Does anyone else that owns a small business in S. Ontario have a problem with employees going 'out' to smoke?

Question

We have a small neighborhood bar and only 1 employee does not smoke...out of the rest, 1 goes out 2X per shift, totally acceptable, 1 goes out about 5 or 6 times per shift, unacceptable, especially when bar is unattended , the other 2 go out every half hour, or they are in the washroom (smoking?) and leave the bar unattended even with up to 30 customers in it. Our labor dept cannot give us any answers and since this is a one person operation, we are at our wit's end...no help, and the labor market is in VERY short supply in our area...virtually no employees to choice from...Help!!

Answer 1

Can you speak to them? or perhaps set up scheduled "Break times" for everyone. darnit I wish I lived where you are, I'm a bartender on the side and don't smoke I wish I could help you out. Sorry and good luck.
P.S. They are stupid for leaving when you have so many customers, they are cutting their own throats, by not being attentive to their customers they don't get tips! DUH! I always tip well then I get good service.

Answer 2

I assume there are also statutory work breaks during a shift, when people can smoke should they wish to.
Even a serious smoker should be able to go an hour in between smokes, but perhaps 5 or 6 times per shift is not really that much.

You should certainly speak to your staff about the problem, and perhaps agree that no-one can go out for a smoke if that means leaving the bar unattended. Secondly, no smoke breaks if there's a sudden rush of customers.

If that doesn't work, make them clock in and out for smoke breaks and pay them on an hourly basis.

Answer 3

thank your MP for this. S/he is the idiot who helped pass the law preventing smoking in bars.

For decades, tending bar [esp. in working class neighborhood] was one of the 'acceptable' places where an employee could smoke on the job. So, quite naturally, some of the people who were heavy smokers drifted into tending bar.

Now your MP has helped upset the rules and it is suddenly illegal for lifelong smokers to continue to smoke in the bar [not to mention on the job in the bar].

Given the addictive nature of smoking, you aren't going to get these people to quit, nor even to cut down significantly.

If the labour market is as you say [very tight], you can't replace the people.

So you'll have to accept with as much grace as possible.

***
Make sure they always lock the till when they're out.

Provide a movable sign the bartender can place on the bar telling new customers the bartender is having a smoke [with arrow pointing the way -- you'll be surprised how many customers go join the bartender before having their beer].

And joke about the stupid MPs with your customers who smoke and the bartenders. They're mad about having to go outside (esp. in winter) and will appreciate someone who understands or at least tolerates. And the bartenders will try to limit the time they're out.

[Could be worse, down in the states it is also illegal for people to smoke in a public loo ... dang idiots. How in creation is a publican supposed to prevent a customer from smoking in the loo? And why should that poor fellow be fined for what his customer does?]


GL