Staff woes, getting ready to chuck it all in

[westphalian]

You are not wrong. Remember the fireman strike 10 or so years ago. It was over low pay but there was a waiting list to take up the training I imagine because of its positive image

[carlos]

forget tree work, just watched the documentary on the collapse of the royal bank of Scotland!!!!

so iam now going to try and run a bank, worst case scenario, run up debts to the tune of a trillion pounds(whatever that is) that the taxpayer will cover , then retire on massive pension , job done...... and people moan about lazy people on the dole costing the taxpayer.

what an unbelievable scam.  

[benedmonds]

22 minutes ago, westphalian said:

You are not wrong. Remember firemen...

They are another reason... quite a few fire men do tree work on the side...?

[Jonny69]

On 26/09/2018 at 12:52, 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!

Have you tried employing someone with no previous experience of trees, landscaping or college? 

 

Maybe you could mold someone to suit what you want them to do. They may turn out a lot more useful than you expect, but it will take time. 

[eggsarascal]

15 minutes ago, Jonny69 said:

Have you tried employing someone with no previous experience of trees, landscaping or college? 

 

Maybe you could mold someone to suit what you want them to do. They may turn out a lot more useful than you expect, but it will take time. 

A fella I do some work for did this. Young lad turned up on his BMX knocking every door on the industrial estate asking for a start. The company took him on and we trained him. He's been with that company for six years, top lad now.

[eggsarascal]

Can you employers tell me how much you need to charge per hour for an employee that you pay £10/hour. Taking into account holiday pay, NI, training, ppe, sickness, maternity/paternity pay. 

[LeeGray]

2 hours ago, eggsarascal said:

Can you employers tell me how much you need to charge per hour for an employee that you pay £10/hour. Taking into account holiday pay, NI, training, ppe, sickness, maternity/paternity pay. 

I’d say employing someone at £10 full time with usual benefits as above is costing £15/hr. Stick time not billable to customers as an hour everyday average and you’re at £120/8 hr day - 7hrs billing so more like £17 for every hour your billing before all other costs. 

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, LeeGray said:

I’d say employing someone at £10 full time with usual benefits as above is costing £15/hr. Stick time not billable to customers as an hour everyday average and you’re at £120/8 hr day - 7hrs billing so more like £17 for every hour your billing before all other costs. 

Other costs can be very substantial of course.  Vehicles, machinery, loans, insurance, premises, training and supervision.  I run a very small sawmill and if one of my guys does a job for a customer it gets charged out at £30 per hour and it is barely worth it.

[Gary Prentice]

On 01/10/2018 at 07:09, Khriss said:

He is not very well at the mo- and has his hands full with his handbags sales on here ! k

Handbags?  

 

I really wonder how your mind works at times! 

[Khriss]

53 minutes ago, Gary Prentice said:

Handbags?  

 

I really wonder how your mind works at times! 

......yr not the only one..... K