.
The guy telling you that you are an enabeler and have convinced yourself that you can't do better is EXACTLY right.
II let one of those idiots keep me in turmoil for years thinking my business would tank without him. Had me worrying about whether he was in jail, if his kids where OK, what could I do to help, and on and on and on and on some more...
I would start calling HIM at 7:30 to see if HE was OK, coming in, etc.
I would call off and on until I would just load up and go do the job by myself.
If I was luck he'd answer later that night. If not it might be a week or more, unless of course he needed bail money.
I finally fired and of course he filed and got unemployment due to no work available.
I have worked 50+ hrs a week for years.
I replaced him with his equal.
This time alcohol addicted and late at least 3 days a week, and certainly not willing to work on Sat.
I paid him 200.00 bonus pay above his hrly wage for anything over 40hr to encourage him to come in and on time.
I think I paid the bonus twice all year.
When I finally got enough I fired him.
He was in total disbelief. Stunned.
I decided I would close before tolerating that stupidity again.
My schedule is booked better than ever and with better clientele.
I hired a young man (17) that graduated high school early that is prompt, motivated, and eager to excel in his work.
Life is very good. Life is entirely to short to tolerate laziness and a constant pain in the ass. These guys chaotic professional lives invariably reflects their chaotic personal lives.
This jackass is occupying the space and burning the payroll that you could be allocating towards someone worth investing your time and money in.
In life and business you generally get what you are willing to accept.

11/15/15       #9: Habitual Lateness ...
Derrek

See yah! I run a professional company and a tight schedule and we if you dont want to come to work as needed, i will release you from your responsibility and give you the opportunity for growth elsewhere.

11/15/15       #10: Habitual Lateness ...
Mitch Suber

Website: http://subercustomshutters.com

It seems like you are playing with fire. You seldom win a battle against an employees love affair with alcohol and drugs. Do him a big favor and let him go. Do yourself a bigger favor and separate from this guy. I would make it my personal goal to have this done by noon tomorrow. Based on my experiences with these types, you are only delaying what you will eventually be doing anyway, but probably under worse conditions.

11/15/15       #11: Habitual Lateness ...
Sea444

Get rid of him. The issue here isn't tardiness, it is drugs and booze; neither of which mixes well with machinery.

11/16/15       #12: Habitual Lateness ...
Jim Member

Agree with the others above to terminate him asap.

You stated that he is your best employee. I don't how good is when he's there, but he is worthless when he is not. I would much rather have a medium level employee that was always at work than a excellent one that doesn't show up.

11/16/15       #13: Habitual Lateness ...
Robert Member

Years ago I hired someone to clean the shop, run errands, answer the phone, stage product for next days delivery etc..He was bugging me after a few months to get more involved in other aspects of shop work which I was happy to do since he had proven himself in the tasks I originally hired him to do.

After a few weeks, he started showing up late and sometimes not at all. I chalked up his lateness to problems at home. Took him aside one Friday and questioned him on his sudden change in attendance and informed him he would have to get with it or he would make it necessary for me to replace him with someone more reliable, or have him go back to cleaning...etc.

Seems my Friday talk had worked...at least for another few weeks. One Monday morning he didn't show up, no call, no nothing. Later on that day I get a visit from the Police.. Stan ( not his real name ) had died from a Heroin overdose early Sunday morning.

I learned as time went on that he had been a functioning Heroin addict for years. He never showed his addiction while at work. The indication that something was amiss was when he started showing up late for work. Looking back, I realize now that I should not have put up with his tardiness for as long as I had.


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