# How "lenient" are you with workers?



## ChoppyChoppy (Aug 1, 2018)

Had a kid come by last week looking for work, told him he could start Monday, 10am.

Sunday night around 9pm he calls, left a msg (I was on my roof patching some shingles). Wanted to know what time to be at the shop. Said in the msg he saw the "shop hours" sign with 10-5, so he'd be there at 10 if he didn't hear back.

Monday... 10am, no sign of him. Finally shows at 10:30.

He didn't bring lunch, so at around 1345 I let him go home (lives 5 min away), told him to be back in 20 mins.

Gets back it's almost 1430 (gone almost 45 mins).

Yesterday he calls around 0730 to tell me he can't come in, has to help his grandfather move to a nursing home.

Seems to be a decent worker, though hard to say after only ~6hrs of work.

I plan to tell him today he's used up any "freebies" and next time he'll be fired.
I've had maybe 15-20 guys work for me over the years, never really had to be strict on time.

Thoughts?


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## rngrchad (Aug 1, 2018)

2 weeks ago a Guy comes in on a Monday, needs a job wanting to do primarily welding. We hire him and he says he can start that Wednesday. On wednesdsy he’s a no show. Have a co worker call him(they are somewhat friends) and he says he hurt his foot and had to go to the doctor but he’ll be starting on Thursday. Thursday he says he has to move his tools and toolbox from previous job and won’t be in yet. Friday we fire him as he no shows and This my friends is the first time we’ve ever fired somebody before they were technically hired. After this debacle he slanders the company I work for on FB like totally savagely roasts us on fb because he quit his job to work for us and we fired him before he even started and now he is jobless. Lol. Idiots and I’m not gonna mention him be a millennial errrr did I? When dealing with those in the 20 to 25yr range your gonna have to have a lot of patience...... Good luck man


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## The Singing Arborist (Aug 1, 2018)

I set up a job interview with a kid a while back. The time comes around for us to meet and he no showed. I call him up and he says, "sorry, I'm at a Harry Potter marathon with some friends. Can I reschedule?" I politely said don't bother and hung up.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Aug 3, 2018)

Showed up today it was almost 11, then asked if he can go home early!

Oh I about snapped when he came up... and yelled "Hey, I'm gonna leave early"
I told him... first off, my name isn't Hey. Leave early? NO way in hell! 

So far this week, he's put in 16hrs.. out of 28 he was supposed to work. 

Told him tomorrow he'd better be on time.. today was the last freebie.

I never had to babysit to this level. I've had guys come in a few mins late, not the end of the world, but 30+ mins late on the FIRST 3 days of work?! And he lives a mile up the road!


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## Beetlejuice (Aug 3, 2018)

ValleyFirewood said:


> Showed up today it was almost 11, then asked if he can go home early!
> 
> Oh I about snapped when he came up... and yelled "Hey, I'm gonna leave early"
> I told him... first off, my name isn't Hey. Leave early? NO way in hell!
> ...


For 40+ years I was a stickler on being on time and ready to work. That means you've pee'd, got nail apron on. Got your hammer in one hand, and fist full on 8 penny sinkers in the other.. I wanted an air gun under one arm, with power cord and air hose under the other.. 
But times and attitudes change also.. I'm no longer straw boss, and the only one I herd around is myself.. That bast#rd is always late, but what a great attitude. I can see that it's a more hustle, get er done, world if a person wants to stay in business. But I've also see workmanship take it in the rear also.. It's a fine line on just how much you put up with, and especially if the worker does a good job. Seems more problems for kids growing up now a days. Probably just the old man in me talking now. But it's gotta be tough growing up in this era. I'm rambling. Shoot me, or turn me over.. I done


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## polkat (Aug 3, 2018)

I have a lot of them. the most current one I had was looking for a driver to deliver parts. the only two hiring credentials I had was show up for the interview on time and have a valid drivers license.. OHH ya and the pee in the cup. heck I was starting them out at $14 hr being a seasonal position with the possibility of year round. I went through 6 people before I could hire two. from no shows to calling just before interview to reschedule to no driver license to popping the drug test. it is a sad to see that this day..


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## ChoppyChoppy (Aug 3, 2018)

I worked at Sears about 15 years ago (oil changes, tires, etc) and late was 3 or 4 min passed scheduled time. More than 3 on a quarter was grounds for being fired.
The annoying thing though was couldn't clock in more than 3 or 4 mins early either.

I'm not that strict, rolling in 5-10 min late here and there isn't a huge deal, but he's been 30+ min late everyday so far.


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## B Brown (Aug 3, 2018)

Guess i'm not a very nice guy, but, if they don't show up, bye, bye, if they start having excuses, the first one gets a pass, it they start having more excuses, its time to look for another guy, and for them to look for another job. I guess i'm not very patient with people, i've ''baby set'' too many of them over the years. And, if they don't take the initiative to get on the ball, and work, they are down the road. Time is money, i don't have time to watch every one, and normally hiring some one's buddy has its draw backs as well. I'm not a slave driver, but, I do expect people to work for what they get paid.


