Employee working their notice

Re: Employee working their notice

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 09:36:38 GMT

[quote user="An On MRCVS"]

I would also say that this works both ways.

I recently handed my notice in, since the boss has barely said a word to me and I found out this week that not only have I not been invited to the Christmas party but it was being kept a secret from me! Much to the discomfort of other staff members.

It is only a small clinic and I work sole charge on the bosses day off. This doesn't make me want to try too hard for them for the rest of the time I am here!

[/quote]I think this is very sad, OK I've never employed a full time vet on a contract but many, many nurses have passed through. I would say that almost without exception they left on good terms even (all but one) the ones I sacked and many still stay in touch. Some have even brought their animals back to be treated while they're working for another practice, one travels 70 miles to get here!!

When I was an employee I worked in 5 practices before I set up on my own. Two I left a bit in the lurch and two sacked me but there was never any bad feeling and I never felt the urge to do anything other than the very best I could up until the moment I left. I was grateful for the experience gained and I would hope they were happy with (most of) the work I did for them. Very few stay forever, life moves on and I feel sorry for those who are so pompous or eaten up inside that they cannot accept this.

Re: Employee working their notice

emster5 — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 22:03:31 GMT

I don't want anyone to think our assistant is dishonest in any way! We are on very good terms and of course I don't want to end things on an unpleasant note. When I've left jobs myself it has always been on very amicable and I've been able to tell clients BUT I've never moved to a neighbouring practice. I guess my concern was just that as we all know clients like continuity and with his new job being so close by this concerns me. My partner had a substantial number of clients follow him from one branch to another one 8 miles away, which wasn't a problem as it was still within the same practice, but does prove that it happens.

Re: Employee working their notice

Stephen Courtney — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:38:39 GMT

[quote user="An On MRCVS"]

I would also say that this works both ways.

It is only a small clinic and I work sole charge on the bosses day off. This doesn't make me want to try too hard for them for the rest of the time I am here!

[/quote]

Take life easy then. I certainly wouldn't bust a gut. and if the atmosphere is poisoned, it might be worth asking for your notice period to be reduced because of that.

We always have one big Christmas bash for the whole group and several smaller branch oriented privately arranged get togethers e.g. pub meals or Comedy club do, which as as looked forward to as the main party. Maybe you could arrange something between yourself and the folk you actually would like to spend time with?

Re: Employee working their notice

An On MRCVS — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:31:20 GMT

I would also say that this works both ways.

It is only a small clinic and I work sole charge on the bosses day off. This doesn't make me want to try too hard for them for the rest of the time I am here!

Re: Employee working their notice

Stephen Courtney — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:30:30 GMT

Unless your vet is leaving on bad terms, i wouldn't worry at all. You can't treat people as dishonest as your default position - if you do then it says more about you than them.

Re: Employee working their notice

Bob Russell — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:23:25 GMT

Over the years I have found the overwhelming majority of the human race to be fundamentally nice. Odd or very odd perhaps but nice!

A tiny minority make life miserable for the vast majority. A bit like terrorism really!

Unless you have reason to believe he or she is going to stir things up, my advice would be life as normal and let it end on a good note.

Re: Employee working their notice

patrick murphy — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:21:12 GMT

in the past I knew of someone who photocopied all of the notes he felt useful ! (I know photocopying real dinovet). the very few times that I have left jobs I found that working out my notice was the very best of times as I could stay out of politics and just revel in what was good and had attracted me there in the first instance. oh happy pre self employment and corporate days!

Re: Employee working their notice

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:33:46 GMT

[quote user="emster5"]We think we'll continue as normal until the new year but with us seeing all new clients so that they don't get an opportunity to bond with the leaving assistant [/quote]Despite the subject of my post, who is such a nasty bit of work that hopefully he would not be duplicated, I think you are doing your assistant a disservice. I would be insulted if I was so distrusted and would be more likely shit on the doorstep (although I'm far too nice to do such a thing) and unless there is a hidden agenda here as to why he is leaving I think you should give him the opportunity to be honest. You may just benefit from showing you trust him - one of my nurses went to work for the opposition and became a spy in the camp when she realised how awful the practice was.

Re: Employee working their notice

emster5 — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:08:56 GMT

Thanks everyone for your advice. We think we'll continue as normal until the new year but with us seeing all new clients so that they don't get an opportunity to bond with the leaving assistant and then we'll take over all 'front of house' from January so that a reexam with the same vet is always available.

