Staff issues

Clara B

mrawkward wrote: »

Sorry to be so blunt but this appears to be a mismanagement issue. You have employees with no proper contract of employment? If I am correct, you are breaking the law http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/contracts_of_employment/contract_of_employment.html

This is where you state the terms of engagement, disciplinary procedures etc etc. Handbooks are just dust gathering waffle. Employees just want to know, and are entitled to know the rules in place. Get your house in order first.

I dont think I am mismanaging- I am in the process of contracts-hence the query in previous post- and i think a handbook is helpful. I have always had one in previous jobs. I am trying to operate a small business on diminished staff,with obligations to another business,a husband,2 children and a current pregnancy. I dont have an assistant-a pa-someone to share the work load with,my partner already has his hands full.I am doing my very best and at all times I am aware of my obligations to my staff-without them I have nothing.

Clara B

dbran wrote: »

Hi

It sounds like you do have some HR issues that you need to resolve and it is better that you have identified them now rather then wait until they come to a head later. I think "mismanaged" would be too harsh a word. But you need to learn to run your staff otherwise they will run you.

You also need to consider whether imposing a new set of policies on staff in a unilateral fashion could backfire. Especially if it changes a policy that was already in place. An employee could easily fashion a case for constructive dismissal or bullying against you and may try look for a payout. If there was no procedures or they were not properly followed you will be in trouble. Either way you need to know what course of action is going to work and what is simply going to lead you into trouble and incur more cost.

It is for that reason I think you do need some sort of proper professional advise on how to proceed that minimises this risk. I do not think 1600 is expensive considering the potential consequences. There are plenty of reputable HR agencies you just need to google them. There is also some employer organisations which offer this type of help and advice as part of their membership. If you consider the level of the awards handed down by the labour court this is a small price to pay.

Dbran

i do agree with you. I want to find a solution that will work for both my employees and myself. The last place I would want to be is in the wrc with a costly complaint against me.

Clara B

Stheno wrote: »

That's an extremely unhealthy way to operate, you'll end up burnt out tbh

Of course we will-but what are the alternatives. We trail new staff and either they dont turn up after a few days or they turn out to not be what we had expected.

Clara B

Bandara wrote: »

We have several restaurants within the family.

Staff retention is about one in ten, we keep one out of each ten. The rest we let go. The industry is notoriously bad for getting quality staff as the vast majority have zero qualifications and receive zero training.

You need to clear the decks and make an example and start again. If you need 10 staff take on 15 and weed out the messers.

We take on double staff we require and within a few weeks the issues right themselves.

We did this when we opened-we needed 10-took on 15 and weeded out those who felt the work was beneath them. I think people who are not in the catering industry dont understand how difficult it is to firstly get good staff and then retain said staff.
I pay above minimum wage as I dont think its enough to live on,theres no weekend or public holiday work,i offer incentives to staff with bonuses and barring one occasion they get any time they need off. Ive had staff with sick parents and I have given them paid weeks off to look after their family. I have fallen behind on implementing contracts and policies so \i have to suffer the consequences of that. Better it be sick leave that legal action. This is brought what is necessary into focus and I will implement-with staff input-policies/procedures and contracts asap.
There is very little I can do about the current situation except put a plan in place to tackle any future issues that may arise

intheclouds

Clara B wrote: »

We tend to-both my partner and I. We put everything we have into our business and try to lead by example. We don't have staff do anything we dont do ourselves. We have high expectations-probably because when we were employees we didn't take sick leave. Now we are employers we don't take any leave-at all!

You're going to end up sick and burnt out doing this.

Re you not taking sick leave. That's great. But it's your choice. Not everyone is lucky enough to have perfect health and it's completely unrealistic to think that people won't take sick leave.

It's also not good to be working to such tight staffing that someone off sick for a few days makes such a huge impact.

You might not ask staff to do things you don't do yourself but they don't benefit from the business the way you do. It's not their company. It's just a job.

But fundamentally, people get sick. It happens. People aren't robots.

Clara B

intheclouds wrote: »

You're going to end up sick and burnt out doing this.

Re you not taking sick leave. That's great. But it's your choice. Not everyone is lucky enough to have perfect health and it's completely unrealistic to think that people won't take sick leave.

