The image showed a cleaner bundled up and sleeping about 3.50am when he should have been cleaning the restaurant. Photo / Facebook
The image showed a cleaner bundled up and sleeping about 3.50am when he should have been cleaning the restaurant. Photo / Facebook
A restaurant owner who found one of his cleaners taking a nap inside the store while on the job has stunned his manager and customers by standing up for the worker.
Christian Avant, the owner and founder of Milky Lane in Sydney, was concerned after he received CCTV footage from his manager showing the cleaner snoozing on the couch at 3.50am before any work was completed.
The manager sent Avant an image of the sleeping cleaner with the comment: "Look what I found ... cleaners are sleeping."
But instead of firing the cleaner, or even issuing a warning, Avant decided to defend the employee in a move that has been welcomed by his customers.
"At first I was concerned getting this message from one of my managers," Avant wrote on Facebook.
"Then I saw the funny side. Everyone's needed a nap before and the venues are clean - rest up you snuggly little burrito.
"As long as the job's done, we're all for a cheeky siesta – life's tiring at the best of times."
Christian Avant defended his employee today. Photo / Facebook
Avant said while he was initially concerned with the cleaner's behaviour, he pointed out to his manager the job was completed to a high standard and on time.
The Milky Lane owner told Daily Mail Australia the worker had cleaned two other locations prior to arriving and said firing the cleaner never crossed his mind.
"My first response was 'But is the venue clean?' And after finding out that it was, we were all pretty laidback about it from there.
"To be honest, firing him was never something that ever entered my mind. Life's tough at the best of times and some of these guys work multiple jobs to provide for their family and themselves, so he was probably just exhausted.
"We pay our team of cleaners to do a specific job for a certain fee, and within an allocated time frame. As long as that's done, which it was, we've got no major issues with one of them having a little siesta.
"No harm was caused. The venue was clean. And they always do a great job. So its water under the bridge as far as we're concerned."
Customers of Milky Lane have since applauded Avant for his compassion and understanding towards the cleaner.
"You guys are amazing for laughing this off and being understanding of this. Some people are doing it so tough at the moment. So both a hilarious and wholesome post," an Instagram user wrote in a comment.
"Good on you Milky Lane, some of these people work two or three jobs to support their families," another person said.
