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Was i right to report my co workers ?


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I'm a Dietary Aide in the long term care. Last time when I worked, a CNA filled up a coffee filter with cereal that is for residents. Then she put some in her travel mug and filled it up with milk. Then she took the remaining in the coffee filter with her. Also when I brought snack for the residents for CNA's to pass them, another CNA took some in small cup for themselves. I documented the date and time and to report these 2 staff.

 

It's against the policy to eat resident's food. Even the left overs from the meal that's going in the garbage. They consider it theft. When we tell them they are not supposed to, they just ignore it or don't take it seriously.I even told her that its theft and she just kept walking

 

I finally spoke to my manager about it and she asked for their names and dates. Was i petty to report this?

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Nope, not if your manager wanted to know the details. Normally, I might say, just keep your head down, but your manager was glad for the information, so I think it was fine. Plus you are the dietary aide, so it's kind of your area. Look, if they're stealing that, they may be stealing from the patients too. When my dad was in for an extended stay, the manager always told me if you bring anything, it will just be stolen either by staff or patients. Patients who aren't all there regularly go raid other people's rooms for any chocolate or anything. It's horrible. And I know that it's hard to find personnel for nursing homes, or enough care, I should say. So it's not at all unusual for them to hire ex-cons. I've read some real frightening stories about things that went on and people who were in charge of other people. Here's one just from today that's pretty bizarre!

 

https://myfox8.com/2019/03/28/care-facility-worker-accused-of-feeding-jalapeno-peppers-to-dementia-patient/

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LivingWaterPlease

No, you weren't petty. Workplace theft is a serious issue and costs both businesses and consumers.

 

Theft of any sort is serious.

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major_merrick

Yes and no. On the one hand - clear violation of rules, possibly theft. On the other hand, if it is leftovers that will be thrown away....I dislike food waste because I grew up hungry! Is there a way to both enforce the policy so that your workplace isn't losing money, and also make sure that edible food isn't thrown in the garbage?

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healing light

Yeah, I actually think this was overkill. Jotting down the times and a handful of cereal? If the food was going to be tossed anyway, I don't think a couple of infractions are a big deal. If the food was actually going to be eaten by a resident, then that's different...but I can't imagine a mug or two of cereal would constitute a major loss. I think healthcare aids tend to be underpaid as it is. And this is a great way to make co-workers hate you over a relatively minor issue, imo. I would report people if I were being harassed or boxes of cereal were disappearing, not snacking on some leftovers or a handful of food here and there.

Edited by healing light
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Meh. Is that really the hill you want to die on? All for some 'stolen' breakfast cereal? :rolleyes:

 

 

This is where I am.. yes it is technically stealing and most likely will require a reprimand but now the workers you work with will cast you out as a snitch for something nobody really considers it to be that bad.. yeah it sucks but it's true.. if they were stealing meds then it would make more sense but now it seems you have just made your work environment a tough place to work side by side with people who know.

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It's taugh position to be in because if I don't report it, i can get in trouble over it. The residents pay for their meals via their insurance or privately.. Meals are an automatic charge on the residential bill. It's actually against the law and considered theft. Plus my name will be confidential. They don't tell anyone who the reports came from even though they might figure it out

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I even told her that its theft and she just kept walking

 

They don't have to figure it out, they will know.

 

You are right.. it is theft but hopefully your work environment isn't ruined over this and they treat you good... we all have to make decisions in life on some moral issues and you chose what you felt was right, going on that alone it was right..

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I believe that care home staff are seriously underpaid for what they do, therefore taking a little something to eat shouldn't be a big deal. It should be permitted within reason. I don't care if it's technically theft, it's so petty it's not even worth noticing let alone reporting. If it was something bigger, whole cartons of food, medications, etc, that's a different story. But a cup of cereal? Really?

Your co-workers will know it was you because you said something to the CRA, so you should probably be prepared for some backlash, and make sure you don't ever set even the tiniest foot wrong because your colleagues will be watching you.

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I believe that care home staff are seriously underpaid for what they do, therefore taking a little something to eat shouldn't be a big deal.

 

Slippery slope. What if the staff needs a few medications for home? Some articles of clothing? Easy to make a small problem into a big one...

 

Mr. Lucky

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whichwayisup
I even told her that its theft and she just kept walking

 

And this is why she'll know it was you who told management.

I finally spoke to my manager about it and she asked for their names and dates. Was i petty to report this?

The thing is, now it's your word against hers. She can easily deny it unless you have proof she ate food and walked off with coffee filters. If you're not in a position of power, be careful because others will catch wind of this and it's possible they could accuse you of something and try to get you in trouble.

 

(Suggestion: maybe they should have video cameras set up in the kitchen area to help prevent other food theft!)

