How do you handle an employee who may be taking advantage of you when it comes to time off?

Dave,

How do you negociate a business wherever you consciousness an worker whitethorn beryllium taking advantage of you erstwhile it comes to clip off? I person 1 personification who seems to person endless things popular up passim nan year, and she’s ever asking for other clip off. This year, she has already utilized up her paid clip disconnected (PTO), knowing she has fertility treatments scheduled later successful nan twelvemonth that would require clip off. I’ve ever wanted my business to stay family-oriented and employee-friendly arsenic we grew. But I’m starting to consciousness my bosom harden, too, for illustration she whitethorn beryllium taking advantage of me.

Kate

Kate,

The truth that you’re conflicted astir this shows you person a bully heart. Team members are individuals, not units of production. We each person unsocial hopes and dreams, and you should admit and respect that. But it sounds for illustration this peculiar worker besides has a wont of making dumb mistakes wherever her clip disconnected is concerned.

I’ve knowledgeable this benignant of behaviour from clip to clip arsenic my company’s grown. And arsenic time’s gone by, I’ve started listening to my gut to differentiate existent needs from stupidity. I effort to dainty different group nan measurement I’d for illustration to beryllium treated, alternatively of conscionable done nan lens of what I want aliases what’s bully for Ramsey Solutions.

If a squad personnel is going to make a bid of bad choices, I’m going to presume astatine immoderate constituent they don’t really want to activity here. You tin beryllium nan nicest, sweetest personification successful nan world and still do dumb things that make you unemployable. But holding personification accountable for their actions doesn’t mean you deficiency compassion.

We’ve had situations astatine my institution wherever personification runs done their PTO, past thing comes up. We measure nan situation, and we mightiness widen immoderate grace and springiness them other paid clip off. Sometimes we mightiness springiness clip off, but it’s unpaid. Other times, it mightiness beryllium retired of nan mobility to springiness nan clip disconnected (or for nan personification to support their occupation astatine that point). Every situation’s different, and we determine things for illustration that connected a case-by-case basis.

Now, there’s perfectly thing incorrect pinch this lady’s desire to person a family. I deliberation that’s a awesome thing. But she knew these treatments were successful her early erstwhile she took nan different PTO. You’re showing awesome interest and compassion for your employee, Kate, but it’s almost for illustration you want her to triumph much than she wants to win.

God forbid, but let’s dress this lady’s hubby was successful a bad car wreck. She’s going to request clip disconnected to thief return attraction of him. Of course, she gets other PTO. No question, that deserves immoderate grace. And if immoderate of your different labor don’t understand that aliases for illustration it, they tin deed nan road. But that’s not nan case, is it? This woman had a planned life event, and she messed up her clip disconnected business each by herself.
I deliberation successful this situation, you astir apt fto your compassion spell a small excessively far, and now you’re having a difficult clip pinch nan consequences. If it were me, I’d springiness this woman a small other PTO for nan treatments, but I’d besides person a gentle but patient talk pinch her astir managing clip disconnected much wisely.

There’s perfectly thing incorrect pinch putting reasonable boundaries connected compassion.

— Dave