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What should I do with these Bastards?

T

Texmaster

Banned
I've got a young employee who played a pretty good practical joke to the 2 other guys in my group. He switched their cubes completly from personal pictures to computers on April Fools.

They came in, had a good laugh and he switched it back for them. Whole thing lasted about 10 minutes.

So this morning they decided to get him back by telling him I was going to fire him. Our company has been laying people off constantly for 6 months and everyone is on edge. This kid is young and supports his parents with his job. (They know this too)

The jackasses that did this let it go for over an hour until the kid came to see me red eyed and asked how much time he had left because his mother's life insurance was coming up for renewal. (the woman is ill)

I am MAD. I mean REALLY MAD. I can't fire them but I'd love some input for punishment for these two. Bear in mind this is a big company so it can't be a free for all.:|
 
I'm not sure what a good punishment would be, but I would suggest you have a talk with them concerning practical joke etiquette.
 
Yeah, I would sit down with both of them and explain to them about behaving appropriately in a business enviroment.
 


<< I'm not sure what a good punishment would be, but I would suggest you have a talk with them concerning practical joke etiquette. >>

That's the only thing you really can do. They didn't break company policy or the law, so you really can't do anything anyway. Perhaps suggest an appology to the guy?

nik
 
I know what company you work for, so I don't know how much you can actually do. First thing would be to give them the sh!ttiest possible jobs for a while. If it's any kind of a support job, make them stay on call for a month straight and page them at 3 am every other day with some stupid assignment they have to come in to do.

Ask them out to the bar for drinks after work and then kick their asses as hard as you can without killing them 🙂.
 
Send the guy home and tell the other two that he was fired for becoming irate since he heard that he was being fired.
 
I see a little favoritism here. It's ok for the young guy to play "a pretty good" practical joke on the other 2 guys, but you want to punish the other 2 guys that tried to get even?

rich
 


<< I see a little favoritism here. It's ok for the young guy to play "a pretty good" practical joke on the other 2 guys, but you want to punish the other 2 guys that tried to get even?

rich >>

No, one joke was laughed and fixed in 10 minutes. The other one caused serious emotional distress reguarding real-world issues.

nik
 
Call them for a meeting and tell them that the company is branching off to Alaska and they have been choosen as a part of the team that will be moved to Alaska.

Stick to that story for a week and then tell them that the company has changed its mind and hoped the Alaska team learned something from it. Dont say anything else.
 


<< Send the guy home and tell the other two that he was fired for becoming irate since he heard that he was being fired. >>



LOL Thats good too.



<< Call them for a meeting and tell them that the company is branching off to Alaska and they have been choosen as a part of the team that will be moved to Alaska.

Stick to that story for a week and then tell them that the company has changed its mind and hoped the Alaska team learned something from it. Dont say anything else. >>



hahaha nice one Czar but I think I might get into trouble on that one 😉
 


<<

<< I see a little favoritism here. It's ok for the young guy to play "a pretty good" practical joke on the other 2 guys, but you want to punish the other 2 guys that tried to get even?

rich >>

No, one joke was laughed and fixed in 10 minutes. The other one caused serious emotional distress reguarding real-world issues.

nik >>



Exactly. And they knew his reaction would be strong because of his family. Thats what I have an issue with.
 
richardycc, you don't see a difference between the two events? If someone came up to you and said the hospital called, your family was killed in a car wreck - is that a practical joke? Or is it mean, cruel and vindictive?

Tex, you have to tread lightly, but what I might do is call the two culprits in, and tell them that if a layoff DOES become necessary, they just moved ahead of the young kid on the cutdown list. Since he already went through the hell of thinking he is losing his job, they can have their turn next.

Of course, if that day comes, you can do whatever you want, but maybe that will play on their minds for a while.
 
Call them in and tell them they are being terminated because of their behavior. Then in an hour tell them it was a joke and ask them how they like it.