It's also not good to be working to such tight staffing that someone off sick for a few days makes such a huge impact.

You might not ask staff to do things you don't do yourself but they don't benefit from the business the way you do. It's not their company. It's just a job.

But fundamentally, people get sick. It happens. People aren't robots.

It's not that my health is so good I/we don't need to take time off-I don't because I don't want to add to someone else's work load. I'm not in a position in my business where I can have excess staff on hand just in case someone's out sick or on a/l-I simply couldn't fund that and offer my current staff the same conditions of employment. If I could do that this situation would be totally avoidable.
As for benefits-we/I put every penny into his venture. It will take a few years to recoup my investment and I do not get paid-nor does my partner. We reinvest into new equipment, premises,furniture and rates/revenue/Esb/gas/insurance/accountant/solicitor/staff/food costs/wastage costs etc etc. I don't mind any of that-being the boss is my choice but I would love some of the posters here to open a restaurant and see how they cope with staff retention and turn over and how they would go about having surplus staff.

mrawkward

Clara B wrote: »

I dont think I am mismanaging- I am in the process of contracts-hence the query in previous post- and i think a handbook is helpful. I have always had one in previous jobs. I am trying to operate a small business on diminished staff,with obligations to another business,a husband,2 children and a current pregnancy. I dont have an assistant-a pa-someone to share the work load with,my partner already has his hands full.I am doing my very best and at all times I am aware of my obligations to my staff-without them I have nothing.

uu


Twaddle my dear, you are giving excuses not valid reasons for not running your business basic HR function properly/legally. none of your staff give a flying fcuk that you are pregnant or that you and your partner are trying to run two businesses. Get your act together fast before you go missing on very important family duty. All the supportive/understand your position bull****... Is just that. Man up woman or get yer man to do it... It matters not a jot, as long as it is done.

Stheno

Clara B wrote: »

It's not that my health is so good I/we don't need to take time off-I don't because I don't want to add to someone else's work load. I'm not in a position in my business where I can have excess staff on hand just in case someone's out sick or on a/l-I simply couldn't fund that and offer my current staff the same conditions of employment. If I could do that this situation would be totally avoidable.
As for benefits-we/I put every penny into his venture. It will take a few years to recoup my investment and I do not get paid-nor does my partner. We reinvest into new equipment, premises,furniture and rates/revenue/Esb/gas/insurance/accountant/solicitor/staff/food costs/wastage costs etc etc. I don't mind any of that-being the boss is my choice but I would love some of the posters here to open a restaurant and see how they cope with staff retention and turn over and how they would go about having surplus staff.

How long is the business open?

mrawkward

And as for lead by example .... They will let you on ahead... More nonsense! Manage is the key function, your job.

intheclouds

Clara B wrote: »

It's not that my health is so good I/we don't need to take time off-I don't because I don't want to add to someone else's work load. I'm not in a position in my business where I can have excess staff on hand just in case someone's out sick or on a/l-I simply couldn't fund that and offer my current staff the same conditions of employment. If I could do that this situation would be totally avoidable.
As for benefits-we/I put every penny into his venture. It will take a few years to recoup my investment and I do not get paid-nor does my partner. We reinvest into new equipment, premises,furniture and rates/revenue/Esb/gas/insurance/accountant/solicitor/staff/food costs/wastage costs etc etc. I don't mind any of that-being the boss is my choice but I would love some of the posters here to open a restaurant and see how they cope with staff retention and turn over and how they would go about having surplus staff.

So it is a choice then. There are always people who insist on working through illness like Spartans. Don't understand it myself, my health is far more important (not that I'm sick much but if I've got something I'll take the time rather than make myself sicker or spread it about).

Given what you describe above perhaps your model is wrong and in these early years you need to pay minimum wage only and be able to cover sick and annual leave? Worry about staff retention later when you're not stretched so tight?

There's no real excuse for not having basic stuff like contracts sorted.

Hanley

mrawkward wrote: »

And as for lead by example .... They will let you on ahead... More nonsense! Manage is the key function, your job.

What's that saying... those who are too busy leading from the front get shot in the back?

OP, re: General culture

One thing we've been very lucky with in my place is that our guys have demonstrated time and time again the ability to go above and beyond when necessary, without even being asked.

