Whether they work for you for a day or ten years, your employees will have questions, and that means knowing how to respond to some of the most common is crucial. Read on to find out what they are.
Can I work from home?
Recent times have shown that working from home is becoming a very popular option for both employees and employers. That is why you should not be surprised to be asked by your workers if they can work from home, at least some of the week.
However, before you answer them, you will need to consider several important factors very carefully. First of all, have you already set a precedent for employees working from home? If so, then allowing this new request is wise if you wish to remain fair and equitable in the workplace.
Another consideration you must think about is whether working from home is practical for this specific person. For example, an area manager in a fast food chain works from home several times a week as they can use this time to complete admin work. However, a server at a fast food restaurant cannot work from home, because they would not be able to complete their role anywhere other than your business’s location.
Does my paid time off roll over if I don’t use it?
Vacation days are hugely important to your staff, and they will ask plenty of questions about them including: ‘Does PTO rollover in your company?’, and ‘How many days they have left?’
When it comes to the PTO rollover issue you will need to have a clear policy as to what will happen in your business. This should take into consideration issues like labor laws in your location, as well as whether you will allow days to fully roll over, or you will ask employees to cash them in for pay instead.
What is the WIFI password?
Yep, believe it or not, this very inane question is one that employers hear the most. The good news is you can make it super easy for all employees to get the answer by adding laminated posters around the workplace with the WIFI network and password displayed.
Although, it’s worth noting that if you have a WIFI network for your staff and visitors to use, you will need to offer training on cybersecurity. After all, a public network is not the best place to handle sensitive customer data, and employees need to be made aware of this.
How am I doing?
Probably one of the most awkward, and common questions employees are likely to ask at work is, ‘How am I doing?’, and it can send people for a loop. Of course, employees have a right to constructive feedback, and most will want to know whether they are doing the right things and succeeding in their roles.
The best way to deal with this is to formalize the feedback process, with regular employee reviews, and target setting. Then any feedback can be directly related to the employee’s progress in line with their targets. This will then provide your employees with the most useful information which allows them to improve their performance and can help your managers and supervisors from being put on the spot.
