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The Store Room: How Do You Deal With Employee Behavior?

Our monthly column is devoted to what works and what doesn’t — for our readers, from our readers

“How do you deal with negative employee behavior? Conversely, how do you reward positive employee behavior?”

Aubrea Kennedy
The Party Source
Bellevue, Ky.
We mainly try to focus and reward positive behavior in hopes to eliminate negative behavior. We have several reward systems in place that we learned when some of our managers attended customer service training from a retailer in Michigan. The first program is our red/green alerts. We give out both green alerts and red alerts to employees for both good and bad behavior.

Green alerts are given to employees that have provided great customer service or behavior, red alerts are given if we received a customer complaint or if a manager witnesses bad customer service or behavior. Both alerts can be given by a manager or a customer. Once an employee receives five green alerts, they can trade those in for a gift certificate to the store or the local cinema. Red alerts are put in their personnel file.

We also have extra mile cards where a manager can give an employee an extra mile card if they are caught going the extra mile for a customer, co-worker or the store in general. Going the extra mile is considered anything that is above and beyond the job and that is not asked of this person. If an employee receives an extra mile card, they are put into a monthly drawing, with the winner receiving $100.

We also have oral and written reprimands for employees who exhibit any kind of negative behavior. We have found that our green alerts and extra mile cards far outweigh the red alerts and reprimands.


Annie Maryles
Party Helper
Chicago
The main rule in our business is nothing gets discussed regarding the event we are working on. It could be a guest asking an employee they run into about the start time of the event — the answer is, “I don’t know.” This person got an invitation that has that information.

At the event, if a guest asks “how many guests are here this evening?" the answer is, “I don’t know.” To explain this last example, I don’t know if the guest is trying figure out how much money the host is spending. Maybe they are planning an event and are interested to know how many people fit in the room. If so, they can call the hotel and find out the answer based on their future needs.

If this happens, then the employee is fired. I once had to fire someone the same day they were hired because the hosts told me that a guest of theirs told them they knew that “Susie” would be working their wedding. Other than that I cut an employee a great deal of slack in the beginning, just as long as they learn from one experience to the next. I haven’t needed to let anyone go since 1973.
 

Adriane Brandenburg
Fun Party and Wedding Services
Shawnee, Kan.
I am so incredibly lucky with our employees. I have the best crew ever of both “adults” and high school kids. The high school girls are friends and it makes it fun for them to come to work. Three of the high school kids graduated this year, and as a reward I had a limo pick them up on their last day of school and take them about town for the afternoon. Also, treating them to ice cream or lunch is a fun little way to say, “thank you and I appreciate you.”

On the rare occasion that something arises, I just confront them and deal with the issue. I think of my employees as family. After all, we are a family-owned business.

Denise Hagopian
Heavenly Choice events
Montebello, Calif.
The best way to deal with negative employee performance is determining what is really behind the anger. Sometimes it’s family stress, another employee, money problems, etc.

First, I buy them lunch and sit to chitchat with the employee. Next, during our weekly meetings I ask if anyone has personal things going on or needs any extra time off. Third, I ask other employees for help and if there’s anything we can do as a team to help. If I have done something to create the anger, I make a public apology to everyone, acknowledging the error and taking the stress off of singling one person out.

Positive behavior is thanked publically during meetings, by giving little goodies and sweet treats, letting them leave early when something special is happening in their personal lives and complimenting them in front of customers.

Susie Stephan
Party N Dollar
Augusta, Ga.
I’ve been doing this for years in my interviews. I let the potential employee know that in order to keep my good employees happy and not looking for other employment, I quickly get rid of my bad ones. I make it clear that if they break store policy, call in frequently, don’t accomplish the tasks given to them, etc., they will be replaced. 

I have learned that my good workers will stay with me much longer if they can count on me to replace problem employees.  If they are happy, everything seems to go more smoothly. These days, pay raises are harder to hand out, but bending over to give them more hours seems to be the next best thing, along with spoken appreciation.

Deb Kerkstra
Creative Events
Allegan, Mich.
This is an intriguing question, as I have no employees. I run the business mostly by myself with occasional help from my family, so I guess my employee would be me! 

When I find myself getting into a negative state of mind, lots of chocolate usually helps get me through the day. When I’m having a good day, that’s reward enough!

Originally posted Friday, Jul. 30, 2010