They also know I've no problem pulling an 16 hour day if I need to, and they've seen me do it before.

...that doesn't mean I need to do it every day to prove it to them

Also - when did EBM become so SJW?!

mrawkward

Hanley wrote: »

What's that saying... those who are too busy leading from the front get shot in the back?



Also - when did EBM become so SJW?!

No, just those who jump in themselves while the hired help look on or are out sick. Managing is leadership, just make sure to terminate those heading off target.

FYI dem bleeding hearts are everywhere, de most vulnerable in society is der hashtag! #iamentitledasanonandneverwillcontributortosociety

Clara B

mrawkward wrote: »

uu


Twaddle my dear, you are giving excuses not valid reasons for not running your business basic HR function properly/legally. none of your staff give a flying fcuk that you are pregnant or that you and your partner are trying to run two businesses. Get your act together fast before you go missing on very important family duty. All the supportive/understand your position bull****... Is just that. Man up woman or get yer man to do it... It matters not a jot, as long as it is

You know I have no response to this ! It's patronizing and unhelpful!

mrawkward

Clara B wrote: »

mrawkward wrote: »

uu


Twaddle my dear, you are giving excuses not valid reasons for not running your business basic HR function properly/legally. none of your staff give a flying fcuk that you are pregnant or that you and your partner are trying to run two businesses. Get your act together fast before you go missing on very important family duty. All the supportive/understand your position bull****... Is just that. Man up woman or get yer man to do it... It matters not a jot, as long as it is

You know I have no response to this ! It's patronizing and unhelpful!

Veracity versus nativity are the issues here, I note you are unwilling to engage. My parting advice would be to take the log out of your own eye. As for me, I am rather well set and long over such issues such as those with which you currently grapple, simply by dealing with them in a timely fashion, not by making excuses.

Clara B

mrawkward wrote: »

Clara B wrote: »

Veracity versus nativity are the issues here, I note you are unwilling to engage. My parting advice would be to take the log out of your own eye. As for me, I am rather well set and long over such issues such as those with which you currently grapple, simply by dealing with them in a timely fashion, not by making excuses.

Being pregnant,having kids and being busy is not an excuse. Thanks for your input

Stheno

Ciara

Again how long have you been operating this business?

mrawkward

Clara B wrote: »

mrawkward wrote: »

Being pregnant,having kids and being busy is not an excuse. Thanks for your input

Sorry I clearly mistook this for a business forum, it will come as a shock to you but lots of business owners have babies, families and even family businesses

Clara B

Stheno wrote: »

Ciara

Again how long have you been operating this business?

Six months at the end of this month

StupidLikeAFox

mrawkward wrote: »

As for me, I am rather well set and long over such issues such as those with which you currently grapple, simply by dealing with them in a timely fashion, not by making excuses.

How did you deal with them?

Stheno

Clara B wrote: »

Six months at the end of this month

I think you need wider advice so than just staff

Operating without paying yourself and your partner is devaluing the business and not reflecting the true cost of it

Additionally you need advice on your hiring process

Are you aware that 50 percent of restaurants fail within two years?

And before you ask I'm self employed and part of a startup

mrawkward

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

How did you deal with them?

40 years never a strike, never an unfair dismissal case lost... pretty decent record but I always complied with and respected the law.

Stheno

Stheno wrote: »

Clara B wrote: »

Six months at the end of this month

I think you need wider advice so than just staff

Operating without paying yourself and your partner is devaluing the business and not reflecting the true cost of it

Additionally you need advice on your hiring process

Are you aware that 50 percent of restaurants fail within two years?

And before you ask I'm self employed and part of a startup

Taking a salary in the first year of a startup is a luxury and can take valuable cashflow out of the business that can be put to better use. It will put a lot of future investors off in fact depending on the type of business. If your lucky enough to have a nice chunk of funding from the get go fair enough but otherwise its not a possibility for most startups to take salaries early on.
In the case of the restaurant business, its a very tough as you know yourself and talking 2 salaries out of it in the first few months could easily send it under and be the reason you can't afford to pay a supplier who will disappear and with that half your menu and then your customers.

