Employee Schedulers Hear Every Excuse

Employee Schedulers Hear Excuses

Did you have an employee late for work this morning? Or did you hire a recent team member who had a recent doctor’s appointment that was scheduled, but failed to mention it to you? As employee schedulers, even our best employees pull a good excuse from time to time. And while you secretly grin from ear to ear knowing you have caught this employee red-handed, it’s tricky to know exactly how to react or what to say. You may be short staffed, or the employee with an excuse is normally a perfect team member with no past absentees or problems. When you simply don’t know how to communicate or respond under pressure when an employee calls in sick, you probably respond with a hesitant, somewhat concerned statement of “That’s OK. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Some employee schedulers have learned the hard way  that when you get in the habit of accepting excuses like this, your employees will be quick to walk all over you and your authority. ScheduleBase has heard a few excuses of its own and has come up with a quick list of comical, but realistic work excuses keeping employee schedulers everywhere on their toes and rolling their eyes with hidden concern.

I Forgot You Hired Me

This isn’t one of those awkward moments when an employee is confused about actually having a day off or unsure about a shift on a schedule. We are talking about an employee who actually “forgot” he was hired to work for the company. As an employee scheduler, you really need to ask yourself “Would I ever forget to go to work?” before responding to a newly hired employee who finds a way to use this excuse. You may find hidden factors that make you question your initial decision to hire this person in the first place.

My Heart is Broken

Walking into your boss’ office and saying you’d like to take a few days off because a family member is sick is a little different from saying you need to come to terms with the idea that you and your boyfriend had an argument last night over finances. Even as ridiculous as this excuse might sound, there persists the corporate and societal bias that minor relationship issues are serious enough to miss work. If you are an employee scheduler, do you think this kind of time off request should be more widely available and acceptable?

I Have Food Poisoning

How many of you actually think this works? Food poisoning has quickly become one of the most common excuses when calling in sick for work or becoming sick while at work. Employee schedulers everywhere can relate when an employee calls and explains the following dramatic situation:

– @ 8PM – I ate leftover seafood last night
– @ 3AM – I woke up with a large rumble in my stomach
– @ 4AM – I was in the bathroom for an hour
– @ 5AM – I tried to go back to sleep, but I kept getting worse and I’ve been unable to rest
– @ 7AM – I’m too exhausted and now I need to stay home from work, OK?

I’m Catching Up on Sleep

Employee schedulers know that all employees lead different personal lives, some more lively than others and many choosing to take work home. Some employees lose sleep because of actual work projects due with deadlines. Others choose to lose sleep on Friday and Saturday nights when the social scene is priority. However, come Monday morning, some employees aren’t feeling so bright-eyed and motivated for the work week. What is the only resolution? Of course, it’s going to be to call in sick and catch up on sleep. When is the right time to say “enough is enough” with your staff?

I Don’t Feel Like Working Today

We don’t feel like writing this column today. Don’t get us wrong. We enjoy giving you this information. We at ScheduleBase love having the opportunity to share small business ideas and strategies with you. But today, we’re just not in the mood.

This situation is one that many employee schedulers have a difficult time comprehending. Does this type of attitude convey a lack of motivation? Are your employees bored with the job? What can I do to keep this staff member on track? It’s no secret that we all have feelings like this. Everyone, at one time or another, has woken up in the morning and simply doesn’t feel like getting ready to face the day. It doesn’t matter how successful we are or how much we have to get done, sometimes we just feel like staying in bed.

Admit it employee schedulers. You have days like this, too.

About ScheduleBase

ScheduleBase is online employee scheduling software from Atlas Business Solutions, the leader in providing employee scheduling software. In little to no time, businesses can schedule employees online and communicate work schedules by email, text message and mobile device. Put your scheduling online and save time and money while offering your employees easier access to their schedules and an effective communication tool for you.