Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Fired employees hanging out.

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Posted by Joshua Voorhies (Member # 824) on 05-01-2001, 11:25 PM:

Like any theatre, my theatre is a teenage hangout and we employ a lot of teenagers. Many of my employees have become friends with each other and hang out at the theatre. Now, when we fire employees, some come back to the theatre and hang out. Their old friends who still work there will get them a pass, then the termed employee will come in well before seating for the movie starts and hang out with both off-duty employees and other fire-ees.
The only problem I have with this is the occasional termed employees that has an ax to grind with the manager that fired them. I feel really uncomfortable with termed employees hanging out with still-employed people at the theatre, especially in light of a recent incident (a kid I fired came back with a gun... but that's a whole 'nother story).
I'm considering some new policies to discuss with my General Manager to reduce the amount of termed people hanging out, like:
1) employees can't get guess passes for termed employees
2) termed employees are asked to wait outside if there show isn't seating yet, or go straight to there theatre if it is
3) Crack down with on-duty employees talking to termed ones.
In short, we would turn into general assholes towards anyone we'd fired.
Any other comments or suggestions for what to do?

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-02-2001, 12:09 AM:

Just get rid of them. Maybe those who are letting them in free, too.

If you allow "hang-outs", you are setting yourself up for illegal drug activity, vandelism to the customer's vehicles, and theater property.

Better put your foot down before it gets out of hand.

Posted by Chris Duvall (Member # 787) on 05-02-2001, 12:28 AM:

I like the rules you have set up, however, you should be a little more vague with terms. Instead of having them not allowed to talk to terminated employees, they are not allowed to talk or hang out with "friends" while at work. Remind the current staff that this is a job, not social hour. Do what I do, instead of busting them straight out, when you see the current staff members goofing off with somebody coming up to say "hi", give that employee something to do "right now". There is always something to clean in a theatre.

As far as passes are concerned, you should check on the company policy on how employees get passes. Regal allows the employee with one guest Monday through Thursday for any show (except restricted titles). The immediate fmaily is included as well to see movies. The GM's are usually given some leeway to change this. I allow my staff to see movies with a guest any day if the title is not busy, but they have to be not scheduled to work and attend the movie as well. They just cannot get tickets to pass on to "friends".

We allow fired employees to come to watch movies, but as customers only. They are to be treated as such. This means they cannot hang out. We have a no loitering policy in place for the property and this is also understood with current and not so current employees.

Terminated employees are terminated for a reason. They are a cancer that needs to be removed. Do not let them infect and poison your current staff. The current staff needs to be reminded of this from time to time.

If you have become the teen hang out, see if you can get security for the weekends. They sometime discourage the kids from hanging out. (BTW, I have the same problem on Friday nights. I will be hiring a new security crew because the current ones suck)

You do not have to be an asshole to get this done either, just be firm and do not back off.

------------------
Chris Duvall
General Manager
Regal Cinemas
Colonnade 14
Las Vegas, Nevada

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 05-02-2001, 12:50 AM:

I gotta agree with Chris, if your employees have time to 'hang out' while they're on duty your overstaffed. There is always something to do and my philosophy is that the employees should always be doing something. If you find an employee chit chatting with a friend, and especially a terminated employee, don't chew them out for talking, just give them a particularily nasty job, like moping the whole booth by themselves (if you allow floor staff up there), or washing out the garbage cans. After a few times they'll get the hint.

Posted by Richard C. Wolfe (Member # 431) on 05-02-2001, 02:06 AM:

I guess things have really changed in this business. I can't believe that I'm reading what I'm reading. I've been operating theatres for the past thirty five years, and when I first started I worked in several large downtown movie palaces for managers that were old time showman. I learned the business from them. I also collected, over the years, theatre management manuals from almost every decade of this industries existence. I learned a lot from them as well, but they almost always followed the same procedures as the managers I worked for did.

The point is... NO one is allowed to hang out in the theatre and converse with on duty employees at ANY TIME. This means ex employees who left or were fired, friends, relatives or any one for that matter. Not even off duty current employees! Employees are there to work, and serve the patrons, not chat with friends. No wonder multiplexes have such bad reputations for customer service if they don't insist on a more regimented pattern of behavior from their employees.

Terminated employees should never be allowed to mingle with current employees, and if the current employees allow this to happen, then they should be terminated as well.

This appears to be more of the modern day liberal attitude towards making employees "friends" of the management, and vice-versa. Over the long run, that never works. Employees that are trained to do their job well and to take pride in their work will learn to respect their position, and the authority of management, and management will respect them as well. If you set strick rules and enforce them equally, you will not be an "asshole", but will gain their respect as they learn to accept the responsibility of their position and take pride in it. You must teach the staff members that this regimented protocol is important to the overall dignified environment that patrons should expect at the theatre at all times. In the long run it will create better morale and a sense of esprit de corp that will bond the staff together and produce a better environment for your patrons.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 05-02-2001, 03:37 AM:

>> Remind the current staff that this is a job, not social hour. <snip> There is always something to clean in a theatre. <<

There are at least 1001 things in a theater building that can be cleaned with a toothbrush.

Chris is right on with the passes. Employees must attend the show with their guests. With the occasional exception for parents. You can even go as far to say that "If you asked off, don't even think about coming in free to see a show."

