I often say, lightheartedly, that I should write a book one day describing all the experiences I have collected over the years, involving employees. One thing is for sure, people are dynamic beings and often unpredictable.
However, without a team and if you do not create future leaders in your organisation, there is little to no prospect of long-term sustainability and continuity. It, therefore, goes without saying that a well-functioning team is worth gold. But what about the stories we rarely share?!
As I am writing this, I cannot but now find some of my experiences humorous:
- There was one who sat on his employer’s chair and took selfies whenever she was not in her office….
- Then there was one that started employment, worked out his first day and never came back.
- I cannot but mention the one who lost all sight of ethics and inflated her timesheets. Or the one that called in sick, after claiming she hurt her foot. That later elaborated into being ill and needing an operation. Lastly, actually having been kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend and therefore could not come to work for over a week.
I also remember a situation where, after the hearing, the employee was dismissed. He screamed profanities all the way out the front door (down 10 flights of stairs). Or the one that after being found guilty of assaulting a co-worker, had to literally get that last swing in.
Things, as a commercial lawyer, chairing hearings – you do not always think you will witness in life.
One thing is for sure, building a business is tough – regardless of who you are or what industry you work in. Hopefully, though not everyone will witness what I have through my own journey or in hearings, I have chaired.
Although contracts and policies cannot avoid all and every dispute, a concrete structure goes a long way to ensure that these are minimised.
