Can’t Sweep That Behavior Under The Rug

(I’m a supervisor in an office supply store. Recently, my boss hired a new employee who, he claimed, aced his interview and is perfect for the open cashier position. However, we quickly learn that the new employee is lazy, uncooperative, and severely lacking in tact and professionalism when dealing with customers. He even goes so far as to ignore duties and customers in order to go and play videogames on some of our display tablets and laptops. Despite being able to prove that the employee has been shirking duties and playing games via the in-store surveillance, the store manager refuses to fire the employee. One day, while going over the store’s daily task checklist.)

Me: “All right, [Employee], it’s your turn to do the clean-up around the registers. Since it’s slow right now, why don’t you go ahead and sweep up while you’re waiting for customers to come and check out?”

Employee: *sighing dramatically* “Fine.”

(He proceeds to start sweeping, but does it like he’s never held a broom before in his life. He bypasses obvious dust and leaves tracked in by customers and sweeps perhaps three square feet of floor over and over. A customer approaches, and stands there watching him for several seconds.)

Customer: “Honey, didn’t your mama ever teach you how to use a broom?! You’re not doing anyone any good sweeping like that!”

(She proceeded to lecture him on how to properly sweep floors and wouldn’t check out until she could watch him use the broom to her standards. I knew it was a lost cause, but I was glad I wasn’t the only one who could see a problem with the employee’s behavior!)