Believe it or not in the last three weeks we’ve had four calls asking us can I stop an employee looking after their children during working hours? The straightforward answer is yes you can.
When your employee joined you, they signed a contract (if they haven’t got a contract in place we recommend reading our blog)
Agreement to work
A contract of employment is an agreement between an employer and an employee. In signing the contract, the employee has agreed to work the number of hours that the contract refers to. An employer can require an employee to work the number of hours they agreed to work when they signed the contract.
Devoting their Full Time to the Company
Any well crafted contract will contain a clause like this which effectively says that during the hours of work the employee will devote the whole of their time, attention and abilities to their duties for the Company. If your contact of employment doesn’t contain this clause it doesn’t mean that you can’t stop an employee looking after their children during working hours. It may mean that you have not been clear about your expectations of the employee which may give rise to some challenges.
Uninterrupted Focus
Employees need to concentrate on their work, to do this they need to focus on their work. A study by Berkley University shows us that when someone is interrupted (for example by a child wanting something or crying because they’ve hurt themselves) it kills momentum. The study shows that the length of recovery time depends on the complexity of the task but can range anywhere from 8 minutes to 25 minutes for more complex ones.
Consistent and prolonged disruptions, which are foreseeable if an employee is looking after children whilst working, can hamper the quality and efficiency of work. Distractions can lead to errors, missed deadlines, and an overall decline in job performance.
Clarifying Expectations
Setting clear expectations is key to maintaining accuracy and productivity at work. As an employer, it’s reasonable to communicate your expectation to employees that they prioritise work tasks during their working hours.
Addressing Flexibility
If employees request adjustments to their working pattern this is potentially a statutory request that you must handle properly. Just because an employee requests flexible working does not mean that you have to agree to it You should carefully consider the request, why the employee is requesting and whether the request fits in with your business requirements.
Conclusion
While it’s essential to acknowledge the challenges employees face outside of work, it’s vital to ensure that employees understand the importance of fulfilling work commitments. If you discover that you have an employee looking after children whilst they should be working, take advice on your options. Our advice is don’t leave it, because if you know this is happening and you do nothing you can potentially have suggested that you accept the person can work and look after their child.
You might find our blog on dealing with employees who take time off to care for dependents useful
If you need advice on how to deal with an employee who is looking after children whilst working give us a call – 01706 565332.
Metis HR is a professional HR Consultancy based in the North West of England supporting clients across the country. We specialise in providing outsourced HR services to small and medium-sized businesses.