Sounds to me like the OP is doing her best and has come up short in a couple areas. No big deal. Sacrifices are being made, and lessons are being learned. Par for the course for a new restaurant. What will make it a better run restaurant in the future is learning from the mistakes like any business and getting on top of that staff issue. Bandara's HR recommendation will help, take him up on that.

Theres a lot of nonsense being said about working long hours. When you start a business that is part and parcel. People who come from an employee background trying to tell an entrepreneur not to work long hours is bizarre, because they are not in the position to give that kind of advice, they simply don't understand what it takes. Thats what successful people do in order to become successful, they work extremely hard, and mostly why they are not relying on another person for employment. Being pregnant in such a scenario is not ideal, but have to soldier on through that, choices have been made already!

pedroeibar1

Clara B wrote: »

You know I have no response to this ! It's patronizing and unhelpful!

Total shambles of a thread.
OP, you are up to you’re a$$ in problems and you are ignoring the fact that your job is to MANAGE your business. You are being defensive, trying to justify positions that are untenable. You need professional help, it has been offered (e.g. Bandara’s post) yet you prattle on. Did you post for advice or sympathy? You will get both here, but in your rather difficult business position I'd ignore the latter and listen to the former, particularly when it is blunt.

Your business and your staff/creditors do not care if you have children, a marriage, a husband, kids, a pregnancy, whatever. It will fail unless you manage it properly. Already you have shown signs of mismanagement because you negligently did not give your staff written contracts with T’s & C’s of employment (so by default they have the best the law can offer.) You have made it worse by paying bonuses to a bunch of people some of whom are taking you for a ride. (Query – you are paying a bonus in the first six months of a start-up business that has an absentee-rete problem? You run a restaurant that does not open at weekends or bank holidays? Is it a canteen?)
Unless you get on top of these staff issues your best staff will leave (how many of the good ones have already left - honestly? ) because they will see the writing on the wall. Stop making excuses, get help from professionals, be brave enough to admit you need it and manage. Otherwise the lack of direction will resolve matters for you at a creditors meeting.

screamer

Clara B wrote: »

It's a restaurant. Really this issue has only arisen in the last 2 months. I have spoken with the pregnant lady. She has had other pregnancy related sick leave in August . She took a/l end of September and then went into sick leave. I don't see he returning for a few months as she is fairly ill with her pregnancy. I have told her-as she cannot commit to a return to work-that I will have to commence her maternity cover now. If she returns I can put her in another,lighter post with the same pay,conditions and hours. I am trying to source that cover now.
All my staff are relatively new-under 6 months. I have made them all aware of the impact of sick leave-it's detrimental to them as a team as they have to work harder to cover staff that are out. I really need to implement contracts and policies for all of them-I'm in the middle of doing that-this all just came while I was trying to complete policies and procedures. I have worked in the hse and am following some of their employee guidelines

Clara if theyre there less than 6 months and seem to be problematic with regular sick leave get rid of them. might sound harsh but no small business can carry p*sstakers and neither should they. They should still be in probation anyways and i know ive had people on probation and acting the maggot and its unacceptable. They should be on best behaviour for want of a better phrase whilst on probation. Don't take slackers on into full-time positions. It's relatively easy to get rid of employees with less than 10 months service your HR consultants can advise you. The pregnant lady is a different story.

pedroeibar1

screamer wrote: »

Clara if theyre there less than 6 months and seem to be problematic with regular sick leave get rid of them. might sound harsh but no small business can carry p*sstakers and neither should they. They should still be in probation anyways and i know ive had people on probation and acting the maggot and its unacceptable. They should be on best behaviour for want of a better phrase whilst on probation. Don't take slackers on into full-time positions. It's relatively easy to get rid of employees with less than 10 months service your HR consultants can advise you. The pregnant lady is a different story.

Have you read this thread? What HR consultants? What probation? :rolleyes:
:rolleyes:

Clara B

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Taking a salary in the first year of a startup is a luxury and can take valuable cashflow out of the business that can be put to better use. It will put a lot of future investors off in fact depending on the type of business. If your lucky enough to have a nice chunk of funding from the get go fair enough but otherwise its not a possibility for most startups to take salaries early on.
In the case of the restaurant business, its a very tough as you know yourself and talking 2 salaries out of it in the first few months could easily send it under and be the reason you can't afford to pay a supplier who will disappear and with that half your menu and then your customers.

