Disciplining staff was never one of the most pleasant parts of my job. I have to admit, I can be a bit soft on people, I'm the kind of manager who wants to be liked, but sometimes they take advantage, and ultimately I have to do something about it.
Disciplining Laura was particularly difficult. I had worked with her for a long time. Things had got a bit awkward though when I'd been promoted above her and become her manager. I think she'd always resented that I'd got the job and she hadn't.
Laura is a nice enough person, but can be a handful to manage. If she doesn't like what you've told her to do she will do it with a scowl on her face, or come up with an excuse not to do it. To be honest, if she'd been anyone else, I'd have given her a written warning ages ago.
But instead, given the fact we had known each other for so long, when there was a problem I would call her into a side room, explain the problem, and try to talk it through with her, explain why it was an issue and discuss how we could sort it. Still, Laura didn't seem to appreciate my leniency and took personal offence at every criticism of her, no matter how nice I tried to be about it.
Today the issue was a complaint from one of our biggest customers. He had phoned up with what he thought was a relatively simple enquiry. Laura had disagreed, and been, as he saw it, extremely rude to him. I'd listened to the recording of the call on our system, and I couldn't disagree with him.
I explained to Laura the reason I'd asked to speak to her, and she immediately pouted. She told me that she thought his request had been completely unreasonable, and she didn't like the tone of his voice. She thought her response had been fair and measured in the circumstances.
No matter how much I tried to explain that the customer is always right, and that what Laura had said was not acceptable, she wouldn't accept it. She said she felt like I was always picking on her. I explained that the opposite was true - I should have issued her a written warning ages ago. But this time was one time too many, I said. This time I really did have to give her a written warning.
Laura looked at me in shock. She'd never thought I would actually do it: I was the soft touch, especially when it came to her. She could push me and push me, but she always got away with things. Well, no more.
"No... I... that's ridiculous!" she whined. "I don't deserve a written warning."
"What you need is a good spanking," I muttered.
"What did you say?" she asked.
"Nothing," I replied.
"Something about a spanking?" she asked.
"Well, I think it would teach you a lesson more than a piece of paper," I conceded.
Laura looked like she was considering something.
"OK," she said after a minute's pause. "Spank me."
"What?" I asked, confused.
"You think I deserve a spanking. Spank me," Laura said. "I'll let you, as long as I don't get a written warning."
I couldn't believe what she was offering. Laura didn't have model-like good looks, but she was far from ugly, your average twenty something woman, shoulder length brown hair, discrete make up, smart work dress concealing a nice figure. I had never seen her as anything more than a colleague but still, when you get an offer like that, you don't turn it down, do you?
"OK, stand up, bend forward over the table," I instructed, fully expecting her to refuse.
She did indeed give me a look of surprise, but then said, "and if I do, the written warning goes away?"
"Yes," I confirmed. "The spanking will be sufficient punishment."
Laura smiled slightly, then stood up and, as instructed, bent forward over the table. Wow. This was a position I never expected to see any of my staff in. I wondered how far I could take this.
"OK, lift your dress and drop your knickers please," I said in a businesslike manner, as if I spanked my staff every day like this.
Laura righted herself and turned to face me, and I could see that she was about to tell me exactly what she thought of my request. But she clearly thought better of it.
"Can't you just do it over my dress?" she asked.
"Laura, you've offended one of our biggest customers. We've had to give him a huge discount - you've cost the company a fortune. It's bare bottom or the written warning."
I could see her considering the option, then reluctantly coming to a conclusion.
"And you won't do anything other than spank my bottom?" she asked.
I smiled. "No, of course not."
Laura sighed, then turned back towards the table, bending forward. She lifted up the dress, revealing a pair of black lace knickers. I thought about the fact that when she had put them on that morning she would never have imagined showing them to her manager.
I waited. A few seconds later Laura pulled her knickers down at the back, far enough to expose her well shaped bare bottom whilst protecting her modesty as far as she could. I'd never spanked anyone before, and I took a few seconds to enjoy the extremely erotic view of a woman presenting her bare bottom for spanking. The fact that this was one of my employees in smart business attire, bending over a table in an unlocked room, just made it all the more exciting.
"OK Laura, ten smacks, take them all without complaining and I'll throw out the written warning."
The no complaining rule was important. Laura complained about everything. Having to just accept ten hard smacks to her bare bottom, no moaning, no objections, would be the most important part of this lesson.
I didn't pre-warn her about the first smack. After making her wait a couple of seconds, I delivered a hard smack to her left cheek. My hand connected beautifully with her backside, and a satisfyingly loud "SMACK" rang out around the room.
Laura immediately rounded on me, her dress falling back down to cover her.
"Ow, that was too hard!" she objected.
"Laura, there was one rule, wasn't there?" I asked. I'd at least expected her to try.
"What rule?" she asked, looking confused.
"No complaining," I reminded her.
"It's supposed to hurt," I continued. "It's a spanking. You asked for it. Literally."
She looked like she was going to come back with a retort, but decided better of it.
"Fine," she conceded.
She resumed her position bending over the table and lifted her dress again reluctantly.
"I'll start again," I said.
This time I made her wait for what seemed like ages, then let my hand fly once again towards her left buttock. SMACK.
"Ow!" she exclaimed, but stayed in position, awaiting the second swat.
"Quiet Laura," I insisted.
I expected an objection, but she did as she was told.