"Oh, you're the mean one!"
I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. But it's not like I hadn't warned him.
My job requires me to make sure everyone posts their time. I sent out an e-mail stating that if their time for the previous week wasn't posted by Tuesday, they would get an e-mail from me. If they didn't want the e-mail, then all they had to do was post their time. Simple, right?
Well, apparently a lot of employees like getting those e-mails from me. I have to send them out every Tuesday (and sometimes Wednesday and Thursday, too!). Here's the wording of my e-mail (in which I hope to have blind copied everyone, but sometimes I oops and don't):
You have received this e-mail because it appears all your time has not been released through the week ending [DATE]. If your time is completed (less than 5 days or 40 hours for each week), please let me know and I'll mark it down as such. Otherwise, please release your time as soon as possible.
Does that make me mean? I used the word PLEASE. Twice! I thought I was being tactful.
But if I am considered mean, maybe that's a good thing. I was definitely mean at a prior job. How do I know this? I made someone cry, that's how. Word got around and eventually I was used as a warning by another co-worker.
"If you don't get your paperwork in, Stacy will come after you. You don't want that!"
I'm a blunt person. I know that. I think my critique partners (well, one of them anyway) knows it, too. I don't sugar coat anything.
And if you have any suggestions on how to make my notices not seem so "mean", by all means, share!
* * *
My hubby's back from Kentucky and still wearing the beard. Heavy sigh! But I at least got to enjoy his convertible (sorry, no pics) while he was away. Yeah, we need the rain, but I'm glad it didn't come this week.
I will be going to the movies tomorrow to see Snow White and the Huntsman. My daughter has been kind enough to wait until I can go with her (and she had the opportunity to see it without me). My hubby isn't interested.
I also still have to go out and get something for my hubby for Father's Day. Procrastination, anyone?
Have a good one!
7 comments:
Funny how the one who encourages others to get stuff done is often seen as 'mean'. Feh. I think your letter is fine. How would they like 'get your time in or you don't get paid' or 'repeat offenders will be fired'?
Ack. I need to go get a card for Hubs and remind the daughter to get a card, too. Thanks for the nudge - even if you didn't mean to nudge me. =o)
B.E. - I'm tempted to add a signature line - "Your Friendly Time Nazi." But not sure if that would go over well.
Your email message is not mean...or rude...or blunt. Its the facts, and nothing but the facts. The problem is with the recipient...not the sender. :)
People don't like being reminded to do something they know they were supposed to have already done. So the one doing the reminding is not going to be really popular. Fact of life. Don't worry about it.
Thanks, guys. I really did my best at writing an e-mail that didn't sound harpy. That's the writer in me, I guess. I had to edit it several times!
Having been in management for so many years, I will tell you right now that guy is just petty.
For crying out loud. You would think they'd want to get their time in on time. This is for their benefit, not yours.
Let them miss a paycheck once and see what happens.
I ran payroll for my employees and then sent the summaries to our payroll clerk for her to double check. You can bet your buttons I always turned in payroll ahead of deadline. To do otherwise is unprofessional.
Maria - That's the one part of my job I really don't like: payroll. Yuck! But I certainly don't mind getting paid!!! In fact, I kind of demand it! :)
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