Taking on an employee

[cordwood]

How much hassle is involved in taking on a full time employee rather than using self employed subbie's. Is putting them through their ticket's an incentive for them to stay working for you or a reason to get qualification's for nowt, then **** off and get a job elsewhere.

[Andy Collins]

I've heard this discussion many times thru my working life, and dont think there is an easy answer. One (non-arb) company I worked for years ago, would put all its staff through tickets, HGV , forklift etc at great expense, there was over 60 employees. Then the staff would leave to get a better job. The answer then was to tie them down to a contract, if you sat a ticket of any sort, this was free to the employee, but if you left the money had to be re-imbursed from your final salary. This was broken down over 5 years. So if the ticket cost £1000, and you left after 1 year, you re-paid £800, 2 yrs you re-paid £600, and so on. After the 5 year period there was nothing to re-pay, but bearing in mind most tickets had to be re-taken after 5 anyway! Certainly made people think before they left, as most companies make you work a month in hand, so they would be pot-less if they left too soon!

[Mac McLennan]

.....I would not fork out on training anyone I wasn't sure about.

 

If you are gonna do it, get someone that is already trained. They have the commercial speed to earn you some dollar........ and if they go, it will not have cost you too much.

 

Just remember such things as Sick Pay and Holidays when times are lean.

 

I only have a small team, but we have been together 8 years now. Look after your guys and they will look after you.

[Yorkshireman]

Well my experience is completely different

 

I always pay for my staffs courses & wages whilst on them

 

The only time i've had staff leave was when it was our decision

 

how you treat them, the conditions, then Pay,then length of employment potential, then equipment & vehicles will have a major effect on them staying loyal.

well its worked for us so far at least

[Paul Barton]

Agree with Yorkshireman - paying for training may seem like a risk but if you have employed the right person for the right job and you treat them right they should stay anyway.

 

Having said that their personal circumstances can sometimes force them to leave.

 

I used to work for a travel company that sent me round the world on fact-finding trips. They implemented a policy like the one Big A mentioned. It was fair enough (although not well received by the staff) and caused me to turn down a trip when I knew I was making plans to move on.

 

Seems to me that hiring subbies is an easier option.

[cordwood]

Thank's for your answer's guy's seem's it does all depend on hiring the right guy in the first place.