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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Food Service |
What do I do about excess call offs? |
I am the manager of a fast food restaurant, I have about three calls offs every day and I am sick of it. What can I do? I was a restaurant manager for years and here is what I did. If calling in is a problem keep track of their call-ins. When the employee reaches a certain number within a certain period of time (say three days within one month) cut their hours to one day a week. Tell them if they can show up for that one day (on time, in uniform, etc), then you will give them an extra day the next week. So then if they do show up give them two days the next week until they work their way back up to their regular schedule. If they call in again take away their days again. They will either stop calling in or find another job. I had a problem with an employee showing up late and missing shifts and I really didn't want to let him go, so I did the one day a week thing. You have to make sure to explain to them that the calling in all the time is the reason for the hours being cut. I never had a problem with my employee again. hire a larger crew, then fire whoever is a slacker. but also use positive reinforcement like giving bonuses for good attendance Fire them and hire people with IQ's higher than 75. Pay them a decent wage and treat them like human beings. You could be the problem. Are you too harsh? Could you be too kind,and they are taking advantage of you? Hire some older persons and it will be alot better for you. Here are a couple of things to check: 1. How are your hiring skills? Is it possible that you could use some coaching on how to determine who is likely to be a good employee once hired? 2. How are your management skills? Frequent call offs are often a clear sign "I don't want to come to work." What is going on in the environment and/or your management style that would make people not want to come to work (or think they can get away with not coming to work? 3. Are these repeat offenders? What kind of feedback are your giving and what are the consequences? If there are no consequences, then you are essentially rewarding employee's to call off. 4. Is your policy clear on how you will handle call offs? Do you follow through with your policy? It takes as much introspection as outward observation. There is more than one person at the scene of the crime...you are the other person. Constantly grow and enhance your skills, and your people can grow with you. Make your employees responsible for covering their own shifts. Tell them that you can no longer tolerate the calling out, that it is effecting the overall operation of your store. If they cannot find someone to work their shift, then they either must work it or show proof that they needed off, doctor's note etc. If they are repeatedly calling out, I would hire new people. After all, it is your job to make sure the store is running smoothly, and you can't do that if you are always on the phone trying to cover shifts or working short-handed. I bet you have a couple of employees who would be glad to see you get a little tougher on this. You know the ones who get stuck working hard enough for 2 or 3, when you are short. You have to toughen up on this issue, it is not being mean or unreasonable to expect people to work when they are scheduled. Pay better. And contract your workers then they are only paid for the days and hours they actually work. Plus give bonuses to people who work up to a certain standard each month (or every few months). |
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