But he's just so great.
I’m a manager of a store, and I have a question about enforcing rules for my employees. Technically, employees are not supposed to be socializing during their shifts, with each other or with customers.
But of course, people’s friends come in and say hi, or they get to know customers and have a chat. I’ve always trusted my workers to know what’s appropriate and what’s not, and everyone is pretty good at sticking to being professional. My issue now is that I have an employee who is really chatty with everyone. I truly can’t tell sometimes if he’s talking to someone that he knows or just a random customer.
He’s really personable and people love talking to him. He gets his work done while chatting; his productivity isn’t a problem. But I do feel like I’m setting a double standard for him just because he is so personable. I think any of the other employees could reasonably be upset that he “gets” to talk so much when he’s on the floor.
No one has brought it up yet. I’m torn between asking him to limit his talking, since he is technically violating the rule, and letting him carry on, since no one has complained and everyone seems happy when they’re chatting with him. Though I do worry that if I don’t say anything, some other employees might think I’m playing favorites. What do you think?
I appreciate that you’re trying to treat all of your employees fairly, but it seems like you may be anticipating a problem that doesn’t necessarily exist yet. If no one has raised it as an issue that one of your employees is chatty with customers, then maybe it’s just not an issue. If it’s really bothering you, you could send out a company-wide reminder to not socialize during shifts, so that no one is singled out.
I also want to just gently raise the idea that perhaps having this blanket policy about socialization isn’t necessary. I don’t know what industry you’re in, or whether there’s something that happened in the past that has made you enforce this rule, but you say that your staff has no trouble staying professional and if anything, this one chatty employee seems to be popular with customers—and is still getting his work done.
Perhaps it’s time for a rethink on the policy altogether. Please keep questions short , and don‘t submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity.
Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. I work at a job that I was able to negotiate to a hybrid model where I go into the office two afternoons a week. It also happens to be one of those jobs where I can get most of my work done in about 2-3 hours a day.
I really like my co-workers and my office, but it is just not the type of environment where I could get anything done. On the days when I go into the office, I generally get all of my work done in the morning and only make it look like I’m working when, in fact, I’m usually socializing. The head of our company believes that being friendly and somewhat social leads to higher productivity so, to some extent, socializing is encouraged.
A few years ago we got a new department head. Work from home or hybrid requests were generally denied without an accommodation . The company recently decided to let the managers use their discretion with requests for work from home and hybrid models. The problem is my department head thinks I’m being way more productive when I’m in office.
He’s started using this as a way to criticize the staff he thinks are underperforming. Personally, I think that there is way too much socializing going on in the office and it’s distracting to certain employees. Others have brought this up to try to move to a hybrid or remote work model, but the department head is turning down those requests and pointing to certain people, like me, who seem to be doing work very well in the office.
I know he doesn’t like that I work hybrid, so I think this is an opportunity not just for him to deny work from home requests but also to possibly make the case that I shouldn’t be hybrid. I’m not only a little worried about my future work conditions, I feel really bad for the employees who are having their requests denied because I too struggled before I went hybrid.
I can’t mention that the only reason I get things done is because my work load is too light or I risk having my workload significantly increased. We all recently got a little bit of a workload increase, I’m wondering if it might be a good idea for me to socialize a little less for a while and start complaining about the workload in the hopes of both saving my hybrid work model and maybe helping my other co-workers get their requests for work from home approved?
I could make the case that I am SLIGHTLY more productive at home, but I am worried that might backfire too. I hate to say it, but my read of this situation is that your days on a hybrid schedule are numbered. It seems to me that your department head is looking for any excuse to force everyone to return to office, which is sadly not uncommon.
In fact, a recent study concluded that return-to-office mandates can beon the part of a manager or executive, and that the real reason why many leaders want their employees to work solely in the office is due to their own egos. So unfortunately, I feel like that’s what’s happening here—your department head seems to be laying the groundwork for a full RTO mandate because they want the control over their employees.
I’m also concerned that if you try to outrun this plan by complaining about the workload or even socializing less that it will indeed backfire on you, as you point out. I think your best option right now is to cut down a bit on the socializing but not make a big deal about it, keep your head down, do your best work, and stay out of the conversation around whether your colleagues can work from home or not.
For your sake, I’m hoping this all blows over, but in case it doesn’t, forewarned is forearmed. I’m almost 18 and graduating high school this spring. My grandparents just told me they have almost $200,000 saved up that they are giving me for college. I was stunned because I knew they were better off than my parents, but I had no idea about this.
I asked why they didn’t give anything to my sister, who is 22 and will graduate college right before I graduate high school. She’s stressed out because she’s had to take out loans that, even if she gets a good job, she might not be able to pay off before she’s middle-aged.
Please follow us on Google to support usUnited States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Responses To DC Comics' Absolute Batman 'Anti-Price Gouging' T&CsResponse to DC Comics' Absolute Batman exclusive retailer variant covers — anti-price gouging terms and conditions
Read more »
Absolute Batman: Scott Snyder Shares New Insights Into Animated SeriesScott Snyder offered insights into how the Absolute Batman animated series is approaching adapting his and Nick Dragotta's comic book series.
Read more »
Mark Hamill As The Joker On Absolute Batman's First AppearanceMark Hamill as The Joker on Absolute Batman's First Appearance as it climbs up the sales charts
Read more »
Absolute Green Arrow #3 Expands the DC Universe with New Characters and Plot TwistsThe latest issue of Absolute Green Arrow introduces new characters, including Brittany Brandon, and hints at a reboot of the Moonbow character. Roy Harper and Emiko Queen play key roles in the story, while classic DC lore characters such as Vlatava, Count Vertigo, and Rex Tyler make appearances. The issue also debuts an eerie Absolute Solomon Grundy.
Read more »