Are You Managing Scared?

I recently had a conversation with a manager that expressed a challenge he is having with a current employee.  He explained that due to the tight job market, good employees are hard to find, so he doesn’t believe he is effectively able to manage his staff.  The manager is so worried about losing someone and not being able to replace them, that he has become more lenient on company policies such as attendance, and tardiness.  He also expressed that he would rather overlook things that are normally expected of his staff because, in his opinion, having a consistently late employee is better than having to find another one. 

The issues are not consistent with the entire team; however, it is being seen as favoritism by the members of the team who show up every day on time.  The management has lowered their standards because of the job market, and the employees who are getting the benefits are the ones who are not meeting the expectations that were originally set for them. 

Every organization has a company culture and if the management is not intentional about the culture that is created, the employees will create their own.  If you are in a business where some employees have to perform extra work because others are absent – it is time to set clear guidelines and expectations.  If the fear of losing an employee has removed consequences for poor performance then you can expect one of two things to happen: You will either lose the good employees that are performing well and taking up the slack, or the other employees will see there are no consequences and will also begin to slack off.  Either way, you will find yourself in a bad situation. 

When a manager is intentional, they are able to create a company culture where employees enjoy a work-life balance while also understanding the importance of being on time and present.  This avoids favoritism and encourages an environment where your employees’ personal lives matter.  Your company culture will not be a fit for everyone and that’s ok!  Sometimes losing an employee is not a bad thing; it doesn’t mean the employee is bad or the company culture is bad – it simply means it isn’t a good fit.

If a manager is willing to please one employee at the expense of the rest of the team, be prepared to lose the rest of the team.