I run a very small coffee shop with 3 part time baristas. I have them working all working set schedules which works really well because 2 of them have other jobs and I’m a person that likes predictability.
The 3rd barista is trying to get a second job and he said they might need him to work a day he’s already scheduled with me. It’s on my only full day off with no shop responsibilities, which means I only have one other barista that I can ask to pick up that shift or I work 7 days/week (each day is split into 2 shifts). If the other barista says he can’t pick up the shift, can I say no to the schedule change?
I’ve already gone through a couple rounds of burnout, and I know that working 7 days a week without an end date will cause another. My employees deserve me at my best, but I feel like a big ol’ jerk saying no for a strictly personal reason.
Multiple questions here. Why don’t you have enough staff that if one person can’t be there you’d still be fine? Why does this person feel the need to get another job in the first place? Could you hire more people or give this person more hours?
Since this is a part time job for this person they very well may decide it’s not worth the hassle and just quit anyway if you decide to say no. You have every right to say no to the schedule change but your employee has every right to quit as well. You aren’t a bad person for having your reasons for wanting to say no. But understand that your employees don’t own this company and they don’t have the same stakes in it that you do.