KingHam
 


<< I see a little favoritism here. It's ok for the young guy to play "a pretty good" practical joke on the other 2 guys, but you want to punish the other 2 guys that tried to get even? >>


The two things aren't even on the same level. One is harmless/funny and the other (if true) is a death sentence for the poor kid. They didn't have to let it go on as long as they did seeing how badly he was reacting.

Anyway, it's not worth putting your own job on the line, so I'd use some discretion as to your actions. A chat with the offenders and them apologizing might be a good start. Not very satisfying, but the most "appropriate" thing to do, I suppose.

Of course....the old "quarter turn to the valve stem of each tire on their cars" trick is always a good one. The tool for the valve stems is only a few bucks and you'll have a good time listening to them bitch about how they keep picking up nails or something that's making the tires go flat over a period of a week or so.😀

Fausto
 


<< richardycc, you don't see a difference between the two events? If someone came up to you and said the hospital called, your family was killed in a car wreck - is that a practical joke? Or is it mean, cruel and vindictive?

Tex, you have to tread lightly, but what I might do is call the two culprits in, and tell them that if a layoff DOES become necessary, they just moved ahead of the young kid on the cutdown list. Since he already went through the hell of thinking he is losing his job, they can have their turn next.

Of course, if that day comes, you can do whatever you want, but maybe that will play on their minds for a while. >>



You are exactly right. Bunker and you understand my position.

I'll have to sit down with them. Of that there is no doubt. I think the most I can do for "punishment" is to give the kid one or two days off and throw the work at those 2. That is within my descression.
 
<< give the young guy a couple of days vacation and make them do all his work. >>

<< haha I like that one. >>

OMFG!!! I agree with you, Tex. Today must be some kind of holiday, or something. Either that, or World Ends! Film at 11! 🙂
 


<< << give the young guy a couple of days vacation and make them do all his work. >>

<< haha I like that one. >>

OMFG!!! I agree with you, Tex. Today must be some kind of holiday, or something. Either that, or World Ends! Film at 11! 🙂 >>



lol Non Political threads are fair game for wackyness 😀
 
So these two guys are getting him back on an April Fool's joke and that's the best they can come up with? So that was what, four weeks ago? Sorry Tex, I think you have a couple of slow ones in your group. 😱

But my suggestion follows along the lines of getting the missed work out of these two jokers, as already suggested. Cut out a pound of flesh (or at the very least, the young guy's hour of lost productivity, minus the 10 minutes of his original joke if you're inclined) from the two guys. That and give them the ethics talk, and emphasize what goes around, comes around.

And for added effect, after the talk, give them blank pieces of pink paper. That should tie up the whole situation with a bow. 😀
 


<< So these two guys are getting him back on an April Fool's joke and that's the best they can come up with? So that was what, four weeks ago? Sorry Tex, I think you have a couple of slow ones in your group. 😱 >>



haha as far as social situations you are dead on. They're programmers 🙂



<< But my suggestion follows along the lines of getting the missed work out of these two jokers, as already suggested. Cut out a pound of flesh (or at the very least, the young guy's hour of lost productivity, minus the 10 minutes of his original joke if you're inclined) from the two guys. That and give them the ethics talk, and emphasize what goes around, comes around. >>



Thanks for the input.
 


<< Send the guy home and tell the other two that he was fired for becoming irate since he heard that he was being fired. >>



Hehe, I likey
 
Tell the 2 IDIOTS , that the kid turned in his Notice , rather than be Fired,
and then Give the kid a raise, if you can.

There's a BIG difference in the nature of the 2 jokes.

How old are these 2 idiots ?
Much older than the kid?
 


<< I'll have to sit down with them. Of that there is no doubt. I think the most I can do for "punishment" is to give the kid one or two days off and throw the work at those 2. That is within my descression. >>

IMO, that would hit them where it hurts and they would have 2 horrible days@ work to consider their reprehensible behavior.
 
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