Posted: 3/7/2017 1:53:34 PM EDT
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I'm being driven up the wall by inventory. Surely someone knows more about this than me and can recommend me a solution or a better practice.
We issue very expensive widgets to our staff around the state. We record which staff has which widget in our widget tracking software. We tell our staff that if they're going to go on vacation or stick leave, they need to send their widget back to the home office, because it'll break if they don't. Staff rarely if ever follow this practice leading to broken widgets. We tell our staff that they are supposed to give us 24 hours notice if they need a special widget, instead of springing it on us at the eleventh hour. Staff usually tell us that need special widgets at the very least minute, leading us to rush widgets out the door without recording them correctly. Most recently, staff xyz quit the organization and left their widget in their far distant office. Their supervisor was supposed to pick up their widget and bring it back to us. The supervisor did not, and their coworker took their coveted thousand dollar widget to use instead of their issued widget, leading to a month where no one could find the darn thing. I think this is an HR/discipline problem. We can spreadsheet our widgets until our fingers fall off, but if the people actually in possession of the widgets don't do what they're supposed to, we're still going to have problems. The higher ups don't see it as an HR/discipline problem, but instead as an inventory control problem. I talked to our gizmo department and they have similar problems, but nobody cares because gizmos cost less than widgets. Any suggestions? Has anyone ever dealt with such a problem before? |
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Since you're being so mysterious about your widget, I'm going to imagine they are high-end dildos.
Deduct the cost of the dildo from their pay. They'll learn very quickly to take care of their dildo. If they don't, you'll still recover the money to cover the replacement cost. Everyone wins. |
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Quoted:
Since you're being so mysterious about your widget, I'm going to imagine they are high-end dildos. Deduct the cost of the dildo from their pay. They'll learn very quickly to take care of their dildo. If they don't, you'll still recover the money to cover the replacement cost. Everyone wins. I just didn't feel like getting into the technical weeds of what I do, so I simplified. But thanks for putting that image in my head. I don't exactly work with the Swedish women's volleyball team here.... 
Am I at least correct in assuming that this should be handled by the HR department, at least partially? |
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Well I find that Spacely Sprokets is much cheaper on shipping than Cogswells Coggs so I tend to over order my Widgets when inventory goes awry and am forced to reorder.
My inventory is handled by my inventory specialist Rosie whom itemizes each and every special Widget, Cogg and Sproket. She maid sweeping changes the very day of her employment. 
I bring nothing to the table. 
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I am issued a bunch of widgets and gizmos by my employer. Their policy seems effective.
1. You sign a form stating the rules of widget/gizmo use before they will issue you one. 2. If you break/lose a widget doing something the rules you signed tell you not to do (like the ones in your scenario that break during vacation) then they dock your pay for replacement costs. 3. Things that go against the rules you sign but don't break anything result in a verbal warning, third warning is a strike. 4 strikes of any kind and your fired. I know two people who had their pay docked, multiple people who got warnings and strikes. No one has gotten enough to be fired though. |
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It's a management issue more than a HR issue. Since most management only seem to relate to issues in terms of dollars, Total up the number of widgets that have been lost/broken/appropriated in the past year. Then assign a dollar value to the total. Then politely explain that staff accountability in regards to their widgets will save the company XXX dollars per year.
I'm betting that will get their attention.Â
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Quoted:
I just didn't feel like getting into the technical weeds of what I do, so I simplified. But thanks for putting that image in my head. I don't exactly work with the Swedish women's volleyball team here....
Am I at least correct in assuming that this should be handled by the HR department, at least partially? Quoted:
Quoted:
Since you're being so mysterious about your widget, I'm going to imagine they are high-end dildos. Deduct the cost of the dildo from their pay. They'll learn very quickly to take care of their dildo. If they don't, you'll still recover the money to cover the replacement cost. Everyone wins. I just didn't feel like getting into the technical weeds of what I do, so I simplified. But thanks for putting that image in my head. I don't exactly work with the Swedish women's volleyball team here....
Am I at least correct in assuming that this should be handled by the HR department, at least partially? Quoted:
I am issued a bunch of widgets and gizmos by my employer. Their policy seems effective. 1. You sign a form stating the rules of widget/gizmo use before they will issue you one. 2. If you break/lose a widget doing something the rules you signed tell you not to do (like the ones in your scenario that break during vacation) then they dock your pay for replacement costs. 3. Things that go against the rules you sign but don't break anything result in a verbal warning, third warning is a strike. 4 strikes of any kind and your fired. I know two people who had their pay docked, multiple people who got warnings and strikes. No one has gotten enough to be fired though. |
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Quoted:
I am issued a bunch of widgets and gizmos by my employer. Their policy seems effective. 1. You sign a form stating the rules of widget/gizmo use before they will issue you one. 2. If you break/lose a widget doing something the rules you signed tell you not to do (like the ones in your scenario that break during vacation) then they dock your pay for replacement costs. 3. Things that go against the rules you sign but don't break anything result in a verbal warning, third warning is a strike. 4 strikes of any kind and your fired. I know two people who had their pay docked, multiple people who got warnings and strikes. No one has gotten enough to be fired though. I highly doubt anyone will take any policy seriously without having some skin in the game. I would say HR needs to be involved. Either management is fully aware of the situation and you are doing an acceptable level of work not requiring any intervention, or they are worthless hacks if you're being blamed for the behavior of others with no ability to enforce policy. |
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We had these same problems with govt issued laptops. Despite rigorous inventory process, people screw stuff up.
You have a people problem first and foremost, maybe a process problem as well. First apply the rules strictly to everyone without exception and go from there. |
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First, stop catering to rush stuff. Issue things according to your departments policy. Do not deviate from that, no matter who makes the request. That is, make damn sure you have all tracking and signed releases in hand.
Two, like posted above, see if you can dock pay to replace widgets if the employee does not follow procedure. |
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Quoted:
Have them sign a payroll deduction form for the cost of the Dildos. Tell them if the rules are not followed the forms will be turned in for collection. Along with this, make sure they know that they will be charged the full MSRP of the broken/lost Dildo, even if they can be replaced for less, or there is an entire shelf in a closet of Dildo's from employees that left the company!
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