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## svk (Aug 6, 2018)

It is really sad that people cannot be on time anymore. I mean **** happens every so often but you should definitely not be late the first week on the job. I just do not know why there is no respect for anyone these days.

One suggestion to do in the future is set expectations ahead of time, IE: "You WILL be here and ready to work by X:00." You will work until Y:00 and your breaks are XXX.

One time I hired a kid to carry rounds out of my woodlot. He got tired so he hid a bunch of them under brush. I was not a happy camper when I found them and he was not asked to work again.


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## capetrees (Aug 6, 2018)

I try to cure as many problems as I can on my own. I pay for coffee break, I pay for lunch and I drive the truck to the job with the guy(s) in it. They have no way out. The only thing I haven't been able to control is on time and that is usually cured by just leaving for the job on time and not answering the phone when they call looking for where I am. Usually cured pretty quick though.


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## KenJax Tree (Aug 6, 2018)

ValleyFirewood said:


> Had a kid come by last week looking for work, told him he could start Monday, 10am.
> 
> Sunday night around 9pm he calls, left a msg (I was on my roof patching some shingles). Wanted to know what time to be at the shop. Said in the msg he saw the "shop hours" sign with 10-5, so he'd be there at 10 if he didn't hear back.
> 
> ...



Special needs Inuit kid?


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## ChoppyChoppy (Aug 6, 2018)

I hired another guy over the weekend. Seemed like it'd work out. Got to the shop early so I could prep some paperwork and make a list of what I wanted to go over with and train him on. Well... he never showed up!

The other guy that worked last week rolled in at nearly noon time wanting to work.  I chewed him out, told him he'd here by 10 or that's it. Not 10:01 even. Told him I don't care if he needs to come at 0500 and sleep in the parking lot, don't care about anything in the home life. Ass is in the door by 10 or that's it.


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## sb47 (Aug 18, 2018)

If your not 5 min early....your 5 min late.


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## lknchoppers (Aug 27, 2018)

I have my Buddy that is 68, he drives and delivers on occasion when I get to busy. The only other person that I like working with me is my GF to come help stack sometimes. That's it. Early on, I had several people that helped me but they just were never reliable or worth what I was paying them. I would rather buy a piece of equipment with the money I save not having help to process firewood.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Aug 27, 2018)

If they make equipment that can sort and stack firewood in a truck I'm all ears!

So far have hired 4 people and NOT ONE showed up.


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## Beetlejuice (Aug 27, 2018)

I have p


ChoppyChoppy said:


> If they make equipment that can sort and stack firewood in a truck I'm all ears!
> 
> So far have hired 4 people and NOT ONE showed up.


I have problems with people not giving a sh*T on the sorting.. I probably over sort. I think of it as a 5 phase process. Logs in...sort...cut...split...load...deliver.. All phases are a quality control decision by anyone that is working that perticular job..it is a judgement call, but a nice, neat uniform load of firewood will sell itself.. In my opinion, I've found it tough to get people that can make those judgement calls. Teaching how to stack is a whole other subject. I feel I'm lucky get someone that knows how to read a tape measure. So I make marks on sticks. I'm rambling.. Next week we'll talk about tree identification.


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## anlrolfe (Aug 27, 2018)

By trade I'm a construction electrician. We have deadlines when the job should be done and the customer expects to flick a switch and have everything come alive. Big shutdowns for big customers. If it isn't ready big liability to have it on time and on budget.
ONE THING I KNOW... When someone misses you NEVER get that time back. The time schedule and crunch compresses but the work thats on the table still needs to get done. I shouldn't have to hire on extras or go overtime to make up for the lost hours from absenteeism in order to meet a deadline.
A few things you never get back; lost money, a missed shot of tail and lost/squandered time.


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## Little Al (Aug 28, 2018)

ValleyFirewood said:


> I hired another guy over the weekend. Seemed like it'd work out. Got to the shop early so I could prep some paperwork and make a list of what I wanted to go over with and train him on. Well... he never showed up!
> 
> The other guy that worked last week rolled in at nearly noon time wanting to work.  I chewed him out, told him he'd here by 10 or that's it. Not 10:01 even. Told him I don't care if he needs to come at 0500 and sleep in the parking lot, don't care about anything in the home life. Ass is in the door by 10 or that's it.


To me you are to forgiving if it was me he would have been down the road 2nd day Is this a more prevalent thing in the US? my SIL who has a septic tank installation/repair/inspection company has the same problem with his workers they seem to come & go as they please very unreliable


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## anlrolfe (Aug 28, 2018)

Septic service is a rough job. Many flush out...


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## lknchoppers (Aug 31, 2018)

ValleyFirewood said:


> I worked at Sears about 15 years ago (oil changes, tires, etc) and late was 3 or 4 min passed scheduled time. More than 3 on a quarter was grounds for being fired.
> The annoying thing though was couldn't clock in more than 3 or 4 mins early either.
> 
> I'm not that strict, rolling in 5-10 min late here and there isn't a huge deal, but he's been 30+ min late everyday so far.




Hey Valley I worked in the auto service department too, but 35 years ago. Sounds like you are a good Boss !!


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