Sales Strategy
10 Things A Manager Should Never Ask Employees To Do, And Five Things Employees Should Never Do June 07, 2017 (0 comments)
New York, NY—In the absence of a detailed employment contract, an employer in the United States can require employees to do just about anything that’s legal. But just because they can doesn’t mean they should.
This article from TheBalance.com details 10 things a manager should never ask employees to do:
1. Anything they wouldn’t do themselves. Yes, sometimes messes happen. Employees respect a manager who is the first one to roll up sleeves and fix it or clean it—and they won’t resent it if later you ask them to do it.
2. Cancel a vacation. Yes, sometimes there’s an all-hands-on-deck crisis (like, say, an impending hurricane), but for anything less, don’t ask an employee to give up a pre-planned vacation.
3. Work off the clock. It’s illegal for non-exempt employees, so that should be enough of a deterrent, but it also engenders resentment and that’s never a good work environment.
4. Falsify records. Again, obvious—but even asking employees to tell little white lies like a vendor’s check was mailed when it wasn’t costs you their respect.
5. Take a fall for you. Take responsibility for managing your department and if an employee did screw up, address it with them separately.
6. Work crazy hours. Holiday hours in retail are long, and nobody expects any less. But if that’s your norm the rest of the time, something needs to be adjusted.
7. Put up with an abusive customer. Dealing with an angry customer and trying to make it right is part of the job in retail, but when angry crosses the line into abusive, step in.
8. Put up with bullying. Unless it’s based on race, gender, or other protected class, bullying isn’t illegal, but having a jerk on your team is bad news. Bullies that won’t stop need to go—even top performers.
9. Work sick. Sniffles are one thing but fever, vomiting, and other contagious illnesses are best not spread to coworkers or customers.
10. Donate to charity. Philanthropy is a great business philosophy, and it’s wonderful if your employees are on board, but making them contribute is not ok.
And here are five career-boosting tips for employees from TheBalance.com:
1. Complain right. It’s ok to complain about a legitimate problem, but make sure it’s a problem that’s fixable and have a viable action plan to fix it. Otherwise it’s just whining.
2. Don’t overshare. Nobody needs to know the ins and outs of your relationship or family dramas.
3. Listen and act accordingly. If your boss says you need to come in earlier, come in earlier. If he or she says to prioritize task A over task B, then do it.
4. Online caution! Anything and everything you do—even deleted—can be retrieved if necessary. Remember that if you’re tempted to let off steam in an email, post something controversial on social media, or job hunt from the company computer.
5. Refer a friend or relative for a job only when they’re truly right for the job—not because they’re your friend or you want the referral bonus. If it doesn’t work out, it is no good for anyone.