Sherin

Don't forget to acknowledge her above average performance to her and her collegues. Praise can always be an incentive for some.

Brandy1

I wish I could find something to praise.... oh-hum....

bjhcpa

Sherin,

In response to your side question....

In most states, having a 90 day probation period in writing and signed by the employee at the time of hire, protects your umemployment rate at the state level. If a new hire quits within that 90 day period, and files for unemployment, it will not effect your unemployment rate if you can show that they have signed the probation notice.

Check with the department of revenue for your state to see if this is the policy there. Most states have this exact policy or something similiar.

Its also good protection for you if you want to fire within the 90 day period as well.

Sherin

Actually, Johhnycomelately asked the side question. But, I hadn't considered a probationary agreement and I will definately check in to WA states employment requirements.
Thanks for the info!
Good stuff!

MJ

Johnny said...
"But I sense I'm starting to go off on a tangant..... "

NO biggie I wouldn't know what that is like..:Iamsurenoonebelievesmegrin:

Sometimes the most usuful advice I ever recievedd came from people who went off on "tangenants." ..as they are called. Good luck with your manual and hiring!

As for the probationary periods in general.... Even in 'fire at will" states..it saves alot of hassles and legal problems. Basically most willpretty much sign anything to get the job. And usually do not pay attention to what they are signing. But it does protect you...either way.

I suggest you emphasize the importance of what they are signing at the time hiring. Of course get them to sign and date that they have recieved their Probationary Contract AND fully understand the conditions, the salon policies, their job description and qualifications to maintain thier employment in your salon.
JMHO

JohnnyComeLately

Thanks again Sherin and MJ. My wife had the idea of a journal, and she's been using that to compliment the good things and mention solutions to the bad. She wrote up "Good job XXXXX on selling $XXX in her single shift. Keep up the good work!..." "We need to focus more on completing the end of day checklist, as clothes are left damp in the washer and floors aren't getting mopped." When my wife informally told everyone 2 days ago that schedule changes were now a "terminatable offense" (sp? real word?), we had the worst offender call in last night to say she couldn't come in today because she couldn't go to a doctors appointment during her "other job". We now have a staff meeting this weekend to formally anounce the change, reiterate the problems rescheduling creates (we make the schedule at the beginning of the month, juggling availability and time off requests....so they have input beforehand...and notice) and, we'll announce the promotion of our best employee. Following the sage advice here and from elsewhere, we also created specific job descriptions for the new "leader" and everyone else.

Hope that all made sense...ok, gotta go stop by the salon and check on things...

CentralVA

Documentation is the key. Document every performance failure in detail to include date and time. Whether it is a right to work state or not, you are the boss. If your employee's performance is substandard either through willful misconduct, or their personal inabilities, you are the final ultimate decision maker. Your attention to detail and documentation will rule in any courtroom in any state in the nation.

With that said, create a "What to Expect while working at (YOUR SALON NAME)" introductory sheet. Spell out in one sentence each important idea you are trying to get across. Leave space at the beginning or end of the statement for the new hire to sign. For instance:

_____ You will meet, greet, smile and work with dozens if not hundreds of different clients each day. You will be courteous, and kind, helpful and brave and thank each and every one of them for their business.

_____ We see hundreds of clients each day, and wash and fold laundry many times each day. You will fold the towels according to the picky way I want the towels folded, and you will stack them in the neat picky stack the way I want them done without fail every single time.

_____ Every day hundreds of tanning clients use our beds. You will use the appropriate disinfecting solution, thoroughly wipe down the entire bed, and you will make sure the room is in immaculate condition before the next client goes into the room

Something like above. Spell it all out. Put signature line on the bottom. Get every current, and every future employee to sign it when hired. This one document will you a handful of reasons to terminate any employee who decides they don't like to do something you mean to have done.