(Hons), BVC, LL.M, P.C.H.E
EMPLOYER/employee relationships diminish over time if there is a lack of communication, commitment and compensation. There was much positive feedback to my recent article on ‘25 Things You Should Never Say To Your Employer’ and I thank the readers sincerely. The following is gleaned from both practical and theoretical sources:
1. “Do as I say and not as I do…” : You cannot always spend your day chatting with colleagues and/or on social media then challenge your employee’s work ethic, if yours as the employer leaves a lot to be desired. You are a leader, therefore, lead by example! Note: a store manager (who is not the owner of the store) is also an employee, so even though he or she is the immediate “boss”, it means he or she has to perform well at his or her job or risk losing the job as well.
2. “Do you know what the unemployment rate is right now? You should thank your lucky stars you still have a job”: If your employee’s job performance is unsatisfactory, then you need to have a discussion about this WITHOUT the sarcasm. Let your employee know what his or her duties are, and explain clearly what your expectations are. This should invariably be in writing, as compliance with the Labour Code is essential.
3. “When I ask you do to something, do it, otherwise I will find someone else who will”: This sounds uncharitable. Avoid being insensitive to your employee. If he or she is becoming insubordinate, then you need to relieve him or her from the duties of the current position and quite rightly find someone else to take the job. No one is indispensable.
4. “I don’t have time for this”: If your employee asks to speak with you about a work related problem, make the time; even if it is a few minutes to actively listen to the problem and try to resolve it with some immediacy. If you are about to go into a meeting, politely indicate that you will discuss their concern later, and set a time which is mutually convenient.
5. “Stress? Are you kidding me? Let me tell you about stress…”: It is generally considered insensitive to compare your stress levels with that of your employee, depending on the nature of your relationship. For example, a partner and an associate in a law firm may discuss stress because they can be seen to be doing similar jobs, however, it may not be appropriate to do so their with personal assistants.
6. “Has she gained weight again or is she pregnant?” : Never, ever disparage ANYONE because of her weight, especially if, in the case of a woman, she could be pregnant. This is ill-advised and tasteless. This could be deemed a form of indirect discrimination and grounds for legal action against the individual making those colourless remarks and/or the business at large, if the owner is aware that this type of harassing behaviour is the order of the day and does not do anything to stop it.
7. “Come here, sweet lips, I need you to type this for me…” : Sex Discrimination is also serious infraction, according to the discrimination laws. An employee who feels uncomfortable because his/her boss constantly calls him/ her something endearing when they are merely work colleagues, could have grounds for legal action against such an employer, who is trying to belittle the employee by calling him/her “honeypot”, “sweet cheeks” and the like.
8. “Well, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks…” : An employee who is over sixty (60) and is the butt of jokes such as this, has a case for Age Discrimination. This is a growing area of Employment Law in the Caribbean, as more persons reaching retirement find themselves still working to maintain their lifestyles and resisting entering the next phase of their lives…retirement. Ageist jokes can make older employees feel displaced and unwelcome by their younger colleagues.
9. “You will never make it to Heaven if you keep that up!” : Religion is something that should not be joked about at all. Whether you, as an employer, are particularly religious or not; belong to the same religious denomination or not, you should RESPECT everyone’s religion. Commenting that an employee will not go to Heaven because of a late night out etc., is simply inappropriate.
10. “Is that your name on the door?”: If you have to remind your employee that you are the boss, then it is either time to relieve the employee of his or her duties or re-think why your name is on the door. It sounds unprofessional and insecure.
Ms. Trudy O. Glasgow is a practising attorney at the law firm Trudy O. Glasgow & Associates, a court-appointed mediator and author in Saint Lucia (and has also taught law at University level in the UK)* She is also the current Vice President of the Bar Association of Saint Lucia.
This column is for general use only, for advice specifically for your case, please see your lawyer.
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