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LivingWaterPlease

OP, I believe the only mistake you made is by first telling the individual that he/she was stealing. IMO, you should have reported it without mentioning it to the individual first as the article at the end of my post points out.

 

Many people believe and/or feel that taking small items from the work place is inconsequential to their employer but if many people are taking small items, it can add up to a large amount.

 

One way companies make a profit is to trim back overhead even in small ways. The reason being that small savings make a difference in the bottom line. Similarly, petty theft can also make a difference in the bottom line. That's just one reason OP's employer has the rule.

 

You know that if you make your lunch at home, for instance, rather than eating out at lunchtime you save only a small amount. But, over a year's time that small amount turns into a larger amount if you take your lunch everyday.

 

The same is true for stealing very small amounts from a workplace environment. It's really not small if everyone is allowed to do it. That's why companies, in this case I believe a rehab center or nursing home, can't recall, have rules not to take things.

 

There was a time when folks were taught not to take anything that didn't belong to them. It seems that times have changed and people think they can take things from others if they deem the item is small.

 

We see corruption in government and all around us and we decry it. But, sadly many aren't taught the importance of stealing nothing, no matter how large or small. From what I've observed corruption begins with small things in a person's life.

 

In looking at articles online about employee theft one article reported that 80% of employees will steal at some point during their work experience.

 

Here's an excerpt from just one article.

 

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/workplace-theft-on-the-rise-.aspx

 

"'Corporations don't have feelings." "No one got hurt." "If my company's going to cut my benefits, it owes me.'"

 

Those are among the excuses, workplace experts say, that employees use to justify stealing things from their employers—a practice whose frequency has nearly doubled in the past 16 years, according to a new report.

 

The theft of noncash property jumped from 10.6 percent of company fraud cases in 2002 to 21 percent in 2018, according to Report to the Nations: 2018 Global Study on Occupational Fraud and Abuse by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).

 

"'Generally, people like to think of themselves as basically good, and so they need to have some justification for the crime that allows them to preserve their self-image,'" said Art Markman, professor of psychology and marketing at the University of Texas at Austin and author of the Fast Company article "'The Psychology Behind Why People Steal Their Coworkers' Stuff.'" "'One way to do that is to see the company as doing wrong to them in some way. If they feel poorly treated at work or underpaid, then they can justify the crime as a way of balancing the scales.'"

 

The report analyzed 2,690 cases of occupational fraud in 125 countries that were investigated between January 2016 and October 2017. The frauds were committed in 23 major industry categories against organizations that included small local businesses, multinational corporations, private and public entities, government agencies and nonprofits. The perpetrators worked in virtually every part of the organization, from entry-level employees to C-suite executives.

 

Noncash fraud is theft of company property such as workplace supplies, equipment, food or proprietary information. The report also described seven other types of fraud:...Organizations victimized by noncash fraud suffered a median loss of $98,000. The percentages total more than 100 percent because some frauds involve more than one category...

 

Another way workers justify stealing is by thinking of the company as a faceless entity that won't be hurt by the crime, Markman said.

 

"Even for larger-scale theft of property, people often treat corporations as abstract entities," he said. "Corporations don't have feelings, so the theft can feel a little like a victimless crime."

...

 

Research in psychology shows that a high percentage of people will engage in petty theft and small-scale cheating when there is little chance of being caught, Markman said. Hence, there's widespread stealing of workplace supplies, such as pens, pencils, staplers and tape dispensers, which people justify by assuming that the expense to the company is small....

 

Handling Workplace Theft

 

Workplace experts offer these suggestions for preventing theft:

 

Talk with employees—at staff meetings, by e-mail and through printed postings—about theft and the employer's position on it. Make clear that any theft violates company policy and that stealing will cause managers to question the employee's honesty and integrity and could jeopardize the employee's future with the company.

 

Give specific examples of how stealing is wrong, even when taking the smallest of items. Appeal to workers' self-image; people typically want others to view them well.

 

Tell employees to report any stealing they witness either to a supervisor or through an anonymous channel, but discourage them from taking matters into their own hands, such as by using their cameras for surveillance, which may be illegal or against company policy..."

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The bigger question is should people rat on their coworkers? Are they obligated to squeal even though it may result in only creating an unpleasant and hostile work environment for themselves?

 

I say it's up to the individual. If they sleep better at night knowing that they put a stop to some petty theft and they are not bothered by the possible negative outcomes then go for it. I know companies just love it when their employees rat each other out but the employees are the ones who have to work everyday with same people they ratted on, sometimes they spend more time with each other than they do with their families. Therefore if they decide that getting a coworker in trouble is not in their best interest and will make their daily work life miserable then I can support not telling too.

