TORO Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Hi all, I need some advise pls if you don't mind. l have a staff who is very good in her work folders up to date etc, but i think she now feels she is bigger than the nursery, She booked 2 half days off, and 2 weeks off, the days were approved and she suddenly changed a half to a full day without seeking permission which i told her off for, as a staff had to take the same day off due to her training leaving us short, she said it was important doctor's appt. she took the day off, and another staff in the same room called in sick, stating she had sickness and diahar. she also called in the next day stating she had sickness and diarhar. and could not come in, which means i had 2 staff off in the same room. The same day a member of staff saw her in a tanning shop, and she told her she just managed to come in to tan herself before her holiday, she also texted another staff asking if i was annoyed or in her words got the ''hump'' and asked if the other staff came to work, the staff replied well she is a bit disappointed and no she did not come to work and she repiled ''Good'' with a smile. l am really angry and would like to really have a word with her when she gets back and the other staff, but all this was said to me in confidence. The other staff was in today with nothing to say, she is pregnant, but still i definitely think it was planned. i am very disappointed with these 2 staff, am a very liberal person and maybe too nice, i have been putting the staff before the business, and i think there is a need for change. l have told the staff who gave me the information to talk to her about how unprofessional she behaved, or i would myself. What do you guys think? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Morning. I think there are lots of issues involved in this post and I am sorry I dont have time to pick it apart this morning. However what I do think I wanted to quickly say is that it is fraud for someone to claim they are sick (and thus being paid to be off sick) and to then actually be out doing something else. I suppose the other thing here is that this is heresay and second hand knowledge. I hope someone pops along with advice shortly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I had to read this a few times to get it straight in my head which member of staff was doing what but my first response is to find out what your procedures say about booking time off/appointments and so on. If you don't feel able to raise this issue now because of the way you have received this information, then at the least I would speak to all staff at a staff meeting and explain the rules again and what action will be taken if the procedures aren't followed. The problem with being a bit laid back is that there are always some people who will take advantage or will believe that since you appear to take a relaxed attitude, that the rules and procedures of the setting are not important. If you generally let things go every time someone doesn't do the right thing and there are no consequences for the person concerned then they are possibly more likely to do it again. I remember having a conversation with a member of my staff once who literally told me with half a week's notice that she was going on holiday which meant that due to other staff being off, I had to abandon my plans and cover her. When I explained what I was having to give up she was so embarrassed, but she said that since I had always supported her before and it had never been a problem, she didn't think it would be a problem this time. It is probably time to assert yourself and draw a line in the sand! Good luck - man (or woman) management is definitely the bit of the job I miss the least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 i agree with happymaz. i used to be easy going trying to please everyone, but got taken advantage of, so in september last year i had a revisit of policies/responsibilities etc. i had a new staff member starting so it was easier to say it was for her benefit but that we all needed to sit and chat and things were changing so that we worked more as a team! i used to do almost everything!!! what a mug i was, but not now! could you wait till new academic year - september? i'm in a school nursery so it's different i know. and make everyone a cuppa, have some choccy biscuits and chat. but be firm - this is the procedure and this is what will happen. and give everyone a written copy so there can be no forgetting of things! and remind everyone you are a team, and if people are off others have to cover, so you cannot always agree to everyone's wishes as the children's needs come first. and it is hearsay and would be tricky to mention things that you have been told on the quiet. annoying i kniow..... good luck - you know you need to do it - be strong for the childdren and they will respect you for it (eventually!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Best one I have had -" I cant come in ----- (daughter) has started her first period" Lets hope this does not lead onto one day a month from now on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Managing the team is such a difficult job sometimes isn't it? We have always been quite relaxed in my setting and, as 'HappyMaz' has said, people will start to take the **** after a while. We have had the same sort of problems, staff members booking holiday with the travel agent before booking holiday from work for example, leading to us being short. So whilst we still want to help and support staff, we have tightened the rules regarding holiday and time off and reviewed our policies regarding this area. A staff meeting sounds like a good idea for you - lay it on the line so that noone is in doubt of the regulations and be firm (I know it is hard) xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjayne Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 All the above advice is good stuff - I too had been soft on staff but last year a few things made me realise I was doing nobody any favours, a certain staff taking the mickey was causing bad feeling with others - I had a new Admin Officer start with me so took this as an opportunity to review the procedure and protocol for annual leave and sick leave - we introduced tighter rules - all staff agreed and had copies and 'most' of them adhere to them without complaint. I actually said no and stuck to it with two staff members who wanted a random short notice day off - one subsequently went sick on the day so I refused to pay her, especially as a picture of her on a well known website appeared, showing her somewhere she shouldn't have been if sick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TORO Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Thanks for your replies, i called one of the staff in and asked her if she was not bothered that she called in sick, and leaving her colleagues and nursery short staffed, she said she felt "guilty" not that i believed her because they both planned it. I will ask the same question of the other that texted "good" that i was annoyed she and the other staff did not come in, and went tanning, when she gets back from holiday, the frustrating thing was that i had to call in a staff on maternity leave to come and cover, and so grateful she said yes straight away. I would appreciate it if anyone can attach a copy of their holiday policy if you do not mind, it is a full day nursery open all year round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonnie Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 i agree with the above we are to soft sometimes, I had a simmilar situation a few years ago, so tigtened up you could look at a disaplinary , I understand she a good member of staff but this is a your bussiness and there are other staff out there ( so they keep telling me ) :1b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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