Mike Ashley: Is He Right?

Mike Ashley has become a bit of a laughing stock over the last few years, and the fact he employed Steve McLaren probably means much of the criticism is justified.

However, he's up before MPs today to explain the way his company, Sports Direct, treats its staff.

One of the issues he is getting shit for is fining staff who are late. But what the fook is wrong with that? It's his business, he's paying these twats to arrive on time and work the hours they'll no doubt claim the wages for.

No one needs to be late for work. Get up earlier if it's a problem.

Union officials said the Derbyshire distribution centre operated a "strike system" for misdemeanours where staff were given "a strike" for things such as spending too long in the toilet, excessive chatting or taking a day off sick.

Once an employee had six strikes they were automatically dismissed.

Doesn't that seem perfectly fair? Why should anyone get away with spending their work time in the bog or chatting to their friends?

Six strikes actually seems pretty lenient. I'd give my staff one chance then bin them for good.

But I think this quote from some Union twat sums up the world today:

Steve Turner wrote:When you have people under that much fear they come into work ill and that creates a significant health and safety risk

If people did the job they were paid to do they wouldn't be working in fear. Twats!

If you ran Sports Direct wouldn't you act just like Mike Ashley?

Ashley hasn't got a clue what's going on in Sports Direct and he is very wrong. He was asked about his "review" of the business which he undertook on the back of a mountain of complaints. Ashley said he personally undertook the review but there were no findings to speak of as the review had no timescale and he reckons he's fixed all the problems identified. Fair enough, but that's continuous improvement monitoring rather than a review i.e. based on the assumption that the business model is right in the first place. And Ashley won't be continuously monitoring once the kerfuffle dies down.
Well it's right from a profit/shareholder perspective but going off the complaints it's not so good from a staff or customer perspective.
Hasn't got the balls to appoint an independent reviewer so sweeping everything under the carpet himself.

He didn't come across very well when he appeared before the select committee today. He claimed he wasn't father Christmas and couldn't be everywhere at once.

Answer the fooking question you bellends.

Is it out of order to fine people for being late?

Natasha Whittam wrote:Answer the fooking question you bellends.

Is it out of order to fine people for being late?

When it results in them earning less than the minimum wage, yes.

bwfc1874 wrote:

When it results in them earning less than the minimum wage, yes.

So people shouldn't be penalised for being late or skiving off?

You give them a warning no?

If they continue to fuck about then you get rid!

No they shouldn't be fined, docked pay for the time they miss
But not fined...

BoltonTillIDie wrote:No they shouldn't be fined, docked pay for the time they miss
But not fined...

Isn't docking pay technically a fine?

Not sure if that's what they did or not, but only getting paid for the hours you work is totally reasonable

Natasha Whittam wrote:Answer the fooking question you bellends.

Is it out of order to fine people for being late?

Ashley admitted that docking a member of staff fifteen minutes pay for being one minute late was out of order.

What he should be looking at is a review of his middle management because he seems to have become detached from it, but as he said it is now a huge operation and he needs good people who he can trust to make the right decisions without having to review everyone himself.
Some of the measures seem draconian but one of the problems is the warehouse job doesn't give much in terms of job satisfaction of clear paths of progression so generally doesn't attract the highest quality of employee, and when you've got people working with no particular pride in what they do you either need a decent carrot or a decent stick and they clearly have gone down the path of the stick.
Like Nat said if you do what you're supposed to do generally there isn't a problem, and we don't know how the measures are enforced, if they are enforced to the letter of the law on every occasion I would say that they are wrong, but if they are there as a template to help manage continuous offenders but discretion is used other than that then they have every right to use them.

I've just recorded my highest word ever on Scrabble on my phone whilst hiding in the bogs at work.

(68 points for "Spoiling" if you're interested.)

Wonder what Ashley would make of that?

Breadman wrote:I've just recorded my highest word ever on Scrabble on my phone whilst hiding in the bogs at work.

(68 points for "Spoiling" if you're interested.)

Wonder what Ashley would make of that?

But if you were docked pay every time you played Scrabble on the bog would you still do it?

I'd probably owe them at the end of the month.

There's always consequences (148 points) 

i order trainers from sports direct for my boy and they always come very quickly, keep cracking that whip Mike 

Breadman wrote:I've just recorded my highest word ever on Scrabble on my phone whilst hiding in the bogs at work.

(68 points for "Spoiling" if you're interested.)

Wonder what Ashley would make of that?

Pignolis?

Breadman wrote:I've just recorded my highest word ever on Scrabble on my phone whilst hiding in the bogs at work.

(68 points for "Spoiling" if you're interested.)

Wonder what Ashley would make of that?

Pignolis?