A business coach is gaining attention on TikTok after he said that managers should not punish an entire team just because one employee misuses their freedom. The creator, who goes by Zero Dollar Coach on TikTok, posted the video last week and had accumulated more than 40,000 likes as of publication. Sitting outside and talking directly to the camera, the creator said that he is a laid-back boss who prioritises responsible employees and deals with issues on an individual basis.
He said he did not mind if employees arrived fifteen minutes late, nor did he always penalize them for using company supplies outside work or taking extended vacation time. He admitted that the employees had abused each of those freedoms, but nonetheless, he said that individual cases should not lead to more stringent rules for all.
His main argument was that managers sometimes enforce company-wide policies because they did not want to address the individual employee causing the problem.
He gave several examples: if one employee misuses their phone, the manager may introduce a new phone policy; if a person keeps on leaving early on Fridays, the company might enforce a new attendance rule; and if an employee treats the supply room as though it were their own personal hardware store, everyone could eventually have to face more strict restrictions.
The creator believed that companies "don't have a policy problem, [but] a person problem." He said, "When you take something away from everybody because one person abused it", good employees might wonder why they are being punished for what another person has done.
@zerodollarcoaching I don’t care if you’re late. I care about not being a lazy boss. Most owners punish twenty good people because one guy named Mike couldn't handle freedom. That’s not a policy problem. That’s a "you’re scared of a conversation" problem. Treat your 'Nicoles' like they deserve. Deal with your 'Mikes' directly. EQUALITY or FAIRNESS? Pick one. #BusinessOwner #RealTalk #Management
♬ original sound - Zero Dollar Coach
The video also addressed the difference between equality and fairness in the workplace. The creator argued that a relaxed management style did not mean every employee received identical treatment. On the contrary, he said that employees who are responsible should be given more flexibility, while those who often misuse that trust must face consequences.
"If you are responsible, I'll give you freedom; if you abuse that freedom, I'll deal with you," he said. He also added that if someone keeps misbehaving, it can eventually lead to dismissal.
He argued against the notion that treating employees fairly necessarily means treating everyone identically. If 19 people can handle freedom and one person can't, taking it away from all 20 isn't fair," he said.
Managers, as he remarks, should be willing to talk to individual employees rather than making everyone's jobs more difficult.
