Work schedule is really tight in most contemporary businesses. For this reason working people, especially ladies, would want to have their full weekends to take care of their social, domestic and personal functions.
I always say, ‘the weekend is never enough for me…’
These are what I’m likely to do on any weekend:
· Get extra sleep; cook; clean; visit with family; spa; TV; bond with the kids; run errands for the home…
I suppose yours isn’t that different. Okay. Remember though, that you cannot eat your cake and still keep it!
This is sometimes the cause of unscheduled leave and absenteeism in the workplace. Personal things must be taken care of but the weekend alone doesn’t suffice. People find a way, anyway. Regrettably, ways they often find rather make their journey longer, more difficult, dangerous, complex, and miserable in the end.
A sad incident happened during this week to a young lady I know in the neighbouhood. She works with a real estate company in town. Here is Emily’s story.
At 27, Emily Simpson is a Theatre Arts graduate from the University of Ghana. She is single, beautiful but lacks wits. Disappointingly! I watch her often and listen to her carefully each time she expresses her thoughts on issues and for me, she appears to have dashed through school, somehow passed exams and gotten herself a job as a Business Executive. Emily’s vain self makes her excessively conscious of her looks with every tick of the clock, regardless of where she is or what she may be doing. Ms Simpson will do anything at the expense of anything to look good. For Simpson, her flattery and over-embellished appearance takes precedence over everything else. She just is not clever!
You Will Understand Why
Simpson’s always boasted of her familiarity with her CEO of which she took advantage. Simpson being inexperienced, coupled with a not-too-firm supervisor decided to get a hairdo while she was supposed to be working on clients’ applications and appointments. She feigned sickness, took the day off without permission; does not have courtesy to call until her Boss called; shows up the next day spotting incredibly tiny strands of braided hair. (she didn’t have this hairdo the day prior). Same person who claimed she had taken ill the previous day.
Supervisor’s Reaction. Simple.
Supervisor hands Simpson a query in which the former, among other things, demands to sight evidence of so-called hospital attendance (ie Doctor’s consultation sheet/excuse duty).
As unintelligent as Simpson is, upon receiving the query, in being defensive, flares up, throws tantrums, swears, gets insolent and tells her boss in her face, ‘I am not going to respond to your query.’ ‘Why do you need to see evidence of my hospital attendance…’
Supervisor reports the matter to the Directors of the company, Simpson is summoned for fair hearing; she fumbles; contradicts herself; and guess what? She is fired!
Question: Could she not have waited to fix that hair over the weekend? Even if she desperately needed to do this for a weekend function could she not have properly sought for prior approval?
Was it necessary for Simpson to have taken on that reckless posture at the time she got the query?
When her Supervisor (who happens to be a Church member) called to narrate this drama, I said, 'Ma’am, this is pathetic but she deserves what she’s got.'
Admonishing
There are numerous young graduates who have completed university but cannot find jobs. They search and search but it is difficult. Some of the very few who really do find jobs really do not deserve to be in corporate employment. This is the hard fact!
In every endeavour one has got to be disciplined. Discipline is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. If we cheat our way through, our ‘successes’ will not last. Cheating by absenteeism, lateness, idleness, dishonesty and insubordination.
In the work place one must be alive to one thing. That the job at stake must be done. Non-negotiable.
Emily, I do hope you find a new job. When you do, remember, that our jobs form the basis of our livelihood and therefore we CANNOT afford to joke when we have one. We cannot cheat and expect that we will be paid for that.
Employers’ Commitment
Knowing that the issue of absenteeism and unscheduled leave is financially draining on any company, employers should invest in packaging some practical staff welfare programmes which will sustain the health, well being and enthusiasm for staff to show up at work. Arrange for more flexible time-off options. The cost- benefit analysis of this investment will show that benefits from staff welfare packages will significantly reduce absenteeism which is often caused by:
1. Illness/Hospital attendance
2. Stress related conditions
3. Workload
4. Inequity
5. Unrealistic reporting timelines
6. Poor Supervision
7. Interviews for other promising jobs
Great piece.
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