[jo5hm4n]

Okay so my main employee has been with me for almost 5 years.  Been as good as gold this whole time.

His Fiancee who is from Asia they have been in a long distance relationship for a few years and shes just had her visa granted and been living with him now in the UK for about 6 weeks.

Today i found out from a customer that she was with him on his round and from other sources ive found out that shes basically been coming to work with him for best part of 2 weeks.  Just sitting in the van and watching him clean etc so it seems atleast.

He drives the van, gets all his work done so its happy days on that score.

Not much has changed, other than the fact that his Fiancee is now coming out with him in the van whilst he doing his window cleaning round.

1) im pi55ed off because he clearly kept this from me and he never ever does this.  Hes very honest and never done anything before behind my back.  5 Years of honesty and good hard work.

2) i dont know the reason why she is coming to work with him, or the motive and this is somewhat worrying.

Everything has been fine for 5 years no issues.

Should i be concerned that she is now coming to work with him and the fact hes clearly gone out of his way to make sure i dont know about this?

Hes been coming into the office to pick up his sheets, then going back home to pick her up then start his day, and same at end of day, dropping her off home, coming into office to drop off sheets.  So clearly going out of his way to make sure i dont find out about this.

What would you do?

Am i blowing this out of proportion?

In no way do i want to train another full time employee to replace him.  Honestly anything but that....

How should i handle this though?

Im genuinely stuck on what to do or how to even approach this with him.

Clearly he is in love and over the moon that his Fiancee is family living with him in the UK, but im wondering how i can even approach this to get the message across in a way that he will actually understand and be ok with this.

[Jonny 87]

Sounds like the honeymoon phase. Don’t worry, it will soon wear off. 

I don’t have employees, but I reckon if I was in this position I’d have an honest chat. What is the motive etc, is it purely just to spend time together.

If your unhappy with it, and the way it looks for your business then say it’s an insurance issue and a liability.

Good employees are hard to find, so I’d tread easy.

[KS Cleaning]

You say that all the work is still getting done. I don’t see the problem as long as the work is still getting done to the same standard. If the standard of work starts to slip that’s a different matter.

[AuRavelling79]

If you have had no problem in 5 years I would say that I had heard that he had a young lady in his van and could he explain please. If the reasons are innocuous (keeping each other company, she is lonely in a foreign land, it's cheaper for her to use the warmth of the van rather than the heating at home) I would explain that for insurance reasons it cannot continue. (I assume that if he has private use of the van then he can carry non staff passengers but only on his private time?)

If there is a concerning reason (besides insurance) then act accordingly - but from what you have said I don't see that here.

[alank]

Put her on the books aswel 

[jo5hm4n]

Thanks for the advice guys.  Very helpful.

I've just had it confirmed from one of my most loyal customers today that the young lady was also holding a pole and cleaning a window.  I dont know if that was just today or thats been happening regularly.  Hes not been finishing his work any earlier so i doubt she has been doing much cleaning, maybe she just wanted a go to use the pole to see how it works etc.

I dont know but my main focus is to figure out the motive here.  If its for loneliness then i can understand.  But if there is more depth to it then it is a problem.

[Arnold Palmer]

Thanks for the advice guys.  Very helpful.

I've just had it confirmed from one of my most loyal customers today that the young lady was also holding a pole and cleaning a window.  I dont know if that was just today or thats been happening regularly.  Hes not been finishing his work any earlier so i doubt she has been doing much cleaning, maybe she just wanted a go to use the pole to see how it works etc.

I dont know but my main focus is to figure out the motive here.  If its for loneliness then i can understand.  But if there is more depth to it then it is a problem.

More depth like what exactly?

[jo5hm4n]

Thanks for the advice guys.  Very helpful.

I've just had it confirmed from one of my most loyal customers today that the young lady was also holding a pole and cleaning a window.  I dont know if that was just today or thats been happening regularly.  Hes not been finishing his work any earlier so i doubt she has been doing much cleaning, maybe she just wanted a go to use the pole to see how it works etc.

