I have a co-worker who is running a Web-based business on
company time.
”
Linn
”
spends hours monitoring her website, taking orders, sending
invoices and arranging for shipments.
Q:
I have a co-worker who is running a Web-based business on company time. “Linn” spends hours monitoring her website, taking orders, sending invoices and arranging for shipments. At the end of the day, she prints out her documents and takes them home.
Linn gives more time to her business than to her job, but our boss appears to be completely unaware of these activities.
He occasionally asks other employees to help Linn out because she’s so busy. However, she’s just busy making money for herself.
Linn’s behavior is just plain wrong, and she should not be allowed to get away with it. Is there anything I can do?
A:
Bluntly put, Linn is a thief. By accepting a paycheck, then using work time for her own personal gain, she is effectively stealing from the company. Advising management of this transgression is no different than reporting someone who pockets money from a cash register.
If you work in a large business, you can ask the human resources manager or corporate attorney to investigate while keeping your name confidential. However, if you’re in a small company, going directly to management may be your only option. In that case, have a concerned colleague accompany you to verify your story.
When you describe the situation, remain calm and focus on the facts. For example: “I thought you should know that Linn has been running a personal business on company time. She spends several hours a day selling products through her website. Other employees are becoming resentful because she’s falling behind in her work. We would appreciate your investigating this.”
Once you inform the powers-that-be, you will have done all that you can do. If your management is at all competent, Linn will soon be operating her business at home.
Q:
One of my employees constantly criticizes her colleagues for making “immoral” life choices. Her judgmental remarks are creating a very uncomfortable atmosphere on our team. As a business owner, I feel I have a responsibility to keep people from being harassed this way. What should I do?
A:
For starters, you should tell this self-righteous woman that she must immediately stop lecturing co-workers about their personal lives. Explain that this rule applies to all team members, including anyone who might criticize her own life choices.
To ensure that everyone understands your expectations, discuss the issue in a team meeting without mentioning this particular employee. The others may assume that her behavior triggered your remarks, but that’s OK as long as you don’t single her out.
For example: “As team members, we need to recognize and respect the boundary between our work and our personal lives. Making critical comments about a colleague’s lifestyle is disruptive to the team and totally unacceptable. If anyone ever treats you this way, please let me know.”
A stern admonition may resolve the problem. But if your sanctimonious employee stubbornly refuses to curb her offensive behavior, the only solution is to remove her from the team.
