My employee doesnt like running errands

[bdemir]

Today i gave my employee a list of errands to do which i pay 12 dollars per hour and he did not think its good enough pay or he thinks its too much responsibility and thinks doing my little work is not for him. I dont have enough work to keep him totally busy as a full time employee so im giving him small landscpaing work on the side and trying to get him to any thing that needs to be done but he does not like that part. My list includes:
Cleaning the truck and putting the magnet signs
Putting away the fert and spreader in the storage
Filling up the air tank and filling al the tires
Dumping used oil at murrays
Greasing trucks front end
Doing a spring clean up with me involved of course
ANd small stuff like errands.


Am i asking to much from an employee or for what i am paying ? Im trying to give him hours but he only wants to work when im doing everything like me telling him what to do and him doing it. Basically he want me to be the reponsible boss and him do no brain work and lonly work together. Hes a nice kid but i cant butter the bread for him sort of speak. Ive had enough being a secretary an estimator a contrator and getting all the blades sharpened and etc... Im tired of all this. One man can only do so much.
I just want to be reasonble.





Bedros

[65hoss]

Fix him. Send him home without all the hours a few days and let him see it hit his bottom line.

He would get one speach from me on the subject and then be finding a new job. If he's on the clock, it is called team work. Its all things to be done for the sake of business. He needs to grow up and deal with it.

[awm]

until you took a unecessay swipe at my favorite
LT ,we were togather. now i think you should givi him more money an start treating HIM in a decent manor . mabe a new car or something would help him tolerate working for you.LOL

[bdemir]

Thanks for the replys.

Awm what do you mean. I treat him great buy him lunch throw him two 150 lanscape jobs that can be done both in one day give him a brick paving job (my house). A new car. lol

What does this mean?
until you took a unecessay swipe at my favorite
LT ,we were togather


Bedros

[awm]

just kidding you . murray is my favorite little lt
I f you are paying 12 thats fair an means he is supposed to take the load of you.id just tell him thats the idea.
luck to you

[Ssouth]

Sounds to me like you are paying him too much if he doesn't do what you ask. I just hired my first full time employee two months ago. He is the brother of one of my best friends. he had experience in this field and was out of a job. Before he started we talked about what duties he would be responsible for. Some of which include the things you are talking about. (changing oil, cleaning equipment, and etc...) Up until last week we worked together totally, and this week he has had some responsiblities to do on his own and he doesn't seem to mind doing them. Heck, Saturday I came home to clean equipment and didn't need his assistance. I gave him the option to take off early or take a weedeater to all the properties that my father had bushhogged. He came by at 6:30 to drop off the weedeater. So far, so good and he doesn't make $12/hr.

[TJLC]

I would think that doing these erands would be a nice change of pace for him away from the everyday grind and $12.00 an hr sounds more than fair to me.

[MJ]

Bedros - my first reaction was to say get rid of the guy if he doesn't want to do the "little stuff". However, I remember being in this spot. It wasn't that I didn't want to - I didn't know how. The guy I worked for took it for granted that I knew things that I didn't. I was trying real hard, but didn't want to admit that I just didn't know. In retrospect (many years ago) I probably seemed like a lazy smart---. Even after I went to college and got a graduate degree, on my first job I had to learn the simple things others took for granted - like how to use a telephone with multiple functions and more than one line. On the other hand; if he just doesn't want to do it - you're the one paying him so guess who gets to do the work and who gets to watch it being done.

Mick

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by awm I f you are paying 12 thats fair an means he is supposed to take the load of you.

I dont know about anyone else, but I dont think thats what they meant by productive use of company time -LOL. I wouldnt take any load for any amount -ROFL!!!

j/k
Kris

[bdemir]

guys thanks or the rpelys.

I do feel he is asking for a raise. I dont i think standing in line for 12 an hr is bad. His excuse was most jobs you get to sit there and dont have to drive around and be responsible. He says that doing these things is like being a manager not a worker. Then i guess he needs to get an 8 an hr job and see what hell make staying in one place.



Bedros

[leeslawncare]

I would fire his %$%$^&..so to speak .i know it's hard to find help but ...don't let you help control you...just my 2cents...g-luck.

[awm]

KUTNKRUE now you know what i meant. thas
not nice

[kris]

like others my first thought was fire him!! after...2 minutes thought...perhaps sit down and talk with him...try to find out why he is unhappy...tell him up front what your feeeling and thinking...if he doesn't change his attitude ,remember, everyone can be replaced and I mean everyone.

[bdemir]

I just had a talk with him and his point is he does not want to do anything not lawn related like driving by himself. He just wants to be told what to do and then go home. I made shure to ask him every little detail and told him he would be let go when i found someone to replace him because he knows i am in a bind and need him at this time so at least he is nice enough to stick around till i find someone. ( His reply was i hope you can find someone to replace me.) well i am putting an ad in and when i do find someone to replace him that can do everything that i need done then he will have to leave like he said. I also do drywall work and he wants nothing to do with it. I think i can find a lot of people that can work a couple of days and just do what i tell them.



Bedros

[Edited by bdemir on 04-27-2001 at 12:02 AM]

[65hoss]

Thats fine if he doesn't want to do anything not lawn related. Its just your job requires it. You'll be happier not worrying about this guy once he's gone.

Make sure the next guy understands this is a job that requires anything to make the business run smoothly.

[bdemir]

Thanks for the help i need it because next week my seson really opens up and its going to be a hard time to find an employee.



BEdros

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Wow I would have to say find someone else. I can remember when I worked for a LC I loved the odd jobs. Kind of broke up the repitition. I fixed a leaking sink in his house, The whole company helped his mother move, washed,waxed (his company & personal vehicles), Oh and his motorhome, Ect,Ect. I never complained. stand in line for $12/hr HECK YES! To me its all part of the job.

[John Allin]

Slow to hire.
Quick to fire.

There is ALWAYS someone else out there....... always.

[Highpoint]

When I started, I thought I had to bend over backwards to keep employees thinking that I couldn't find some one else. That was over 12 years ago. I know your pain. You do ALL the work from shop to office. Tell him straight up. "I hired you to help me get these jobs done because my company has grown to a point that I need help. I am paying you a well earned wage to do just that. Wehter it be mowing, service on the truck or equipment, going to pick up parts or whatever, That is what I have hired you for. If this is not what you had in mind then you may nto be the person to help me." Get an answer, do what you gotta do. Helpers a dime a dozen. Do not let an employee dictate to you the terms that they will work. YOU are the owner. Good luck!

[bdemir]

Thanks for the rpelys. Ive decided that i am going to keep him working and i will do all of the bs work. there is not much and when he complains about hours i will give him a choice and if he does not want to do it then he gets only those hours of work which are only two days with my new route. So i guessits up to him if he wants to do outher work or not. I can do it myself and save and next year i will hire someone else to help me from the beggining. Not go with him unless he does everything that I want.



Bedros

[Craig Turf Management]

12.00 hr sounds like a lot of money to pay a man who doesn't want to use his brain. Maybe the economics are a lot different between where you live and where I am, but I bet it's not that far off. If you are determined to keep this guy, I would sit him down and have a little talk with him. Let him know that for that wage he should have certain responsibilities, and make sure he knows what they are. Writin a job description for his position wouldn't be a bad idea either. If he can't handle the responsibility, find someone who can.
Just my thoughts on the matter. Bill Craig

[sheppard]

This guy is begging for a Mom or Dad. It's not you. Find somebody that wants to work and is eager to think for themselves. For the deep south you are paying very well. I pay my only full time employee 8 an hour. He's gratefull for the job and knows more than I do.

Cordially,
Sheppard