I can't work with my niece

[hmdreamer7]

I work with my family in the summer because we have a family business that's been in our family for generations. My dad is my boss, and I work with my other sister, brother, and niece (my sister's daughter). I really like my job, and of course working with your family, you are bound to run into a couple little arguments - but this is starting to become a huge issue to me, so much that I want to quit.

 

My niece was fired from her last job earlier this summer, so we decided to offer her a job at our store. I had my reservations about it because she's worked with us years ago when she was younger, but I figured that if she's an adult now, then whatever attitude problems she had then are probably gone. NOT true. Since she's been with us, she has disrespected the business by taking advantage of the fact that she works with family. Since I'm the sales manager, I need to tell the salesclerks what to do and not do. I always do this with respect and not in a mean way, but when I ask her to do or not do things, she gives me excuse after excuse after excuse for why she could or couldn't do it. And when I don't take her excuses she just runs right to her mom about it and her mom pretty much overrides what I say, bc my niece will come back and completely ignore what I've told her.

 

She is also leaving the store constantly to 'run errands,' which usually involves getting a pop or getting food. This has become a problem too because she now leaves for over 15 minutes at a time, lately up to 30 minutes. I REFUSE to cover for her anymore, and the other salesclerk that she leaves to work by herself for that time starts to get wary of it too. I've told my sister (her mom) several times that she does this and she tells me she's going to talk to her, but in the end, my niece still does it. Instead, my sister will let her go get food for whatever amount of time it takes her, and my sister will cover for her!!

 

She has the worst sales numbers out of ALL of our salesclerks, and I have the numbers to prove it! I keep track of the number of sales each clerk has every day... and her numbers are consistently the lowest. There was even one day where the clerk she was working with had 39 sales... and my niece? She had 5 SALES. I have never seen that big of a number difference before, and the ONLY reason that it could be like that is if she wasn't in the store long enough to even HELP customers, meaning she was running her 'errands' all day long.

 

Yesterday, however, she was really putting me on edge. She was snapping at customers all day long, she was snapping at ME for not doing something that she knows perfectly well is HER job and not mine (I had to fill in a different position yesterday that wasn't in sales - and she was not asking for my help, she was telling me to do it for her), and she was generally moody all day long! It was the PERFECT instance of bratty behavior.

 

I've talked to her on several occasions about her behavior at work and all I get in return are excuses and attitude. I've talked to my boss (my dad) about this several times and he now is of no help anymore. He told me yesterday that it's too late in the season to really changer her behavior anymore!?!?!?! That's because I'm the only one trying to change it!!!!!! And no one helps and no one cares because they don't have to work with her, I DO! My dad is the only person who can fire anyone, I don't have the position to be able to do that. But if any of you ever had to work with my niece, I am 100% positive that you would fire her!!!

 

As a manager and sales supervisor, I feel like I should have better control over the situation. But I don't, and I don't know what to do anymore. I guarantee to you that the ONLY reason she hasn't been FIRED by now is the fact that she is FAMILY (hence the reason why I'm putting this under the family thread), but she is clearly being rude and disrespectful to the family AND to the business by acting like this at work. I don't know what to do anymore, and I feel like quitting, but I can't because my family needs me. I just think it would be mean of me to quit and leave the family with such an awful worker, and no one else to fill my position.

 

If anyone has advice that'd be great, but it really helps just to vent all of this.

[spinstermanquee]

This definitely needs to be dealt with, not for you or your niece or even your sister, but especially for the other employees that could be demoralized by your niece's perceived "special treatment" and start to fall off their own game! Yes, one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch girl... and next thing you know your numbers are in a downward spiral.

 

You need to call a sit down. With whom, well that is up to you. Could be you, her, and possibly her mother.

 

You might need to get rid of her. Shape up or ship out, honey. Probation. Possible termination...