Sounds to me like the OP is doing her best and has come up short in a couple areas. No big deal. Sacrifices are being made, and lessons are being learned. Par for the course for a new restaurant. What will make it a better run restaurant in the future is learning from the mistakes like any business and getting on top of that staff issue. Bandara's HR recommendation will help, take him up on that.

Theres a lot of nonsense being said about working long hours. When you start a business that is part and parcel. People who come from an employee background trying to tell an entrepreneur not to work long hours is bizarre, because they are not in the position to give that kind of advice, they simply don't understand what it takes. Thats what successful people do in order to become successful, they work extremely hard, and mostly why they are not relying on another person for employment. Being pregnant in such a scenario is not ideal, but have to soldier on through that, choices have been made already!

Thanks for your reply-it made me feel a little better. I do believe a catering/restaurant business is vastly different from other arenas. I'm not niave-I built another successful business and was in the happy position to be able to sell it on and continue in the operations. I didn't do that be being thick-I did it by working the hours and making the same sacrifices and I am currently making. I don't complain about those-I expect to have to make them and that is not where I have an issue. It took 2 of us working 2 jobs and taking no drawings for 2.5 years to be able to make it a success-but we did. Staffing was never an issue there so this is new to me. It's a learning experience and I'm taking the advice given so I can move forward and work to build a healthy business. I can do without wages-that will come later-when we have the ability to draw from the business without making hard choices to do so.
I take on board that it's not an accurate reflection of performance. The money we don't take is used to buy equipment and upgrade the facility so we don't carry the burden of finance or hp. We operate on zero financing or overdrafts-we could never get either in the other business so we learned to live without it.
I know a lot of owner/operators who drew no salaries from their start ups for over 2 years. It's not uncommon in this industry and we knew that from the get go.

screamer

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Have you read this thread? What HR consultants? What probation? :rolleyes:
:rolleyes:

Yes I have read it no need to try being smart. She has the Hr consultancy lined up and even without a contract it's not difficult to get rid of New employees up to 10 months in. I'm trying to help the OP not like others on here........

Clara B

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Have you read this thread? What HR consultants? What probation? :rolleyes:
:rolleyes:

Have you read it-it's in my first post! I stated I had engaged a company and was asking if it's the norm i.e. Their terms/payment
I'm not an idiot so don't treat me like one. You will see-if you read-I am taking on board the suggestions offered. Yes there is plenty I read I don't like but that's life-I'll get on with what I need to do and get the job done.
No I don't run the perfect business-I am learning as I go and getting help in areas where I have no experience or expertise-I do not profess to know enough about hr to manage on my own. I didn't do my own plumbing either!
As for my hours of operation-they are dictated by footfall. I operate in a commercial district that has no trade at weekends and public holidays-before you ask I tried before I reached the decision on opening times.
Bonuses were paid to staff whom have never missed time and have been invaluable to me since I opened-this is how I reinvest-not in taking a salary as of yet-but in looking after the staff that have worked hard for me and never let me down. I understand that reading my posts you may assume I want sympathy-I don't -I just wanted direction. I have gotten that in the many replays and am grateful for each and every one as they give me insight that I don't have.

pedroeibar1

Clara B wrote: »

Have you read it-it's in my first post! I stated I had engaged a company and was asking if it's the norm i.e. Their terms/payment

I did read it and what you said was (before going on about 5 months pregnancy and other waffle)

Clara B wrote: »

Hi All,
........ I have contacted a company to draw up contracts and staff handbook for me-they want €200 per month for the next 8 months to do this! Would love any recommendations on where/who is good for this sort of thing as I think an open ended contract with these people is a little much.

You did not engage anyone. You really are lost. Best of luck, I'm off, byee.

Clara B

Bandara wrote: »

Re your cost to provide contracts

I may know of a company that will do all that for you for approx €600 per year. They are essentially an outsourced HR company.

I have used them for two of my own companies for the last three years and found them excellent. I have zero affiliation with them.

