So I've been in the food industry for 15 years and have worked with a tons of different characters - in management to be exact. I've worked for lazy incompetent management in which I've had to pick up the slack.. one of my pet peeves and reasons why I have left those managers.
Anyway I recently started at a small catering company - great people, good product, work with a talented chef and sous - but.. since I started... the Chef has done nothing but complain about his Sous. In fact, during my first week there - he said to me, no pressure on you, but I am letting the Sous go... however that day after their 4th or 5th talk about his performance or lack of.. he walked in the kitchen in uniform. I didn't ask questions or worried about it. I just hoped that he would get his crap together - he's very talented, knows what he's doing, I can ask him anything, and he's a nice guy. Anyway he keeps f'king up, walks in late to work, has been late to an on-site catering gig which left the Chef loading up/unloading all of the food/prep to be done on site, he has called out at the last minute to take a personal day - we don't have those, he has dropped the ball on time management more than once on a 45 min entree at a wedding, and on an app for a taste test. There's more but my boss is always stressed and I see him bust his ass while the Sous doesn't really have the same enthusiasm or work ethic. Yes they are friends but only at work. The owners want him gone.. but I want to know why the heck he retains him on staff if he constantly brings him down and doesn't support him. I just don't get it. Yes, I understand no one likes to fire people and it's not an easy thing to do, however I've been on the other side of the fence. However, we plan on expanding the business and we can't do that with someone in management who acts like he doesn't want to be there. I do stay out of it but I see the frustration on my boss's face every day. What are your thoughts?
Anyway I recently started at a small catering company - great people, good product, work with a talented chef and sous - but.. since I started... the Chef has done nothing but complain about his Sous. In fact, during my first week there - he said to me, no pressure on you, but I am letting the Sous go... however that day after their 4th or 5th talk about his performance or lack of.. he walked in the kitchen in uniform. I didn't ask questions or worried about it. I just hoped that he would get his crap together - he's very talented, knows what he's doing, I can ask him anything, and he's a nice guy. Anyway he keeps f'king up, walks in late to work, has been late to an on-site catering gig which left the Chef loading up/unloading all of the food/prep to be done on site, he has called out at the last minute to take a personal day - we don't have those, he has dropped the ball on time management more than once on a 45 min entree at a wedding, and on an app for a taste test. There's more but my boss is always stressed and I see him bust his ass while the Sous doesn't really have the same enthusiasm or work ethic. Yes they are friends but only at work. The owners want him gone.. but I want to know why the heck he retains him on staff if he constantly brings him down and doesn't support him. I just don't get it. Yes, I understand no one likes to fire people and it's not an easy thing to do, however I've been on the other side of the fence. However, we plan on expanding the business and we can't do that with someone in management who acts like he doesn't want to be there. I do stay out of it but I see the frustration on my boss's face every day. What are your thoughts?