Hi Kally,
I was wondering if you can help me here. My problem isn’t as big as what the others have written but still it’s like a thorn in the flesh.
I’m in my mid-thirties and like you, I enjoy my work and my workplace tremendously. I worked in a small retail clothing store with 7 other colleagues, we have always been such great team. Just last year before Christmas, my eldest sister got retrenched.
The problem arises when she ask me to recommend her to my company. I mean I really love my sister but she’s a bad employee in my opinion. She’s lazy and a couple of times I caught her at home with our parents when she should have been at work. More than a couple of times, she would reveal that she has taken a few bucks here and there from the petty cash box from her company. From a non-bias point of view, I really wouldn’t want such coworker in my company.
When she heard that one of my colleagues is going away to have her baby, she immediately jumped at the opportunity to ask me to refer her in. I hesitated and she accused me of not helping family. She made such a ruckus during our New Year’s Eve dinner, even my parents have to step in to lecture me for not taking care of ‘one of our own’.
Recently, I have caught her twice, hanging around the store, trying to chat up with one of the owners. I know it will be time when my employers asked me about offering her a job and since she is my sister, they likely assume she’ll be like me.
Could you and your readers please advice? I really don’t want her to spoil the happy atmosphere at my workplace!!
Thank you in advance! I’ll take in any advice!
From,
Quinn J.
Dear Quinn,
What a situation you have caught yourself in!! Oh dear, it’s between the devil and the deep blue sea.
You didn’t say if you have spoken to your sister in depth, pointing out her flaws and letting her know that your workplace is not really suitable for such a character like hers. Maybe you could sound her out by telling her the difficulty of working at your store like long hours, shift work, handling difficult customers and missing out on holidays etc. Meanwhile, you can offer to assist her in finding a job much more suited to her personality.
Alternatively, you can adopt a wait and see approach. If your bosses approach you for a referral, be honest and straightforward, letting them aware that she is not really suitable for the job. However, if they are willing to give her a trial period, perhaps you can open your heart for once and see if she will change. For all we know, the retrenchment is tough and a shock to her, she might have learned her lesson. I always believe in giving someone a second chance.
The key thing is that it is not your decision to make, throw the ball back into your employees’ court. They are the rightful owners of the store and I’m sure they would be able to make the right decision with or without your influence and recommendations.
I wish you all the best.
Regards, Kally@MiddleMe.net
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