I'll check if they do restaurant industry also and pm you their details

That would be really helpful-I have had a few pms and they are brilliant. I haven't kniwn where to look for this information. I have had meetings with 2 companies and they were the only ones I could get information on. I was going with one of them until this post-but now I see there are lots of other options available.
I hadn't considered the SFA either

Clara B

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

I did read it and what you said was (before going on about 5 months pregnancy and other waffle)


You did not engage anyone. You really are lost. Best of luck, I'm off, byee.

Please don't assume you know anything about me or how I operate. I haven't signed a mandate with them as I met them on Monday and wanted to know if therewere alternatives. I thought posting and asking would give me information and direction.
I'm not waffling about pregnancy-typical a man would see it as waffling! I was giving the full picture. Obviously your only interest is to be belittling and sarcastic-hope that works out well in life for you.

Mark Tapley

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

I did read it and what you said was (before going on about 5 months pregnancy and other waffle)


You did not engage anyone. You really are lost. Best of luck, I'm off, byee.

Good riddance, best of luck getting your head through the doorway.

StupidLikeAFox

mrawkward wrote: »

40 years never a strike, never an unfair dismissal case lost... pretty decent record but I always complied with and respected the law.

That doesn't answer the question at all.

But fundamentally, you have 40 years experience and the OP has 6 months experience. Why not impart some advice on how you would deal with the situation?

mrawkward

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

That doesn't answer the question at all.

But fundamentally, you have 40 years experience and the OP has 6 months experience. Why not impart some advice on how you would deal with the situation?

I did when I advised that proper contracts of employment be put in place and to forget a policy handbook. I also advised that there appears to be an employee selection issue or an unhappy workplace given the level of "illness" absenteeism, this requires investigation and remedial measures. Sort the basics first

Clara B

mrawkward wrote: »

I did when I advised that proper contracts of employment be put in place and to forget a policy handbook. I also advised that there appears to be an employee selection issue or an unhappy workplace given the level of "illness" absenteeism, this requires investigation and remedial measures. Sort the basics first

You are correct-it's the basics I need to work on before i look at the bigger picture. I would be remiss in not heading the information someone with 40 years experience imparts.
I am sure that you have been very successful in your business/profession and I congratulate you on your successes.
I'm not sure if 6 months in your were as wise and proficient as you are now though-with all of that accumulated experience under your belt.
While this is the same industry as my previous business it is a completely difference experience and set up. I suppose while I was aware of the challenges having previously ran a business the ones I face here are completely new to me and nothing like my previous experience. I struggle with the different obligations every day-be it accounts and payroll/staff management/Haccp and health and safety requirements. I never really had money to throw at these issues before so I always muddled along-worked with enterprise boards and mentors and tried to do the best with what I had. I know in a situation where you are responsible for employees that won't cut it. I have obligations to them and I need contracts and clearly defined policies they all understand to be compliant. I appreciate all the advice and pms offered and will work my way through outstanding issues ASAP to address problems .
I would say-I don't think I operate an unhappy workplace-I'm particular , I'm demanding ,I'm complicated-that's because I'm human and usually operating under a huge amount of stress. I'm also approachable and realistic. I know that employees don't care a jot about the hours I work, if I get paid or not,if I take holidays-not should they-I wouldn't care either if I was them. I do try and look at things from their perspective-at the end of the day they want a job that pays,offers security and ends at 4pm everyday! They will take what I allow them to take from me-so yes I need to manage, be efficient and get on with the job.

mrawkward

I have no experience of the restaurant/hospitality sector, but something is causing this high level of "illness" absenteeism, you do need to find out. A big stick is unlikely to cure it. Why would another employee dump on their own workmates apparently without a second thought. Perhaps your structure is wrong, most employees in this sector are very transient and have no long term career interest in what their doing. You may well need one or two career focussed key staff, and support/reward them appropriately who are the bedrock of the operation..the rest are part time/casual/temporary/transient. Perhaps getting an experienced industry expert to throw their eye over your operation would help identify the areaws that will yield the best results for you.

I do understand that there is a huge demand on the management skills required to run a business day-in-day-out and they are quite different to the phase of taking an idea to an operation reality. Running your own business is one tough calling, they key to getting it to run relatively smoothly is to get the basics sorted. These are the very foundations of a solid business.

