Employee loyalty

[Central Island Lawn]

Hey Lawnsite crew
I am building my business and this year I hired my first employee. I currently have 3 strata contracts, 2 are not that big and 1 is a 2 hour lawn cut only, al together it's around 35 hours per week, plus I have a few other residential clients. But it's more work than I can handle if I want to include irrigation installations as well. My first guy was great, but he left for another job. The problem I have is with this lazy kid I have working for me now who seems to call in sick at least once per week, and he took last week off to see his out of town parents. It's too late for this year so I figure I'll call him in when I need him, but next year I would like one guy to stick around all season. What is a good hourly rate for good reliable help. Or, should I stop the irrigation installs and do all the work myself. Irrigation is good money though and I would hate to lose it.

Thanks.

[bohiaa]

any time you have employees you WILL have employee issues....

it's tough to find good people

[Powerws]

Boy isn't that the truth. I have been an entreprenur for 20 years and in every business, the better you take of your employees, money, attitude, ect, the better they will want to work ect. Chic-fil-a uses the ,"Your not an employee, your part business owner." If your employees have more at stake, the better the results.

[P.Services]

But unless you truely make them a part of the biz and they own a percent or share of it they will be the worker bee's. Bottom line. Now if a worker acts and works as though he is the owner when he isn't, then he needs to be compensated for caring about the well being of my biz. Key to that is he both acts AND works.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BJWLAWNCARE]

what eventually happens is employees think that no one else will do as much as them. They think the company makes tons of money because of them. The reality is they are replaceable. If they think they are bigger than the co its time to go. One good indicator is "they" called for rain do we have work. How many more do we have? Saturdays aren't in my contract. I'll tell you how long and how many days you will work. That why I'm the boss.

[Stillwater]

any time you have employees you WILL have employee issues....

it's tough to find good people


this deserves repeating.....

[Tom3982s]

Man around here people really need work. Have you asked some job companies to help you fill the position? They can screen applicants.

[HOOLIE]

You can't teach work ethic...as sad as it may be, so often you just have to hire and fire rapidly and go thru a number of guys until you find one you can work with.

I noticed you said he "took last week off"...not that you "LET him take last week off" Same goes for allowing him to be ill once or more a week. I've played the 'nice boss' role and it doesn't work. Better to be disliked and feared than liked and walked over. Most employees will figure out within a few days how the boss operates...you only have those first few days to show that YOU are in charge, not them.