Richard, it's just not what it used to be.

Posted by Timothy Ervin (Member # 733) on 05-02-2001, 03:53 AM:

Richard, I agree with you 100%. I have talked to alot of theatre people who were in the business years ago and the whole atitude of management has changed dramatically. Maybe some of the managers of today take some management classes from guys like you.

Joshua,as far as the ex-employees hanging out...I would have an employee meeting and tell your staff the new rules, let it be known that ex-employees are not allowed back in the theatre unless they are paying customers and when they attend a movie, the staff should treat them as any other paying customer. that means they buy their ticket/concessions and go watch their movie and leave ehn its over. The staff should not converse with them. A simple hello is fine but they are there to wrok for you and not socialize with the ex-bad seeds. If your staff does not like it, then they can leave and become ex-employees as well. I suggest you get this taken care of ASAP. With the summer business getting ready to hit, the last thing you need is alot of BS like this to deal with.

I had a similar situation at a location I took over once. I had to go in and terminate a few employees who were stealing and some of the employees who stayed on were friends of the terminated ones. The ex ones would come to the theatre and hang out and after the second visit, I told them that they were only allowed back in as paying customers and if I caught them hanging around again I would call the cops and have them banned from the theatre. I got the message across and that stopped their visits.

Posted by Frank Rapisardi (Member # 435) on 05-02-2001, 06:02 AM:

I agree.The theater is not a social club for teenagers;it's a place of business.If too many are hanging around;this may scare off older patrons,and families.In todays drug,and violence filled world be careful.If the theater gets a reputation as being potentially dangerous;business will take a nose dive.

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Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 05-02-2001, 08:49 AM:

I'm curious as to how busy the theatre in question is.

I ran a sub-run house in the center of the Cinema West '?empire?' -- so we had EVERYBODY hanging out. Other theatre managers, other employees, friends of the owner, friends of mine who made friends with other employees, friends of friends of friends of friends -- and it was impossible to make a valid reason WHY hanging out was against the rules -- the OWNER did it for crying out loud. And things were so slow anyway -- we usually got all our work done. At times it was good -- but most times it was downright annoying. I'm sure the above is a special case though - not everybody as their theatre's owner hanging out in their lobby.

Now when I went to a busier theatre -- I enjoyed the luxury of being able to assign legitimate work to people when their friends were hanging out -- it really made things a lot easier to deal with.

So I would assume business helps deter employee hangout -- cause when it's too dang busy to move around people hanging out -- then they just need to LEAVE!

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 05-02-2001, 10:41 AM:

Legitimate work? Who said anything about it being legitimate

. If an employee has nothing to do, I garauntee you that the booth is going to need mopping. Doesn't matter if I had someone do it that afternoon, it gets dirty fast up there

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 05-02-2001, 03:26 PM:

So, Scott, what you're saying is that with all the extra cars in your parking lot at least the theater gave the appearance of being a really rockin' joint?!

Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 05-02-2001, 04:38 PM:

Hanging out is hanging out whether the person is a current employee, former employee or friend of employee. At our theatre you are either working or there to see a movie. Hanging out isn't acceptable or permitted. Seeing the films we are showing is strongly encouraged. Employees who are there to see a movie (and any guests they bring) are expected to be on their best behavior. My employees know that if they or their guest(s) bring alcohol into the building with them to see a movie that they will no longer be employed. Bottom line, be firm and consistent.

Posted by Heyward Garner (Member # 722) on 05-02-2001, 11:15 PM:

My two cents!
I must agree with Chris, that terminated employees should not be bothering current employees while on the clock... I do however, see two exceptions to terminated employees being at the theatre. 1 - the employee left on good terms, just needed personal time away for schooling or the such. 2 - A manager having an expressed reason to ask a terminated employee back to the theatre. What ever reason that may be. Joshua, you have the right idea. I know it's hard to be the asshole, but you do have a job to do. Film Tech, I AM BACK!!!

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 05-03-2001, 03:20 AM:

I can't stand the termed employees either, but...

1) Corp would never go for this, as there is no overly compelling reason to do this.. If certain ex-employees are causing problems, ban them..

2) Termed employees must be treated as any other customer. No better, no worse.. We do not allow customers into theaters before they are seating, nor do we force them in there the minute is is seating..

3) Have fun.. If they don't have a ticket, toss them..

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 05-03-2001, 07:31 AM:

Where I used to work, a guy got fired for hitting a co-worker. At the time he'd started going out with one of the assistant managers. Shortly later the general manager left and this guy was allowed to hang around while his 'girlfriend' was working. Apparently the new general manager didn't know about it and nobody else cared, and I didn't think I was in a position to do anything as I didn't feel I was making a great impression with the new manager in the first place (but that's a whole different story).

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 05-05-2001, 01:03 AM:

I know this sound kinda bad, but where I work, we sort of allow friends to hang around employees if they don't cause too many problems.

The reason is quite frankly, the employees would quit if we don't give them some leeway. We don't pay that much (neither do most any other theaters) and the job market even now is good for other, similar jobs.

Please don't get the impression that where I work is run poorly. We have a cop on Fri and Sat nights to discourge problems. But, in this area (northeast US) the rate of pay for theaters has not kept up. The employees have other options, and they know it. They are generally not rewarded for extra effort, and I see this at many, many theaters.