I dont know but my main focus is to figure out the motive here.  If its for loneliness then i can understand.  But if there is more depth to it then it is a problem.

More depth like what exactly?

Like is he training up her so she can clean windows and then maybe she wants to do that for extra money and they may want to work together?

By himself he is unmotivated, loyal and does havent the umph to do it.  But with the woman whom you love by your side, a woman whom i have never met but im told shes motivated and hard working.  Who knows what theyre motives really are.

Im just playing devils advocate to try and imagine why he decided this was a good idea or what the motives behind it were.

[Pete Thompson]

I think you may be overreacting a little bit.

She’s probably just keeping him company during the day.

The problem that causes is that your insurance is going to be affected, as your policy probably doesn’t cover “passengers”.
Explain this to him, but say you’re not mad at him and are very happy he’s found a companion, but unfortunately there is just no way this can be accommodated.

Alternatively, you could see if it’s possible to let him do it. Try speaking to your insurance provider and see if that cover could be added on, and then tell him he’s good to go. I’m sure he’d be over the moon about that.

Remember there’s nothing to stop any of your employees striking out on their own at any time. The only way to stop them is to provide a good working environment and adequate pay.

[Slacky]

Rock up on site see how he explains it....

In her defence, she's probably bloody lonely being round the other side of the world and far from friends, relatives and all things familiar.

[Paul-kent]

It’s probably very innocent he just takes her to work because he’s worried his mail order bride will run off they ain’t cheap you know   

[jo5hm4n]

If its because shes lonely then i can genuinely understand that to an extent.

Its more the fact we have always been brutally honest with eachother and hes gone out of his way to hide this from me and also from todays update it appears hes getting her to clean windows too….  So thats quality control out of the window for a start.  Then insurance purposes like others have said etc.

Ill try and find out whats really going on and have a diplomatic chat with him.  Last thing i want is him getting defensive and kicking off all in the name of love 

[NWH]

Loneliness on his part or hers I wouldn’t worry about it maybe one of them is suffering at the moment and don’t want to be on their own,ask if there’s anything you can do to help.

[Splash & dash]

Okay so my main employee has been with me for almost 5 years.  Been as good as gold this whole time.

His Fiancee who is from Asia they have been in a long distance relationship for a few years and shes just had her visa granted and been living with him now in the UK for about 6 weeks.

Today i found out from a customer that she was with him on his round and from other sources ive found out that shes basically been coming to work with him for best part of 2 weeks.  Just sitting in the van and watching him clean etc so it seems atleast.

He drives the van, gets all his work done so its happy days on that score.

Not much has changed, other than the fact that his Fiancee is now coming out with him in the van whilst he doing his window cleaning round.

1) im pi55ed off because he clearly kept this from me and he never ever does this.  Hes very honest and never done anything before behind my back.  5 Years of honesty and good hard work.

2) i dont know the reason why she is coming to work with him, or the motive and this is somewhat worrying.

Everything has been fine for 5 years no issues.

Should i be concerned that she is now coming to work with him and the fact hes clearly gone out of his way to make sure i dont know about this?

Hes been coming into the office to pick up his sheets, then going back home to pick her up then start his day, and same at end of day, dropping her off home, coming into office to drop off sheets.  So clearly going out of his way to make sure i dont find out about this.

What would you do?

Am i blowing this out of proportion?

In no way do i want to train another full time employee to replace him.  Honestly anything but that....

How should i handle this though?

Im genuinely stuck on what to do or how to even approach this with him.

Clearly he is in love and over the moon that his Fiancee is family living with him in the UK, but im wondering how i can even approach this to get the message across in a way that he will actually understand and be ok with this.
[/quo




Just have a quite word with him and see what he says , as long as she’s not working helping him as I doubt she has a work visa don’t really see a problem but you are the boss and only you can decide if it’s acceptable or not

[dazmond]

She ll probably encourage him to start up a window cleaning business either alone or together (in time) if their relationship lasts

You ve had 5 good years out of him

If you want to keep him can't you hire a hitman to take care of her?then problem solved.he won't have the courage to go it alone plus he ll be heartbroken...

