Q. A staff member has notified me that they have accidentally booked the wrong return flights and will be two days late back to work. I'm unsure whether it is a genuine mistake, but I am left to arrange cover. How have other leaders dealt with this situation on the staff member's return?
Tanya Wood, director, Whickham Parochial Preschool
‘We've recentlyjust had this exact experience. We’re a term-time only setting and a staff member told me she was going away to a cottage in Scotland for half term. She was adamantit was from Saturday to Saturday, but then received email confirmation saying it was Friday to Friday. She was meant to be in on the Friday so we arranged cover for her and she lost a day's pay. We all make mistakes, and it was a genuine mistake. She was absolutely mortified and offered to do any cover that we needed at any time to make up for it.
‘That's where having good staff relationships comes in. We try to make sure the staff understand we want them to work to live, not live to work. In the staff contract it says as we’re term time, staff cannot take holidays during terms unless there's a good reason. For example, one staff member got married and wanted to do her honeymoon during term because it was cheaper.
‘We also try and let staff attend anything important such as weekday weddings, their children's sports days or nativity shows. Staff are happy to change shifts with each other.
‘We have also had an experience when a member of staff went on holiday during term time. It got back to us that the booking was deliberate. In that case we gave a verbal warning.
‘It really comes down to looking after your staff, letting them know you've got their back, showing them that you’re not perfect too, and that as managers you’re happy to get your hands dirty. Then you can all pull together as a team.’
Victoria East, nursery manager, Smallville Nursery
‘I've never had this experience with a flight. But I've had something similar where staff have told me they were returning to work, I put them on to the rota, and 45 minutes before their shift they call in sick.
‘There is nothing you can do there and then – you just need to make sure you are meeting your ratios. We are quite lucky that the owners of our nursery live onsite, so in an emergency they are often available to come out and help.
‘If you are really struggling to find cover, you can use bank staff. These are a bit like supply teachers – staff that you can call with short notice. The only problem is that they don’t know your children, your routines and they are expensive. We have never needed to use them, but it is good to have that option.
‘Once the member of staff who has not come into work returns, I would have a meeting with them. It's tricky because you don’t know how genuine their mistake was. But you should speak to them about what happened and the impact it had. Sometimes staff forget that when they are feeling stressed, it's because we are short-staffed. And then when they are away, that means others are stressed. I'm quite transparent with the staff and tell them to be mindful about how they look after themselves and that getting into work is a priority.’
Stacey McMorland, nursery manager, The Nursery at Whitehouse Farm
‘Trusting your practitioners is a vital part of being an effective manager. Within our setting we always promote an honest and open relationship between our staff as we believe this creates an honest and trustworthy ethos. I would even go as far as saying a manager should adopt practitioners’ needs as they would those of family members or loved-ones. You want them to succeed, grow and trust the workplace.
‘If this is the situation at your setting – if there really is trust between your team – then you can trust this member of staff has made a genuine mistake. But even if it was not a mistake, have a recorded conversation with them upon their return. Let them know the implications the mistake may or could have had on the setting. Tell them that you trust them not to let this happen again in the future, but that if it does, you would possibly have to take disciplinary procedures.
‘To avoid not having any cover I have a set limit on how many practitioners I allow to be on leave at the same time. I do this on a first-come, first-served basis. That way we still have some flexibility if there is any sickness among staff. Our management team is office-based and we know that mistakes, accidents and illnesses do happen. It's important to remember everyone is human.’