Pizza Today - July 2023 - 49

Maintaining your health is like taking
the oxygen mask first on a flight that's
gone awry. If you are going to imbibe,
then don't do it on premise. And if you,
for some reason, are having a drink at your
restaurant, it must be obvious you're doing
it as a civilian paying full price so as not to
blur the lines and confuse the staff. They
will lose respect for their boss if this is the
norm.
For any other type of addiction, I'm
not going to be the one to diagnose what
treatment is needed for every individual; it's
very nuanced and personal. But every leader
needs to stop, look in the mirror, have a
heart-to-heart about what they need to
improve and ask for help when needed.
Regarding your employees,
there are three major guidelines
that will help decide how you
handle someone with a substance
abuse issue.
1. The Standard
The standard needs to be protected at all
times. If we're letting someone's substance
abuse problem affect it, then we're lowering
our standards and being loyal to the person
rather than the restaurant. The restaurant
needs to be more important than the
person as a whole, because it is what feeds
and clothes all those involved.
2. Never Fire Anyone
You are best suited never to fire
someone but rather promote those who
have already quit via their own actions to
customer status. That means if someone is
genuinely trying and not manipulating you
but seeking a way to figure their stuff out,
you work with them and find a spot for
them rather than getting rid of people out
of antipathy. If someone steals, then they've
chosen to quit. If someone shows up drunk
after getting a write-up not to do it again,
they have chosen to quit. If someone has an
off day or showed up wonky, and it's out of
the norm, then firing them is purely out of
spite and not productive.
3. Everything is Stated for the
Benefit of the Individual
Never speak antagonistically to any
employee, no matter the situation. So, if you
see someone has an issue, instead of saying,
" That's it, that's the last time I'm dealing
with your issues, " you'd be better suited to
say, " Something's going wrong here, and I
want you to say what it is. " If they're being
coy or won't say what it is, you could point
out, " You're not yourself, and I think you
know that too. You want the successful
version of yourself back and we do too. So,
I think you need to take a break and figure
out what you want to do with this job and
come back when you're prepared to do it
" You are not responsible
for their actions and
choices, but in the goodhuman
approach to life, it
would be nice for you to
be that special someone
that helps them get
ahead rather than pushes
them down further. "
with a clear head. "
Notice that in that whole conversation, I
never said you have a drug problem, you're
fired, or you're suspended because the last
thing you want is to be on record accusing
them of something and potentially setting
yourself up for legal ramifications. Unless
you have documented evidence of drug
abuse, you're in a weak position, and the
odds are you don't have any proof. Just
like smelling alcohol on their breath is still
highly suspect of an opinion, it would not
hold up in court. It might, but that's your
best shot. Eyes dilated and speech slurred
are all significant indicators of intoxication,
but they're not 100-percent proof. So, when
you see these things say, " I think you're
good for today; I'm sending you home. "
" But why, boss? " " I don't think you're in
a position to work today. I'm sending you
home, " and leave it at that. And then, if you
decide to part ways with that person, say,
" Your conduct at work just isn't what we
need it to be, " and leave it at that.
The odds are likely that there's
something else they're messing up that is
fact-based. Something you can point to as
a reason for termination. Mind you, this
whole article is my opinion. This is not legal
advice. This is a proactive solution from
someone who's seasoned and who's done it
for a very long time. Each state's laws are
vastly different, so it would be wise to run
any high-level situation or problem by an
HR professional steeped in the legal and
regulatory compliance awareness of your
state before acting on something that is a
murky gray area.
The truth is these people have
chosen to work for, and with
you, and in some way, you are
responsible for them. You are not
responsible for their actions and choices,
but in the good-human approach to life,
it would be nice for you to be that special
someone that helps them get ahead
rather than pushes them down further.
I've had many situations where I've told
someone, " Go get your mind right, and
when it's clear, we'll be here waiting. " And
sometimes, those people have gone to rehab
and come back a success, and sometimes
they have not, and in some cases, those
people have passed away from their
addictions, and it's tragic every time. As
much as we all want to save everyone, it's
simply not our job, and it's not fair to hold
yourself to the guilt of those situations.
What you can do is be a positive,
supportive presence, helping people
who want to get ahead stay ahead and
helping them earn good money while
producing revenue for your cohesive team
in a supportive, caring and productive
environment. Doing that is the best any
of us could hope to do in this life. And if
you're doing that, you're doing the right
thing. If you're taking people's substance
abuse personally, know it has nothing to do
with you. It started way before they ever set
foot into your restaurant, and all you can
do is mitigate the loss if it's a problem and
enhance the solution if there's hope.
MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of
Andolini's Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Instagram: @mikeybausch
Pizza Today - July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - July 2023