Re: Employee working their notice

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:43:48 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]a bad leaver will already believe that their personal importance to your practice is greater than it is and despite anything you say, or any restrictions you impose, will assume that swathes of your clients will follow him/her to their new practice. Some will, but it will be remarkably few because most of your clients know that there is more to your veterinary practice than a single vet. [/quote]Too true except the the last part of the second sentence.

When the stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap vet down the road I'm always moaning about left the practice he was working for, which is also just down the road, he had obviously been grooming the clients for many months beforehand and swathes followed him. Worse than that he set up shop literally at the end of the road to his old practice and went in one day and told them that they'd better sell up now as he would be putting them out of business. He actually confessed this to me during a row we had over his poor standards of care and I suspect his plan is to do the same to me. Fortunately the majority of my clients come to me because they like me and he is spectacularly failing, indeed after a brief spell of the cheapskates jumping ship to him more are coming back from him than leaving as they see him in his true light.

I think he would probably not fall into the 'good leaver' bracket!

Re: Employee working their notice

Anthony Dennison — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:18:10 GMT

Slightly different situation, but my practice has just bought another (!!) branch as it was offered for sale. The owner didn't tell anyone she was going, I saw clients yesterday that were very surprised as they'd been asked to come back to see the vet when she knew she wouldn't be there!

Re: Employee working their notice

Stephanie Wellings — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:13:51 GMT

When I left my last job I did tell clients that I was leaving (if they asked, obviously) and I still would have if the boss asked me not to, because it would feel too much like a blatant lie. I did lie however when they asked why I was leaving (said something vague about moving closer to home) so maybe the colleague who is leaving can just tell the truth but spare the details?

Re: Employee working their notice

Gillian Mostyn — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 11:40:50 GMT

Agree with Malcolm... People move jobs for their own reasons and, in an ideal world, good relations should be maintained. The employee should continue to work with no changes to rota or attitude throughout their notice period, and leaving should not be discussed with clients.

HOWEVER, if the employee is unreasonable and in any way damaging to the practice...including damaging morale with the other staff.. You might find that they would be happy to leave without working (or therefore being paid for) their notice period.

Personally I wouldn't be prepared to pay someone to sit at home (or start working elsewhere) for 2 months... I'd be more likely to put them on ops only to reduce the damage they could do. Really bad behaviour can obviously be subject to the usual disciplinary procedure... May be worth reminding them of that fact.

Hopefully it will all go smoothly though... :-)

Re: Employee working their notice

Malcolm Ness — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 09:24:37 GMT

I agree to a very large extent with what Braden says with the caveat that it all depends on the personalities involved.

Similar to Braden (but many years ago) we set up our practice nearby where we had both been working - this was done with the full knowledge of or former employer with whom we remain on excellent terms - in fact he asked one of us to locum for him while we got established and now, 25 years on he has sold his practice and works in our hospital.

We have had some "good leavers" over the years and some "bad leavers". It is rarely in the employer's gift to decide who falls into which category. A good leaver will continue to do a good job for you until the day they leave and then they will work well for their new employer. In our experience, a bad leaver will already believe that their personal importance to your practice is greater than it is and despite anything you say, or any restrictions you impose, will assume that swathes of your clients will follow him/her to their new practice. Some will, but it will be remarkably few because most of your clients know that there is more to your veterinary practice than a single vet.

Re: Employee working their notice

Braden Collins — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 01:17:51 GMT

A couple of years ago I bought a "branch" practice off the vets I was working for. One of the conditions that was put on the sale was that I told no-one I was moving clinics (or leaving that clinic at all), and I stuck to my word. While he is working out his notice period he is still your employee so he has a reponsibility to follow instructions like that. I felt this is a very reasonable request, and I think your assistant would also find it very reasonable and should stick to it. I think if he failed to follow this instruction I would have him doing the most menial tasks you could find.

I would probably restrict his access to the very good clients as they are the clients you don't want him to take.

Is 2 months standard notice in the UK? Over here it is only 4 weeks and I think it would be fair to see them out the door as soon as possible.

I think the ecconomics of garden leave would make it very impractical, but it depends on what sort of person they are. f they will look after your business and keep their mouth shut then keep them working. If not, work out the cost of his loyal clients following and make some decissions from there.

Remember once he's gone to the new clinic they will be free to publicise he's there, so make sure you train your reception/nursing staff what to say when a client phones to book with him. My old bosses said I was on holidays, which really upset the clients and broke all trust. A better approach is to train your staff to say "He doesn't work here any more. Can I book you in with X who is very good with this problem".

Re: Employee working their notice

Robert Newcombe — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 00:54:18 GMT

I think the Vet.Business Times covered just this subject very recently and would be a good place to start.