I'm needing some input from fellow Barn Owners and Managers on firing a staff member. First a bit of background on the situation...
I run a smaller boarding barn. We have 10 outdoor boarders, and 8 indoor boarders. We also farm on the side (a mixed farm of cattle and grain).....so both my husband, 2 kids, and myself live on site. I also have a small farm house on property that is used for my 1 full-time staff member, she stays there rent free in exchange for working Mon-Thur...and has her horse boarded her for free as well (outdoor board).....I work 7 days a week, 365 days a year......that was until recently I felt it was time for a change, and would loved to have the weekends off to spend some family time (something I haven't had since starting the boarding barn 6 yrs ago)...So my hubby suggested hiring a weekend staff person to allow me some time off....
I thought it sounded like a good idea, so I posted an add in a local paper, also sent the word out to my boarders that if they knew of anyone to give me a heads up.....
I found a great girl who fit in here great...she worked hard, knew her sh*t, and I had no concerns about leaving her to work the weekend unattended.
Her husband however got transferred for his job and they had to move out of province. So again I was looking for another weekend barn help....
One of my boarders suggested a girl they knew. I had her in, did an interview, and both I and my Full-time worker, worked w her on a few occasions, she seemed great.........
Man was I wrong!!! Since hiring her, going on 6 months now, its been nothing but headache after headache.....
She is so LAZY, it takes 2 days for us to catch up on work that wasn't done over weekend.
I have discussed this w her time and time again, and she always has excuses as to why certain things her missed or avoided. She even went as far to blame boarders for her not being able to finish a simple task of watering our outdoor horses:?:.
The final straw was this past weekend. My husband who was cultivating a field across the rd from the barn, witnessed her leaving during the day for 3 hrs, only to return in time to feed the horses their dinners, and then promptly leave again....I confronted her about it...thinking she had an appointment or emergency...she out right lied to my face:shock:.
I have gone over what id like to say to her in regards to letting her go, but Im Leary of what she will say to others or do, as she is friends w one of my boarders (very close friends in fact)...I don't want tension between the boarder and myself after the fact. I also dont want them spreading wierd rumours around the horse community here etc.
So my question is do we suck it up and deal w it, or do I just let her go telling her why, or do I just let her go saying we don't need the extra staff....she knows I'm not happy w her work ethic, so I think she would figure it out....
My main concern is how small the horse community is here, and one rumor could do allot of damage, and she strikes me as the type that would spread them.
I run a smaller boarding barn. We have 10 outdoor boarders, and 8 indoor boarders. We also farm on the side (a mixed farm of cattle and grain).....so both my husband, 2 kids, and myself live on site. I also have a small farm house on property that is used for my 1 full-time staff member, she stays there rent free in exchange for working Mon-Thur...and has her horse boarded her for free as well (outdoor board).....I work 7 days a week, 365 days a year......that was until recently I felt it was time for a change, and would loved to have the weekends off to spend some family time (something I haven't had since starting the boarding barn 6 yrs ago)...So my hubby suggested hiring a weekend staff person to allow me some time off....
I thought it sounded like a good idea, so I posted an add in a local paper, also sent the word out to my boarders that if they knew of anyone to give me a heads up.....
I found a great girl who fit in here great...she worked hard, knew her sh*t, and I had no concerns about leaving her to work the weekend unattended.
Her husband however got transferred for his job and they had to move out of province. So again I was looking for another weekend barn help....
One of my boarders suggested a girl they knew. I had her in, did an interview, and both I and my Full-time worker, worked w her on a few occasions, she seemed great.........
Man was I wrong!!! Since hiring her, going on 6 months now, its been nothing but headache after headache.....
She is so LAZY, it takes 2 days for us to catch up on work that wasn't done over weekend.
I have discussed this w her time and time again, and she always has excuses as to why certain things her missed or avoided. She even went as far to blame boarders for her not being able to finish a simple task of watering our outdoor horses:?:.
The final straw was this past weekend. My husband who was cultivating a field across the rd from the barn, witnessed her leaving during the day for 3 hrs, only to return in time to feed the horses their dinners, and then promptly leave again....I confronted her about it...thinking she had an appointment or emergency...she out right lied to my face:shock:.
I have gone over what id like to say to her in regards to letting her go, but Im Leary of what she will say to others or do, as she is friends w one of my boarders (very close friends in fact)...I don't want tension between the boarder and myself after the fact. I also dont want them spreading wierd rumours around the horse community here etc.
So my question is do we suck it up and deal w it, or do I just let her go telling her why, or do I just let her go saying we don't need the extra staff....she knows I'm not happy w her work ethic, so I think she would figure it out....
My main concern is how small the horse community is here, and one rumor could do allot of damage, and she strikes me as the type that would spread them.