I own a small business. I don't understand why some employees think the place can't run without them. I have terminated a few employees and every one of them have said that none of the customers will ever come back if they aren't there. I don't understand what their psychological make up is to make them think this way. Can you explain it to me?

It is part of the human condition, believing that we are more important than we are and that life can not continue without us.

Well... coming from a customer service representative stand point, a lot of us deal so closely with customers, that we feel as though we form a bond with them that our bosses will never experience, I myself have had people tell me that if I ever left a company they'd leave too and it has happened. If you think about it, honestly, without people to deal with customers, no business would survive. Maybe put yourself in their shoes for a while and experience what they have to go through all the time and then you may understand. :)

I think they are putting fear into you so you don't fire them! And who are they to threaten you anyway? I have an import export business and if anyone said that to me they will be sent home without qeustion! There is a way of saying things like: you know you and the customers will miss me dearly if I wasn't here, and I will miss you all too so as you see we all need each other! That's a nice and cheeeky way of putting it. But if they threaten you they should leave because that means they have no respect that you own the company, and most of all being their boss! They don't see you as powerful and think they are more but they don't realise in their thick heads what you had to do to get where you are, and because of you they have a life. So don't care what they think and if they want to keep their job they better change their attitude. You don't have to cause you're the boss and if they don't like it they can go somewhere else and moan cause they will and you will always get other people and definitely better ones who will look up to you. So don't worry and just keep doing what your doing. Just don't forget who is boss and show them who is. You have a business to run and you don't need workers giving you extra stress, you just don't need it. Well I hope this was helpful and I wish you the best in your future and business. Just remember it is you who got you where you are now and people can say what they want because most of it is because of jelousy and they wish they were in your shoes. So next time someone says that don't give a worried look just laugh and know that you know better. Im sure you will be fine. Bye x

They're probably not worried about whether it can run or not without them because they don't own it and are not as invested in it as you are. I agree with others that the employees' departure statement is a bluff, as they attempt to salvage their jobs.