Staff Issue

Staff Issue

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We are only a very small business.  I have one member of staff who, since March, has been pushing and pushing for more money - despite a lot of the UK losing jobs and being on 80% furlough.   As  I depend on them I feel I am being pushed in to a corner with little choice.   I need time to redistribute their work and find a replacement.  In the past we have found it really difficult to find good quality accurate staff.  We've used Indeed mainly to advertise. Can anyone recommend any other places to look for staff.  Thank you.

Replies (18)

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By tom123
07th Aug 2020 14:02

Bear in mind that, (if they have more than 2 years service) you cannot make someone redundant and then replace them. It is the post, not the person.

Are you objectively underpaying - do they have a point?

Recruitment is expensive. For proper staff you really need to use the conventional agencies and pay the usual percentage (15-20)

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Replying to tom123:
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By C Graham
11th Aug 2020 11:10

Use WebRecruit - they are a sort of broker service. Also advertise locally in places where you might find someone who has a lot of experience but currently unemployed. Avoid recruiters if you can- it's an expensive route and they will not necessarily find you better candidates than you can through your own search. Better off paying their commission to the employee you have and can trust.

The redundancy point is correct but could be resolved if you can just redefine the role of the job description you need to demonstrate it is a different role. Expect the hassling employee may be looking elsewhere anyway.

On the other hand, if said employee is taking on a greater responsibility then it might be worth an incentive. If they add value it may not be a bad thing to consider it if you have someone you trust and can rely on. That is sometimes a price worth paying and employees in small companies are rarely up for pay reviews and so need to be more proactive in their career progression so rather than be annoyed by it, perhaps it should be a consideration. And look at alternatives like paying more into their pension scheme or offering healthcare.

It will be down to what you can afford to pay v cannot afford to lose. Either way it will cost you. I think if you've got a decent employee, I might be inclined to review their pay request and keep them rather than go through the exercise of trialing someone who may turn out to be less efficient.

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By NYB
07th Aug 2020 14:07

Not sure whether you are in a large or small area. We have found that on one of these local Facebook sites has been good. Costs nothing. Can word it how you like and call a spade a spade. Or word of mouth. With everyone being made redundant there will be loads around. And yes to find a capable person is always in the lap of the Gods. But don’t be put under threat by member of staff. By and large they have little understanding of what it costs to rub a business and probably thinks “ it’s all right for him”.

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Slim
By Slim
07th Aug 2020 16:26

Ah a serial moaner? I had one of those once

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By mrme89
07th Aug 2020 15:46

You’ll never retain a member of staff that only values the remuneration. They’ll eventually leave for a better package.

As Tom states, it’s the position that you make redundant. So you’ll have to tread very carefully if you want to dismiss and replace.

To start with, I would have a frank an open discussion with the employee. Put across your arguments why you think that they are already fairly remunerated for the work they do, the job market etc. Listen to their points, which may be valid.

You’ll then need to weigh up whether the costs of recruitment, training and lost productivity is worth a grand or two a year to you.

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By jonharris999
07th Aug 2020 17:39

A person who moans repeatedly that they could achieve a more realistic market rate elsewhere should, IMHO and with apologies for those who dislike delicate asterisks, s**t or get off the pot.

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Replying to jonharris999:
By mrme89
07th Aug 2020 21:18

Easy to say that.

But we don’t know their job or what their salary is.

It might be justified.

We don’t know.

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Replying to mrme89:
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By jonharris999
07th Aug 2020 22:08

My point is that if it's justified, a simple and positive course of action is open to them which, it seems, would please everyone - so why wouldn't they take it?

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Replying to jonharris999:
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By hilllinda6
08th Aug 2020 16:45

Maybe the member of staff is trying to be as helpful as possible, not really wanting to leave, understanding the problems their employer will face trying to replace them and simply wanting to be paid a fair days pay for a fair days work.

