Here is the deal. I really should fire my employee and here is why…
She comes to work late and leaves early.
She takes personal calls while at work (she doesn’t even get off when i come in the room!).
She calls off for reasons like taking a walk with a friend, lunch invites, school parties, and even a great sale at target.
She checks facebook, instagram, and email every half hour (or more).
She takes regular breaks to get drinks of water and ends up chatting up the baysitter about her grandchildren for like 20 minutes.
Her work space is a total mess (usually).
She does not accomplish important business tasks I give her like getting her photos edited and blog post written and instead sews her adorable 2 year old a new dress.
She watches English period piece mini series on her ipad during work hours.
She is terribly indecisive about fabric purchases and waits until the last minute to get important sewing projects done.
She even uses old needles and dull scissors because she is too lazy to go get new ones even when i have set aside money for her to order them.
She has the GALL to complain about wanting a raise…
Maybe I am too tough of a boss? Is it too much to ask this woman to shape up and do her best? I know she can do it! She is smart and motivated! She has been with me since the beginning and she works really hard when she is under pressure. She has made such cute and successful sewing patterns in the past but what am I supposed to do with her now?
It’s true, I cannot fire her. But she does need a reality check about her work performance. Did you guess who the employee is? Yes- the employee is ME and I am sick and tired of my poor work ethic lately!
Recently I laughed with a friend about getting my annual job review back when I worked in the city many years ago. I remember being surprised by criticism that I was too tough on workers that I was in charge of during large projects. Me? Too hard on people? I just expected them to work hard and get their jobs done! Maybe my expectations were too high?
It did get me thinking about my current job performance and how that tough boss would treat me. How did I get to be such a slacker? If you are the sole worker in a handmade business, have you ever tried to give yourself an honest job review? BE TOUGH. Are you really using your precious work time efficiently?
Here is how I have gotten better…
I try really hard to be ready for work as soon as my sitter gets to my house.
I turn off my email, facebook & instagram during work time. Unless using them to promote my handmade biz of course!
I listen to classical music (or nothing) and no more watching shows (even if downtown abbey or the good wife is calling my name with a new episode) or listening to podcasts/ audio books. Even regular music is distracting to me so I have switched to classical which i find really good for work.
I don’t take phone calls or send texts that are more than very quick scheduling things.
I schedule all friend and school stuff on my non work days.
I make a list of what I want to accomplish that day and give myself rewards for getting that hard stuff done. Rewards are checking instagram or going upstairs to chat for FIVE minutes with my beloved babysitter. She is on board now with my tenuous work situation and makes me go back to my studio ASAP!
I did tell my tough boss to chill out about the messy work space and give me a break about indecisive fabric choices. I am doing the best I can! AND, I told her that I work best under pressure so if it seems to her that I am waiting until the last minute, that is simply how the best creative me reveals herself. She still wants me to work on those, but understands they are not such a quick fix.
Here is a check list for you from one tough handmade boss to another…
I actually printed mine out and it is hanging by my desk to remind myself not to be such a slack. It’s pretty ugly too, so the sooner these good habits (40days makes a habit!) take hold, the sooner I can take that ugly piece of paper off my pretty studio wall! here is the PDF so you can enjoy the ugliness too…
So, what do you think? Do you have something to add to the tough handmade boss checklist? How could you be a better employee for yourself? How would you want an employee to act if you could hire one? I would love to hear what you think!