I am glad you responded as you have and I do wish you every success.

pilly

screamer wrote: »

Clara if theyre there less than 6 months and seem to be problematic with regular sick leave get rid of them. might sound harsh but no small business can carry p*sstakers and neither should they. They should still be in probation anyways and i know ive had people on probation and acting the maggot and its unacceptable. They should be on best behaviour for want of a better phrase whilst on probation. Don't take slackers on into full-time positions. It's relatively easy to get rid of employees with less than 10 months service your HR consultants can advise you. The pregnant lady is a different story.

Yeah I would agree with screamer here, think about it if you were less than 6 months in a job would you be out sick? I wouldn't because you're still on trial. You can easily get rid of them. But the pregnant lady is a different story, she's more or less untouchable.

pilly

Clara B wrote: »

You are correct-it's the basics I need to work on before i look at the bigger picture. I would be remiss in not heading the information someone with 40 years experience imparts.
I am sure that you have been very successful in your business/profession and I congratulate you on your successes.
I'm not sure if 6 months in your were as wise and proficient as you are now though-with all of that accumulated experience under your belt.
While this is the same industry as my previous business it is a completely difference experience and set up. I suppose while I was aware of the challenges having previously ran a business the ones I face here are completely new to me and nothing like my previous experience. I struggle with the different obligations every day-be it accounts and payroll/staff management/Haccp and health and safety requirements. I never really had money to throw at these issues before so I always muddled along-worked with enterprise boards and mentors and tried to do the best with what I had. I know in a situation where you are responsible for employees that won't cut it. I have obligations to them and I need contracts and clearly defined policies they all understand to be compliant. I appreciate all the advice and pms offered and will work my way through outstanding issues ASAP to address problems .
I would say-I don't think I operate an unhappy workplace-I'm particular , I'm demanding ,I'm complicated-that's because I'm human and usually operating under a huge amount of stress. I'm also approachable and realistic. I know that employees don't care a jot about the hours I work, if I get paid or not,if I take holidays-not should they-I wouldn't care either if I was them. I do try and look at things from their perspective-at the end of the day they want a job that pays,offers security and ends at 4pm everyday! They will take what I allow them to take from me-so yes I need to manage, be efficient and get on with the job.

Ciara, would it be worth hiring an administrator/book-keeper, especially bearing in mind that you will have to take your own maternity leave at some stage? They could take a lot of the burden off you. Even a part-time one.

pedroeibar1

Stheno wrote: »

I think you need wider advice so than just staff

Operating without paying yourself and your partner is devaluing the business and not reflecting the true cost of it

Additionally you need advice on your hiring process

Are you aware that 50 percent of restaurants fail within two years?

And before you ask I'm self employed and part of a startup

From memory the failure rate figures are 30%, 60% and 80% for years one, two and five (i.e. 80% are gone by year five.) Franchised restaurants have a slightly higher survival rate, but not by much. The main reason is inexperience, followed by bad staff management. Considerable work on this topic has been done by Ohio State University. The figures for Ireland are not much different, the ones that survive longest are run (not necessarily owned) by those who worked their way up having started at the bottom.

Trojan

Don't mind the ultra-negatives on here, there's a core group that seem to get off on offering unconstructive criticism of anything that moves.

But don't let that take away from the constructive criticism, that's where the gold is here.

The business sounds less mis-managed, more like un-managed. You need to be able to pull yourself back from the day to day technician tasks - i.e. those that your staff do - and make sure you are spending time managing the business and looking at it from a high level view.

You couldn't pay me enough to start a restaurant business. Long hours, staff issues, a lot of money tied up in assets, tight margins. Utmost respect for anyone who can make a success of it.

I have PM'd details of a HR consultant who might be worth contacting. Best of luck with the business, give us an update after you've made some progress.

Clara B

pilly wrote: »

Ciara, would it be worth hiring an administrator/book-keeper, especially bearing in mind that you will have to take your own maternity leave at some stage? They could take a lot of the burden off you. Even a part-time one.

