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Some relatives of mine own a small business that they've operated for the last 40 years. Its treated them pretty well all things considered. They're looking at retirement in about 2 or 3 years, and in all likelihood I'll be taking over after the decide they're ready to retire. At least, until I get tired of it and hand it off to a cousin lol. We've both worked there off and on for many years and know the business inside and out.
So here is the deal. The company has what I call a problem employee. Ever known anyone that time after time after time, they've proven that they're just a bad person? That is my opinion of this employee. Not someone who's just made you mad or hurt your little feelings or something, I'm talking about someone who is just... bad. But, the relatives view this person as a key employee cause she will always be available. And the work that she does isn't always required. Sometimes she's needed, other times she's not. She may work for 3 weeks, but then be off a week. That's usually about how it goes. But she is always available simply for the fact that imo, its unlikely that she could work anywhere else. And be able to keep the job, anyway. She likely couldn't get along with any of the other employees for any length of time due to her many numerous personality flaws. But here, she works with another woman who is her sister inlaw so she is sort of forced to be somewhat... professional.
She's worked there ever since I was a kid, so she's a long term employee. The other employees all seem to have a strong dislike of her, and I know why. I know she has stolen from the business with some frequency, and gets involved in affairs of the business that are not her place such as trying to get the other employees to insist on raises or higher pay. As in, either they all get a big raise, or they don't work until they do. And its all unskilled labor so of course there is a cap on how much they need to be getting paid. She's actually had success doing that a few times. Or if anyone has any kind of side work for any of the other employees, she makes it her business to somehow get involved and try and make sure that they're paid way too much. That usually doesn't pan out, but it gives you an idea of who I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure she even killed the neighbor's dog that growled at her. There is a neighboring business right across the street, and the owner had some kind of mutt that he had for about 9 years. I know those people as well, and everyone loved the dog.
But it hated people throwing rocks at it and one time it was behind her car and she threw rocks at it to get it to go away. So it growled. From then on she talked and talked about how much she hated the dog and how bad he was and how she would be glad if it died. A few years later she was joking and laughing about having poisoned the dog to death. I helped the guy bury his dog cause it ended up that it had died on our side of the road and I just thought I'd be nice cause he's an older guy who probly would have had a hard time digging the hole. It looked uninjured, but very bloated up and had been foaming at the mouth or something. I can remember at the time, we were confused as to what had killed it. He had seen it acting just fine a few hours earlier and it wasn't anywhere near the road and didn't appear to have been hit by a car. Besides, this dog had long known to stay out of the way of cars. So while I have no proof that she did anything to the dog, knowing this person I would not doubt it one tiny little bit. So to get to the point, she is related to, and even lives near some of the other employees. If "laid off", word would eventually get around to her that she'd been replaced. If fired, I know that she's vindictive enough to cause some kind of future problems. Probably real bad problems. So to all the other small business owners out there with half a dozen/a dozen employees... what would you do? How would you handle the situation? Eventually it will be mine to deal with and I think I'm through with all the problems she causes. I'm trying not to look at this from a personal standpoint, but rather a professional one. Even though I personally don't approve of her or her lifestyle, (i won't even go into her lifestyle) I'm trying to keep that out of it. I think she's just bad for the business. I think she hurts a lot more than she helps.
So here is the deal. The company has what I call a problem employee. Ever known anyone that time after time after time, they've proven that they're just a bad person? That is my opinion of this employee. Not someone who's just made you mad or hurt your little feelings or something, I'm talking about someone who is just... bad. But, the relatives view this person as a key employee cause she will always be available. And the work that she does isn't always required. Sometimes she's needed, other times she's not. She may work for 3 weeks, but then be off a week. That's usually about how it goes. But she is always available simply for the fact that imo, its unlikely that she could work anywhere else. And be able to keep the job, anyway. She likely couldn't get along with any of the other employees for any length of time due to her many numerous personality flaws. But here, she works with another woman who is her sister inlaw so she is sort of forced to be somewhat... professional.
She's worked there ever since I was a kid, so she's a long term employee. The other employees all seem to have a strong dislike of her, and I know why. I know she has stolen from the business with some frequency, and gets involved in affairs of the business that are not her place such as trying to get the other employees to insist on raises or higher pay. As in, either they all get a big raise, or they don't work until they do. And its all unskilled labor so of course there is a cap on how much they need to be getting paid. She's actually had success doing that a few times. Or if anyone has any kind of side work for any of the other employees, she makes it her business to somehow get involved and try and make sure that they're paid way too much. That usually doesn't pan out, but it gives you an idea of who I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure she even killed the neighbor's dog that growled at her. There is a neighboring business right across the street, and the owner had some kind of mutt that he had for about 9 years. I know those people as well, and everyone loved the dog.
But it hated people throwing rocks at it and one time it was behind her car and she threw rocks at it to get it to go away. So it growled. From then on she talked and talked about how much she hated the dog and how bad he was and how she would be glad if it died. A few years later she was joking and laughing about having poisoned the dog to death. I helped the guy bury his dog cause it ended up that it had died on our side of the road and I just thought I'd be nice cause he's an older guy who probly would have had a hard time digging the hole. It looked uninjured, but very bloated up and had been foaming at the mouth or something. I can remember at the time, we were confused as to what had killed it. He had seen it acting just fine a few hours earlier and it wasn't anywhere near the road and didn't appear to have been hit by a car. Besides, this dog had long known to stay out of the way of cars. So while I have no proof that she did anything to the dog, knowing this person I would not doubt it one tiny little bit. So to get to the point, she is related to, and even lives near some of the other employees. If "laid off", word would eventually get around to her that she'd been replaced. If fired, I know that she's vindictive enough to cause some kind of future problems. Probably real bad problems. So to all the other small business owners out there with half a dozen/a dozen employees... what would you do? How would you handle the situation? Eventually it will be mine to deal with and I think I'm through with all the problems she causes. I'm trying not to look at this from a personal standpoint, but rather a professional one. Even though I personally don't approve of her or her lifestyle, (i won't even go into her lifestyle) I'm trying to keep that out of it. I think she's just bad for the business. I think she hurts a lot more than she helps.
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