Staff woes, getting ready to chuck it all in

[Scott95]

I've been in this game now for 15 years and am now making serious consideration to packing it all in and starting a new business.  I love this job, pretty much everything about it but there has been one constant throughout the entire time running my business that has given me the same issues.  STAFF!

 

I like to think i'm a reasonable easy going boss.  I never rant and rave, I pay my staff well, let them have early days most weeks, and regularly buy them lunch or a pint after work.  Despite that they come and go.  Most of the time they are asked to leave as they simply are not up to the job despite coming out of colleges with all the tickets and thinking they know the job.  They could learn it for sure but it seems no one has the desire to really be the best they can these days and simply want an easy life.  I am thinking a lot of this is due to the training courses not giving a realistic expectation of what the job truly entails.  I think it should all go back to where it began with the old YTS schemes, with trainees working on £30 a week but getting hands on training as they go.  Everyone on those schemes got a true taste of what the job was and also knew that if they performed, not only would they get their tickets but would come out of it with a job for life.  Fast forward to now where everyone completes a 1 or 2 year course and automatically assumes they have earned a job for life.  Why were these schemes abolished?

 

As I said, I am literally on the verge of packing it all in.  Just can't handle the stress anymore and despite what I do its pretty obvious that its something thats out of my control.  I know i'm not the only one as I see the same companies repeatedly posting on here and elsewhere for staff.  I feel their pain!

 

Despite saying earlier I never rant and rave, I guess thats more or less what i'm doing as I don't believe there is an answer out there to solve this problem!

[westphalian]

I don’t think there is mate.

As galling as it is I think you just have to accept it and get on.

Imho it is a generational/societal problem. I’m a boss of a different type of business but the same issues. When I started 30 yrs ago NO ONE went on sick, all put total, non complaining effort in and you were there to stay. Why do you think Eastern Europeans with poor English get a job here and are actively sort after by employers? Their work ethic.

I’m currently looking to sack several staff because of their repeat short term absences.

Life is too short mate

 

 

 

 

 

[spuddog0507]

37 minutes ago, Scott95 said:

I've been in this game now for 15 years and am now making serious consideration to packing it all in and starting a new business.  I love this job, pretty much everything about it but there has been one constant throughout the entire time running my business that has given me the same issues.  STAFF!

 

I like to think i'm a reasonable easy going boss.  I never rant and rave, I pay my staff well, let them have early days most weeks, and regularly buy them lunch or a pint after work.  Despite that they come and go.  Most of the time they are asked to leave as they simply are not up to the job despite coming out of colleges with all the tickets and thinking they know the job.  They could learn it for sure but it seems no one has the desire to really be the best they can these days and simply want an easy life.  I am thinking a lot of this is due to the training courses not giving a realistic expectation of what the job truly entails.  I think it should all go back to where it began with the old YTS schemes, with trainees working on £30 a week but getting hands on training as they go.  Everyone on those schemes got a true taste of what the job was and also knew that if they performed, not only would they get their tickets but would come out of it with a job for life.  Fast forward to now where everyone completes a 1 or 2 year course and automatically assumes they have earned a job for life.  Why were these schemes abolished?

 

As I said, I am literally on the verge of packing it all in.  Just can't handle the stress anymore and despite what I do its pretty obvious that its something thats out of my control.  I know i'm not the only one as I see the same companies repeatedly posting on here and elsewhere for staff.  I feel their pain!

 

Despite saying earlier I never rant and rave, I guess thats more or less what i'm doing as I don't believe there is an answer out there to solve this problem!

i know where you are coming from the youth of today are more interested in going home rather than getting the job done, and as for what they learn at collage? , well i cant answer that one but a lad i had for 2 days a week from myerscouh collage said to me that he had lernt more from me over 6 mths than he had at collage in 3 yrs, and the thing that got me was tree ID he new nothing at the start and told me that they had done a couple of hrs on tree ID at the beginning of course, so in a woodland and asked him to fell the lodgepole and birch , which are them , thats where i realised what the f==k do they teach them and who is teaching them,?????,

Edited September 26, 2018 by spuddog0507
spelling

[Mesterh]

Can't you look towards getting staff who have been in the industry 5+ years?