There are always two sides to every argument

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By JD
08th Aug 2020 13:55

Umm, Does this person have the right skillset you need moving forward to support you and your clients? If so, it's worth looking after them.

If not advertise on Indeed, let the individual know and what will be, will be.

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By Paul Crowley
08th Aug 2020 23:59

Quote:

........ I have one member of staff who, since March, has been pushing and pushing for more money ...........   As  I depend on them.........

There is the issue. If you rely upon him, and issue not satisfactorily addressed if pushing and pushing.

Whatever the result is, plan to make sure that the business can operate without a key employee.

If he is that good I expect he could get a similar job quite easily. It appears he knows he has the power if you keep saying no and he keeps pushing.

What would happen if he called in sick tomorrow, and stayed sick as a result of stress for six months

All secondary schools go through this long term sick issue on a regular basis as the employment contract permits 6 months fully paid sick leave

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7om
By Tom 7000
11th Aug 2020 10:20

What do you pay him now and what does he want and whats his qualifications. Also how much work does he do?
If he invoices the clients £120k a year for good quality minimum supervision work and you pay him 20k I would put him up to 35k or 40k... is he worth it?

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By winton50
11th Aug 2020 10:25

Generally speaking I have always found that when people ask for more money it is rarely about the cash.

It is more about the way they see themselves as being valued within the business, whether they are part of a team and whether they feel they have a positive contribution to make in the future.

Often when people ask for a payrise they are actually asking how much you value them. Your immediate response is to start looking for a replacement and my feeling is that the answer is 'not much'.

As another poster has said, people who stay because you give them a payrise will always leave for a better offer elsewhere.

Personally I'd look at the way you manage your team and how much you include them in the decision making process.

Sit down with them, ask them why they need more money and tell them honestly what your problems are.

Say that you value them but can't pay them more money unless they are able to increase the value they add to the business.

Then set out structured goals based on practice income, the more you make, the more they get paid.

That way you can match the amount you pay them with the value they add to the business.

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Replying to winton50:
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By C Graham
11th Aug 2020 11:14

Good post !

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By towat
11th Aug 2020 11:16

Do you have regular staff appraisals? if not then you should start, this gives the opportunity for you both to give your side of the argument.

I've been on both sides of the fence and it is very demotivating to feel unappreciated and underpaid, sometimes all it takes is a small bonus or an extra perk such as a gift voucher or a spa day for instance, the small cost is far outweighed by the resultant goodwill. Also long service awards such as extra holiday days can deter staff from looking elsewhere.

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By Andy Reeves
11th Aug 2020 14:48

The fact that many elsewhere are on furlough is completely irrelevant. You need to establish what the going rate is for the job that the employee is doing. As you admit you rely on them, they must be doing a good job.

I disagree with others who say the employee is complaining, it rather appears that is you doing the complaining. The employee is just asking you for a raise, and you seem unwilling to explain to them why they can't have it, or even prepared to enter into a discussion about it.

Pay the going rate and stop being a tightwad!

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Replying to Andy Reeves:
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By thestudyman
11th Aug 2020 15:12

Have to agree here - if the business is having continuous issues finding staff, usually it is down to the money on offer, but there may be other factors putting odf potential employees.

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Grace Heathfield
By Grace Mock
09th Sep 2020 11:02

"In the past we have found it really difficult to find good quality accurate staff" - this raises a question to me. Unless you are in some sort of backwater I would ask whether you are really paying what this member of staff is worth.

Something I've noticed with some of my small business clients is where they see every extra penny paid to an employee as a penny less in their own pocket. This leads to good but undervalued staff leaving and poor replacements taking their place. It's a downward spiral where the staff are being paid peanuts and the employer is complaining they only seem to be able to employ monkeys...

Without knowing your member of staff and what you are paying them it's hard to say whether a payrise is justified or not, but it's worth considering whether they have a point, given that you've admitted you depend on them.

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