Developing story: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi confirmed dead in chopper crash
Of weird staff and strange behaviours
What you need to know:
- The business seems to be running well, but why is the bottom margin always so low? You wonder.
- Your employee could be using your business to facilitate his own enterprise.
- One investor in the liquor business found out that his employee used to report to work with his own carton of drinks, which he would sell throughout the day.
There are few things about employees’ characters that shock astute employers. But, believe it or not, just like some employers are toxic, there is a class of employees that is simply difficult to handle. They include:
The superstitious type
An employer recently recounted seeing a staff member engaging in a bizarre activity. This employee would be the first to report every morning, which was understandable given his position. But what was shocking is the way he would enter his office. On opening the door, he would make an anticlockwise turn and enter back first, like a warthog to its lair. There would be hand gestures preceding the strange procession. It took time for the employer to discover the employee was into dark arts and the ritualistic entrance was his way of protecting his job.
Those who run parallel enterprises
The business seems to be running well, but why is the bottom margin always so low? You wonder. Your employee could be using your business to facilitate his own enterprise. One investor in the liquor business found out that his employee used to report to work with his own carton of drinks, which he would sell throughout the day. He would then sell a few bottles off the shelf to blind the employer.
Costly beef
You may have two employees who can’t stand one another, and regularly find new ways of undermining each other. An employer recalls an incident where an employee sneaked into his office when he was out, took the phone that was charging and dropped it into the bag of his rival. When he returned to his office, he raised alarm over the missing phone, and when a search was ordered, it was recovered in the bag of the equally shocked employee. He was fired on the spot. Fortunately, the company had surveillance cameras and upon review, the truth came out.
The sacked employee sued, and an out of court settlement saw the company not only compensating the injured party but lose two employees when the innocent one refused reinstatement.
Paying self from till
Not everyone can foresee an emergency, or has money set aside to address such a situation. When emergencies occur, a devious employee manning the till may decide to pay themselves in advance. Worse, an employee who feels like he is being underpaid can decide to empty the entire till and then vanish into thin air.