Yes I am going to take that idea-i think even 20 hours a week would make a huge difference

pilly

Clara B wrote: »

Yes I am going to take that idea-i think even 20 hours a week would make a huge difference

It definitely will, you'd be so surprised. The burden someone can take away, especially if you get an all rounder who can do a bit of everything (in the office I mean). One of the biggest mistakes managers of businesses do is try to scrimp on admin staff and do it themselves but if you do you'll easily find you're spending 75% of your time on admin which is not why you went into business.

Clara B

pilly wrote: »

It definitely will, you'd be so surprised. The burden someone can take away, especially if you get an all rounder who can do a bit of everything (in the office I mean). One of the biggest mistakes managers of businesses do is try to scrimp on admin staff and do it themselves but if you do you'll easily find you're spending 75% of your time on admin which is not why you went into business.

I am very guilty of that I'm afraid. I think that I'll save a few quid so I do it myself and then things get put on the long finger when instances like sick leave happen.

Clara B

pilly wrote: »

Yeah I would agree with screamer here, think about it if you were less than 6 months in a job would you be out sick? I wouldn't because you're still on trial. You can easily get rid of them. But the pregnant lady is a different story, she's more or less untouchable.

Yes that seems to be the case-though how would you approach that. If someone has been out sick and produces a cert to cover the absence I can't do much in that situation. Would I not still have to follow the 3 warnings rule of thumb?

Clara B

Trojan wrote: »

Don't mind the ultra-negatives on here, there's a core group that seem to get off on offering unconstructive criticism of anything that moves.

But don't let that take away from the constructive criticism, that's where the gold is here.

The business sounds less mis-managed, more like un-managed. You need to be able to pull yourself back from the day to day technician tasks - i.e. those that your staff do - and make sure you are spending time managing the business and looking at it from a high level view.

You couldn't pay me enough to start a restaurant business. Long hours, staff issues, a lot of money tied up in assets, tight margins. Utmost respect for anyone who can make a success of it.

I have PM'd details of a HR consultant who might be worth contacting. Best of luck with the business, give us an update after you've made some progress.

Thanks so much for sending that-I really appreciate the helpðŸ‘ðŸ»

duploelabs

Clara B wrote: »

Yes that seems to be the case-though how would you approach that. If someone has been out sick and produces a cert to cover the absence I can't do much in that situation. Would I not still have to follow the 3 warnings rule of thumb?

Remember you're not legally obliged to pay sick pay, simply state that you don't have a sick pay policy and it will soon enough sort out the wheat from the chaff. If they're back of house who are calling in sick all the time then they've no business belonging in the kitchen, consult with your head chef and find out what the issue is, if they don't tell you straight then they don't belong in the role either as they're your interface between the two

Tell me how

duploelabs wrote: »

Remember you're not legally obliged to pay sick pay, simply state that you don't have a sick pay policy and it will soon enough sort out the wheat from the chaff. If they're back of house who are calling in sick all the time then they've no business belonging in the kitchen, consult with your head chef and find out what the issue is, if they don't tell you straight then they don't belong in the role either as they're your interface between the two

While you are not legally obliged to pay sick pay, you must enforce it in the same manner across all employees. you cannot just decide to not pay someone for an absence if you pay others who have been absent in the same way. To do so would be discriminatory. You must have a valid reason for withholding payment from one person, if you have a scheme in place.

Graham

Tell me how wrote: »

While you are not legally obliged to pay sick pay, you must enforce it in the same manner across all employees. you cannot just decide to not pay someone for an absence if you pay others who have been absent in the same way. To do so would be discriminatory. You must have a valid reason for withholding payment from one person, if you have a scheme in place.

On which of the 9 grounds would it be discriminatory?

storker

intheclouds wrote: »

The kind of people who respond well to that question are either boring individuals who have no life outside work, liars or people who are desperate and will do anything for a job. Sounds like good staff alright :rolleyes:

I have a life outside work, and a family, so I would be taken aback by such a question, and consider the possibility that the prospective employer is an exploitative chancer. No doubt others would too, which might backfire on the employer if he were to offer one of them the job.

My answer to that would be...yes, I could do it, for a very limited time i.e. the 7 days, and there would need to be a good reason, and it would have to be adequately compensated.

storker

intheclouds wrote: »

There are always people who insist on working through illness like Spartans.

The those Spartans are cold-sufferers, they're a pain in the neck, because their "heroics" often end up other people getting it too.