 

Taking on someone from college should be seen as training them to do the job imo.

[topchippyles]

Been there so i never use youngsters only experienced guys,Most of my chaps are 35+

[billpierce]

Hang on in there! There are really good hard working lads and lasses out there, it's just finding them that's the golden ticket I suppose. Good idea asking for x years experience as the should have a realistic expectation of what the work entails.

Personally I flit between my own jobs and sunny work and an unsuited to full time employment with anyone! But would consider part time employment if the right employer came along. I guess that's the hard bit, lots of the hard grafting folk in this game end up wanting to run their own show a bit. But I do know a handful of really good lads who have been steady away with an employer for years now - it is possible.

Agree with you on the courses, they are like a soft taster for fiddling with kit! Had a lad out on experience ( paid) but pulled a sickie after day 1 of a 3 day job. Annoying

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, Scott95 said:

I've been in this game now for 15 years and am now making serious consideration to packing it all in and starting a new business.  I love this job, pretty much everything about it but there has been one constant throughout the entire time running my business that has given me the same issues.  STAFF!

 

I like to think i'm a reasonable easy going boss.  I never rant and rave, I pay my staff well, let them have early days most weeks, and regularly buy them lunch or a pint after work.  Despite that they come and go.  Most of the time they are asked to leave as they simply are not up to the job despite coming out of colleges with all the tickets and thinking they know the job.  They could learn it for sure but it seems no one has the desire to really be the best they can these days and simply want an easy life.  I am thinking a lot of this is due to the training courses not giving a realistic expectation of what the job truly entails.  I think it should all go back to where it began with the old YTS schemes, with trainees working on £30 a week but getting hands on training as they go.  Everyone on those schemes got a true taste of what the job was and also knew that if they performed, not only would they get their tickets but would come out of it with a job for life.  Fast forward to now where everyone completes a 1 or 2 year course and automatically assumes they have earned a job for life.  Why were these schemes abolished?

 

As I said, I am literally on the verge of packing it all in.  Just can't handle the stress anymore and despite what I do its pretty obvious that its something thats out of my control.  I know i'm not the only one as I see the same companies repeatedly posting on here and elsewhere for staff.  I feel their pain!

 

Despite saying earlier I never rant and rave, I guess thats more or less what i'm doing as I don't believe there is an answer out there to solve this problem!

You have my sympathy, and so does anyone trying to employ people these days.  I think we have largely lost our work ethic in this country - we have become decadent.  There are many exceptions of course, but most of the good workers are already taken or have their own business.  So when you are trying to recruit you are left with the dregs. 

 

And to make it worse if they are over 25 you have to pay them around £14,000 per year minimum wage, give them 28 days paid holiday, pay them sick pay (which can no-longer be reclaimed) pay another £2000 or so per year for NI and compulsory pension, possibly pay them statutory paternity pay and so on.  Then if they are useless and you sack them they may well take you to an industrial tribunal, so God help you if you haven't followed all the correct procedures.

 

If they are a commited hard worker who wants to learn this may all be fine, but when all they do is try and skive off and finish early it is just not going to stack up.

 

Sorry I wish I had a useful suggestion but I think you are correct - employing people is a nightmare.

[Steve Bullman]

Feel for you.  As a freelance climber I worked for a number of firms over the years and every single one of them had exactly the same problem.  That was the main thing that made me stay freelance, for better or worse.  I know I couldn't have put up with that stress though.

 

Theres no answer unfortunately, other than paying more money.  Even that doesn't necessarily guarantee you good staff though.  Some just get lucky and pick up the odd good man.  Its rare to find an entire company that only has good staff though.  In fact I can't think of a single time I have worked for someone who didn't have at least 1 weak link.

[Rough Hewn]

A different angle...
Be a tradesman.
Start on £100+ a day,
Going up to £150-200 with experience.
Be a tree surgeon,
Start on £50-80 a day maybe up to £100-120 a day with experience.
This is the problem.
As I've pointed out before.
Pay your staff a decent wage. You might actually attract decent guys.
The arb world is full of firms who will charge top money for jobs and pay their staff the scraps.

[Haironyourchest]

Can you afford to pack it up and do something else? No debts ect? If you can, just do it. Close one door another one opens.