I have 5 women employees that are driving me crazy with jealousy, power struggles and hormones. We just opened our second location and the drama these gals create between one another is overwhelming. I find is hard to love my little drive thru coffee houses, I own 2, and ready to fire them all and work myself. My phone starts ringing off the hook everyday at 7am , everything from where's the sharpie pens to are we out of club soda? Oh and get this one..."you like her better than me, she's your favorite and I work hard too." By the way, 2 of these girls are motherless. I have tried to create an awesome atmosphere for our girls and they are all amazing in their own right regarding their skills and expertise when it comes to holding the title Barista. Although, behind the scenes their lives spill over bringing their troubles to work and I've had it quite frankly. What happened to the work ethics from yesteryear. Anyone else have the same drama?
Eeeeek Employees
Employees can be the biggest nightmares!!!! We have had plenty of problems too. Probably the power struggle has been our biggest problem. Not only with each other but sometimes with me! I try to give lots of compliments to each person to try to help build their worth in the shop, sometimes it works sometimes not. I have staff meetings now and then to go over requirements, training, and any other problems with everyone there so they all hear the same thing. We have a rule that there will be NO bad mouthing of each other. Are you there working with all these women or are they on their own most of the time? We have a second location and the girls there seem to have more problems than the ones who are here at the shop with me. Probably because I am here to hear them and see what goes on.
Good luck and let me know if you have any successful solutions!
As employer, don't fall into
As employer, don't fall into their game playing. You're in control, not them. Personally, if an employee called me looking for a pen, I would have to think twice about keeping them. How can you trust that person to make that perfect cup of coffee if they aren't capable of finding a pen on their own?
I went through the "you like her better than me" phase with some of my staff. I sat everyone down and read the law to them. When they come in, they leave ALL personal problems behind. If they find they can't, they don't work here. Period. If they have time to play the struggle game, then they have too much free time on their hands. Perhaps you need to look to see if you really need all those employees at the same time period. And let them know, you'll cut staff if this continues.
Things aren't going to change unless you do - and they see that your attitude has changed and mean it. Maybe it takes sending someone home (without pay) for a few days until they can come back and committ to working by your rules. Once they see you mean business, you'll see a definate change.
Big thing to remember: You're didn't hire them to be your friends - they are your employees. You can be nice without getting into all their drama.
P.S. If this sort of thing is going on in your store, believe me when I say your customers can pick up on it. Doesn't make it very inviting for them. You work too hard to have anyone on your staff take your business down. Youre only as strong as your weakest employee.
Good luck.