[mac74]

It could be nothing, and he's  just  let her have a quick go of it for fun, and then gone back over it himself?
OR maybe she has other idea's? 
If he is a bit weak willed, she may think she will be able to convince him to go solo, with her in tow?
Which sounds like is what you suspect?

I would treat it with 'kid gloves' at this point, IF he's as good as you say he is? and find out more out about the insurance side of things, and whether she can even be in the van with him? If it is ok? then i would let it go as long as she dosen't affect his work performance.
BUT i would explain to him that having her helping out with the cleaning is no go, just in case they were thinking that going forward.
Good luck m

[Smudger]

you cant cover every action from what an employee will do - if they have been long distance for a while and she is new to this country then to them its better than sitting at home.

Things to consider - the length of service makes it difficult for you unless you follow exacting procedures.
Personally, and as customers are noticing - IS it professional to have she in the company vehicle - how long is the detour before and after cleaning?
lastly - insurance - our policy is ONLY for employees and business -will you be covered for carrying passengers - maybe even a premium hike - if she's hurt while in your van you may be personally liable (esp. as you now are aware of this)

have a chat about what's acceptable and defo see where you are with insurance - and also what do you find acceptable - if you don't say so but give some time to sort/calm it over with his love of his life  - but in the chat also find out why she is in the van - im sure its not sinister

Darran

[jo5hm4n]

you cant cover every action from what an employee will do - if they have been long distance for a while and she is new to this country then to them its better than sitting at home.

Things to consider - the length of service makes it difficult for you unless you follow exacting procedures.
Personally, and as customers are noticing - IS it professional to have she in the company vehicle - how long is the detour before and after cleaning?
lastly - insurance - our policy is ONLY for employees and business -will you be covered for carrying passengers - maybe even a premium hike - if she's hurt while in your van you may be personally liable (esp. as you now are aware of this)

have a chat about what's acceptable and defo see where you are with insurance - and also what do you find acceptable - if you don't say so but give some time to sort/calm it over with his love of his life  - but in the chat also find out why she is in the van - im sure its not sinister

Darran

Some very good points here.

I don't think its professional that she is going out with him in the van (no uniform) we are all fully uniformed at all times.  Customers have seen her clean a few windows so now they are probably thinking who is the woman cleaning the windows is this a new worker?  In which case they are left wondering (we always inform customers of their new cleaner and name so they are aware who they are dealing with)

The detour adds 10 minutes each way.  Thats 20 minutes per day 5 days a week....  Im paying that fuel too

Insurance alone i am convinced i am not covered both for vehicle insurance and for liability insurance if anything were to happen in any context.  As you say what if she gets hurt in an accident?  Might void or cause serious problems to a claim...

I really do not feel its acceptable to have her in the van, but somehow i need to find a way to gently get this across to him as clearly he is well and truly loved up and of course its going to be personal for him.  Hes had lots of issues with past partners and family in general he definitely has issues with relationships - which ultimately is none of my business, but it kind of is when you are bringing somebody from your personal life into a business and working environment.  Its unprofessional in my opinion.

I will have a chat with him and try and find out the motive firstly and secondly why he decided to do this behind my back, when we have always been no BS straight to the point honest with eachother.  This is a first that hes done something sneaky if you get my drift.

Anyway ill see how it goes and gauge his reaction when i inform him that i know whats been going on.

[simon w]

I wonder if she love him long time 

[Smudger]

Cleaning windows means she is working and without you knowing for you  - she could be an asset unit of corse they have a tiff…

If he’s not been motivated in the past here’s your chance - if he picks up the pace he will get home earlier to be with his mrs….👍

Darran