Taking on first employee

[carsmarco252]

Time has come for a regular member. I can't keep going at it alone. I've had plenty of subbies over the years but they eventually move on and I'm at the point now where I have too much work and zero help. 

I'm thinking a labourer for now part time and train them up if they want to stay. I have a friend in H.R who can sort the employment side of things, my account can sort wages etc for £3.50 a month. What I really need help with is initial training. For now I want a labourer to clean, drag, and with time get them on the hedge cutter and using my mini chipper. Will they need to go on an nptc course just to use my mini chipper or is that overkill? I think for ladders and lifting etc I can probably download something and get them to read and sign. 

It will only be myself and the one new employee working. 

[Jamie Jones]

Yes and no....
You can do and induction and give some basic training.. But you would need to document it.... Technically with H&S for most grounds maintenance you only need chainsaw and herbicide spraying qualifications. HM H&S Officers said that I didn't need a qualifications for things like strimmer, blower and hedge trimmers etc......
I would say that a small chipper like a Greenmech CS100 you might get away with not having to have him qualified and just have an induction. But  a bigger proper chipper then I would say that yes they will need a qualification because the level of risk increases.
However, Should something go wrong your insurance may view it differently. These days I seem to find that the insurance requirements are higher than what H&S say. Because they view things to the upmost requirements.
But I would suggest that you look at it this way.. If your taking a lad on... What's in it for him? I take it you would be looking to pay minimum wages or there abouts to get things going...
So what incentive is there for him to stay with you if he is not going to get anything out of it. So I would suggest that you maybe pay him as a trainee a Minimum Wage + Bonuses each month. That way there is an incentive for him to work.
Then look at getting hims some courses:
For Grounds Maintenance:
1) 'First Aid + 'F'  (Forestry - Critical Bleed Module)
2) Strimmer
3) Blower
4) Hedge Cutters
5) Chipper

6) Ride-On Mower
7) Then think about the Herbicide Spraying

All these are very short courses... As an incentive you might want to fund the cheaper courses and part fund the more expensive ones, or if fully funding them then it is often common to have a training agreement that should they leave within a certain time frame they have to repay a percentage of the training costs.

If your going to be doing small Tree Work / Jobs
Then as a minimum:
Chainsaw: CS30 (Maintenance and Cross Cutting), CS31 (Small Tree Felling), CS32 (Medium Tree Felling).
These courses tend to be a bit more expensive.. So you could work funding these in with bonuses?

If you are going to be doing or moving the business towards doing full Arb work.
Then add:
Climbing and Aerial Rescue (ASAP)
Chainsaw from a rope & Harness
Wind Blown & Uprooted
And then take thing further.

From personal experience if you have got a good worker it will transform your business in that going from one to two people often means you get jobs done in less than half the time... But your biggest problem is getting the right person...

[topchippyles]

3 minutes ago, Jamie Jones said:

Yes and no....
You can do and induction and give some basic training.. But you would need to document it.... Technically with H&S for most grounds maintenance you only need chainsaw and herbicide spraying qualifications. HM H&S Officers said that I didn't need a qualifications for things like strimmer, blower and hedge trimmers etc......
I would say that a small chipper like a Greenmech CS100 you might get away with not having to have him qualified and just have an induction. But  a bigger proper chipper then I would say that yes they will need a qualification because the level of risk increases.
However, Should something go wrong your insurance may view it differently. These days I seem to find that the insurance requirements are higher than what H&S say. Because they view things to the upmost requirements.
But I would suggest that you look at it this way.. If your taking a lad on... What's in it for him? I take it you would be looking to pay minimum wages or there abouts to get things going...
So what incentive is there for him to stay with you if he is not going to get anything out of it. So I would suggest that you maybe pay him as a trainee a Minimum Wage + Bonuses each month. That way there is an incentive for him to work.
Then look at getting hims some courses:
For Grounds Maintenance:
1) 'First Aid + 'F'  (Forestry - Critical Bleed Module)
2) Strimmer
3) Blower
4) Hedge Cutters
5) Chipper

6) Ride-On Mower
7) Then think about the Herbicide Spraying

All these are very short courses... As an incentive you might want to fund the cheaper courses and part fund the more expensive ones, or if fully funding them then it is often common to have a training agreement that should they leave within a certain time frame they have to repay a percentage of the training costs.

If your going to be doing small Tree Work / Jobs
Then as a minimum:
Chainsaw: CS30 (Maintenance and Cross Cutting), CS31 (Small Tree Felling), CS32 (Medium Tree Felling).
These courses tend to be a bit more expensive.. So you could work funding these in with bonuses?

If you are going to be doing or moving the business towards doing full Arb work.
Then add:
Climbing and Aerial Rescue (ASAP)
Chainsaw from a rope & Harness
Wind Blown & Uprooted
And then take thing further.

From personal experience if you have got a good worker it will transform your business in that going from one to two people often means you get jobs done in less than half the time... But your biggest problem is getting the right person...

Post was 5 months ago jamie and would imagine he has it sorted now mate

Edited December 12, 2020 by topchippyles