If you were to Google “excuses for missing work”, you would find more than 13 million results related to the subject. Shocking? Not. At. All! In the staffing industry, we hear a great deal of them on a weekly basis.
We all know the people whose great aunt in Florida has passed away five times or the guy (or gal) who has somehow managed to catch every known disease to man within the past year. But what about the person whose fish died? Seriously. He needed to stay home to bury the fish. I will give him kudos for his dedication to his finned friend.
While it’s easy to laugh at the (ridiculous) excuses, it’s a matter that shouldn’t be taken lightly. At Flexible Staffing, we have a one-strike-you’re-out “no call, no show” rule. We’ve been told this is unreasonable, but we respectfully disagree. We have a commitment to our clients that we will have a worker there when they have requested. When that employee fails to show up, it is our reputation on the line and our recruiters who must then scramble to find a replacement.
But let’s put all of that aside and look at things from the standpoint of the employee for a moment. What defines a good reason to miss work? Do you feel a bit under the weather…headache? Cough? Get to work! I know this sounds harsh, but truly you just have to toughen up sometimes. We’ve all been there and most of us have survived. You will do the same. What about the car that won’t start? This excuse always makes me scratch my head a bit. Find a ride! Use public transportation or beg a friend. I’m not saying it’s easy and simple, but it’s almost always doable.
I know some of you are probably thinking that I’m just wrong and I respect your opinion, but I ask you this…What if you went to work just to find that the boss decided his cough would prevent him from opening the office for the day? You would have wasted your time getting ready AND you would miss a day’s pay. How happy would you be? Would you be a bit appalled that a simple cough had kept him home?
There are days when the sun is shining and we would all rather be out playing. I doubt there is any one of us that could deny that we’ve had the temptation to call in sick, but it’s just that…a temptation. One that we leap over on our way to work! In today’s market where jobs can be scarce, you simply cannot take the risk. That temptation can be even greater if your company happens to have a points system that allows you a certain number of tardies and absences. Don’t fall into the trap. You’ll use those points for sunny days and then lose your job when a true emergency arises and you’re suddenly out of points. Again…it’s not worth it!
We all understand that you get sick, emergencies come up, and relatives truly do pass away and we really are compassionate, warm-hearted people. All that we ask is that you call both Flexible Staffing and the employer so we know the situation. It will take less than five minutes and might make the difference in saving your job.
The bottom line is this: you may not be in your dream job today. In fact, it may be a job in which you find absolutely no joy. But it’s a job and it will eventually lead to something greater. For now, it’s supporting you and cannot be taken for granted. Treat it as such. I am a firm believer that great things will come when we respect what we have already received. So get to work, do the job to your best ability, and remember that your day in the sunshine will arrive!
Have a fabulous weekend,
Kristie
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