Edited by a LoveShack.org Moderator
rude
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I believe that care home staff are seriously underpaid for what they do, therefore taking a little something to eat shouldn't be a big deal. It should be permitted within reason. I don't care if it's technically theft, it's so petty it's not even worth noticing let alone reporting. If it was something bigger, whole cartons of food, medications, etc, that's a different story. But a cup of cereal? Really?

Your co-workers will know it was you because you said something to the CRA, so you should probably be prepared for some backlash, and make sure you don't ever set even the tiniest foot wrong because your colleagues will be watching you.

 

 

It wasn't just one cup of cereal. She took more than what they could manage to eat in one sitting and bundled the rest up in the coffee filter to take with her again. The fact that they couldn't eat all the cereal they took in one sitting tells me that its a significant amount. Also the other person took a handful of grapes before there where served to the resident which is not okay. That's basically stealing for the people intended for. FYI when someone reports someone it is confidential even though they will probably figure it out

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And this is why she'll know it was you who told management.

 

The thing is, now it's your word against hers. She can easily deny it unless you have proof she ate food and walked off with coffee filters. If you're not in a position of power, be careful because others will catch wind of this and it's possible they could accuse you of something and try to get you in trouble.

 

(Suggestion: maybe they should have video cameras set up in the kitchen area to help prevent other food theft!)

 

They have camera and when someone reports, they review the camera to confirm it. She took the cereal where the camera can't view it then walked away from the kitchen into the view of the camera holding a travel mug with cereal in it. then she had it right in front of the camera. Also another worker took the grapes right in front of the camera

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LivingWaterPlease
The bigger question is should people rat on their coworkers? Are they obligated to squeal even though it may result in only creating an unpleasant and hostile work environment for themselves?

 

As to "why should people rat on their co workers?" the article I posted explained why it's not only important to report infractions, but why some companies require it.

 

IMO whether it's regarded as ratting on co workers or doing the job you're hired for would depend on the perspective of the one labeling it, whether the one fulfilling job requirements or the one who is stealing from the company.

Edited by a LoveShack.org Moderator
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It wasn't just one cup of cereal. She took more than what they could manage to eat in one sitting and bundled the rest up in the coffee filter to take with her again. The fact that they couldn't eat all the cereal they took in one sitting tells me that its a significant amount. Also the other person took a handful of grapes before there where served to the resident which is not okay. That's basically stealing for the people intended for. FYI when someone reports someone it is confidential even though they will probably figure it out

 

Fair enough. I took your post in the context that someone missed breakfast at home and was just having a snack to tide them over. But if they're 'stocking up' and taking stuff home, yes that is a different story. I guess someone in the organisation has to account for food consumption and work to a budget with grocery purchasing, so if it's an amount that's going to be noticed over a period of time it's best to put a stop to it early.

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It wasn't just one cup of cereal. She took more than what they could manage to eat in one sitting and bundled the rest up in the coffee filter to take with her again. The fact that they couldn't eat all the cereal they took in one sitting tells me that its a significant amount. Also the other person took a handful of grapes before there where served to the resident which is not okay. That's basically stealing for the people intended for. FYI when someone reports someone it is confidential even though they will probably figure it out

 

 

I can see why you had concerns and everything but to be completely blunt with you, you will just be regarded as a jobsworth, bureaucratic type who 'gets off on their little bit of power'. Lost count of the amount of times I've heard this line being uttered by workers talking about someone who thinks/behaves similarly to you. Like someone said above, if it helps you sleep better at night and you want to make sure you follow the rules down to a T - do it, but be prepared for the realistic consequences, the 'unofficial' consequences which go along the lines of: being snubbed, your working life made more difficult, unpleasant work environment etc. If you're ok with chancing these consequences, go for it.

But your actions aren't really popular.

 

I do have a curiosity though - if you don't mind me asking, I've always wondered about people who value the importance of sticking to the rules very very staunchly about the 'little' things, this is a great energy to be harnassed - do you also apply it to wider life? Because a collective version of that could really help improve politics, governing bodies, regulatory bodies, improving the wrongs of the world. Something that is desperately needed, in the current state of the world.

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Improving the world starts at home, in your own backyard and the workplace. There is everything right about taking care of your own backyard and having standards. Small misdeeds are indicative of larger ones.

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Improving the world starts at home, in your own backyard and the workplace. There is everything right about taking care of your own backyard and having standards. Small misdeeds are indicative of larger ones.

 

Not always.

Improving things from the top-down can have a trickle effect.

 

E.g. changing policies to reflect social discrepancies can mean better education rates, quality of life, fair pay, equal opportunities, which then mean people are better equipped to improve themselves, be better parents, which then make for children growing into more well-rounded adults etc etc.

 

Anyway, sorry for the drifting from the main topic. Whole other story.

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