Owner questions about employees

Straight answers to the employee problems small business owners ask about most, from staff who slack off when you're gone to turnover, conflicts and managers you can't check. Each page gives practical steps first, then how Wevree helps.

• I treat my employees well, so why doesn't it help?
  Being a good boss keeps people from leaving angry, but it doesn't tell anyone which effort matters or whether good work is noticed.
• I treat my employees well and they still quit. Why?
  People rarely quit only over pay or kindness.
• When employees fight, how do I know who's right?
  Usually you can't from one conversation, because each side tells the story that makes them look good and you weren't there.
• My employees keep quitting. What can I do about turnover?
  Start by finding out why people leave, by shift, manager and role, because the cause is often one fixable thing.
• I can't trust my manager. How do I know what's really going on?
  If everything you know about your staff comes through one manager, you only know what that manager sees and chooses to tell you.
• Dealing with employees is the hardest part of running a business. Is there an easier way?
  For most small business owners, people problems are harder than money or product because you can't see everything, and staff won't always tell you the truth.
• Everything falls apart when I'm not there. How do I fix it?
  When a business only runs well with the owner present, it usually means standards live in the owner's head and the only consequence is being seen.
• My employees work hard when I'm there and slack off when I'm gone. What do I do?
  This is one of the most common complaints owners post about.
• What should I do if I think an employee is stealing?
  Preserve the evidence first, then investigate quietly, then act.
• How do I deal with an employee who lies?
  Deal with the lie as a specific behavior, not a character attack.
• How do I stop gossip and drama at work?
  Drama grows where people don't have a safe, fair way to raise problems, so they talk behind each other's backs instead.
• How do I deal with a lazy employee?
  First make sure it's laziness and not unclear expectations, bad training or a problem at home.
• How do I decide which employee to promote?
  Promote the person who already does the job well and whom the team respects, not just the one who's been there longest or talks to you most.
• When is it time to fire an employee?
  When you've been clear about the problem, given a fair chance to fix it, and it keeps happening, or when there's theft, violence or a serious safety issue.
• How do I avoid bad hires?
  Most bad hires look fine on paper and in a short interview.
• Can I trust employee references?
  Only partly.
• How do I handle a manager who plays favorites?
  Favoritism is hard to see from the top because the favorites look great in the manager's reports.
• How should I handle a no call, no show employee?
  Have a written policy before it happens, and apply it the same way to everyone.
• How do I give feedback to employees without starting a fight?
  Make it specific, private, soon and about the work, not the person.
• How do I keep my good employees from leaving?
  Notice them, pay them fairly for their market, protect them from coworkers who make their job harder, and give them a way to grow.
• How do I deal with a toxic employee?
  Name the specific behavior, set a clear line, and act if it continues, even if the person is good at the job.
• My employees cover for each other. How do I find out what's really happening?
  Covering usually happens when people are friends, afraid, or don't trust that being honest will be safe.
• How do I figure out which employee is the real problem?
  The loudest person isn't always the problem, and the quiet one isn't always innocent.
• How do I motivate employees without money?
  Notice good work by name, give people some control over how they work, make the work feel fair, and give them something to build.
• How do I evaluate employees fairly?
  Use the same few criteria for everyone, look at months instead of moments, and get more than one point of view.
• How do I manage and get honest feedback from Spanish-speaking staff?
  Give them the same information and the same voice in the language they're most comfortable in.