The Ethics Coach on Managing a Sticky-Fingered Staff It all comes back to communication.
By Gael O'Brien •
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Do you have an ethical dilemma? Write to The Ethics Coach at ethics@entrepreneur.com.
Q: Employees at my restaurant are taking food home without paying for it and are not charging their friends for drinks. I made it clear that I'll fire people if the behavior continues, and I bought locks for the refrigerators. However, I remain angry. How do I trust my staff after this betrayal?
A: Employees who help themselves to food (or office supplies) don't think they're stealing; they see such things as perks, something they've earned. Besides, nobody will miss a burger here or a pack of binder clips there, right? And employees may be giving away drinks in an effort to impress their friends.