Ask Amy: on today's episode of HR is not your friend

[lemonsharks]

Dear Amy: I have managed many work teams throughout my professional career and enjoy it very much. I generally try to find the good in each employee, appreciate their strengths, and accommodate individual personality quirks in order to foster a culture of tolerance in order to accomplish team goals.

However, one employee’s “quirk,” is increasingly irritating to me. She does not ask permission to take time off, but instead tells me when she’ll be taking time off. This happens for advanced-notice vacation time as well as short-notice emergency time. For example, she recently texted me in the morning, that she would be leaving at 1:00 p.m. that day.

This employee does excellent work. She is friendly, reliable, competent, and does not abuse her earned paid leave time.

Am I being too sensitive? Am I wrong in thinking that employees should respectfully ask their supervisors for permission to take time off? (I have never denied an employee time off.)

Should I let it go because she’s such a great employee? I don’t want to upset her, but I find this practice annoyingly passive-aggressive.

I also don’t think it’s fair to other employees who ask my permission to take time off.

– Miffed Manager

Dear Miffed: If your employee declares to you when she is taking time off and you are worried about being “too sensitive,” as well as the prospect of “upsetting her,” then I’d say she has you right where she wants you.

Do you have a company policy about scheduling (non-emergency) time off? If not, then you should enact one. Here is some sample language for PTO (paid time off): “To take PTO requires two days of notice to the supervisor and Human Resources unless the PTO is used for legitimate, unexpected illness or emergencies.”

And then you should enforce it.

The way to enforce your policy is to do what my various managers have done over the years: make your policy clear to all the employees, and, if this one employee continues to violate it, deal with her directly.

By all means, highlight her positive contributions to the company, and let her know that being a great worker also compels her to adhere to the guidelines that each employee is expected to follow.

Comments

[lemonsharks]

Your boss sounds like an absolute pill and you have 110% of my sympathy for having to work with them

[purlewe]

thank you. telling stories about my boss always makes people think I am making parts of it up. She is so wildly off base when it comes to managing. This example is the mildest irritant about working with her. But the one I am the MOST vocal about bc I refuse to give up my vacation time bc it doesn't suit her.

[lemonsharks]

I've had bosses like this and they are the complete and utter worst.

(My first office job, that I was at for 7 years, I spent my first two years with no more than 4 consecutive days off (scheduled 4 day weekends), and 5 years with no more than 5 consecutive days off (3 day weekend + 2 days PTO), because they had me doing so many things that there was always at least one department that couldn't spare me.

And then when I finally went fuck it 5 years in and started taking sick time as needed and not being available over my vacations I was the problem.

Getting laid off from that nightmare office was the best thing that ever happened to me professionally.

[purlewe]

My previous job to this was at a alternative newspaper. No one was allowed time off on the following days: Fridays (bc we closed the book/paper) Mondays (bc we checked the book for errors) and Wednesdays (pub day) The 18 months I worked in that office I never took a day off or saw anyone else take a day off. There was a reason for high turnover at that office.

The job I am in now the previous boss I had was one of those who not only was good at being a boss, but she was fabulous at making sure everyone took their time. She wanted us all to be our best, and she felt like taking time off and getting us the most money for her employees in our dept were her two major goals. Seeing her in stark contrast with current boss is striking.

[lemonsharks]

ten bucks says the newspaper didn't actually pay you for time spent at office pub day, despite being a mandatory work activity that no one was allowed to skip.