I failed to retain staff today

[Henarar]

Ok
if you knew me you would know I would be the last one to kick anyone's arse for not wanting to drive a tractor, most likely just go and do the job myself

 

[holywell farmer]

oh dearwould happily be in a 6910 ever day

Privilege to drive 1 of them

 

[yorkie]

I must give my young employee more credited.
We have a 3 yr old jd 6125m with 2500hrs
And a 10yr jd6630 with 10k hours and always go for the 6630 first.
But it's theasy same with the other employees to.

sounds a sensible lad,would do the same

 

[Sharpy]

Have been there myself. He refused to drive the old tractor. Point blank refused, saying "I don't want to ". My response was you don't have to. And you can go home today, but you will be driving it tomorrow.
Huff taken, P45 received.

 

[smcapstick]

It's interesting that, rightly so, the depression thread on here gets a lot of support, but wo-betide an employee might have a bad day and everyone wants to kick his arse or sack him, before even getting to the route of the problem. I can guarantee there will be more to this than meets the eye.

There's nothing stopping him coming back the next day with his cap firmly in his hand.

 

[Goweresque]

He should try & drive my old Y reg Deutz, a wonderful reliable machine but the only luxury is it has all the glass in the cab & has power steering.
I drove a Claas & a modern Massey not so long ago & they are just tractors, nothing special apart from the controls being easier & better cab view. No faster & way way more expensive if crashed!
SS

I spend days in a 70s Deutz tedding hay during the summer, open the front windscreen for some 'aircon', happy days. The radio just about works too, if you're facing the right way

 

[DRC]

There's nothing stopping him coming back the next day with his cap firmly in his hand.

Possibly your right, but we are only hearing one side. Maybe it's a build up of resentment of lots of other things , either at work or home.
I'd tend towards having a man to man chat, before necessarily issuing the P45.

 

[Ukjay]

There's nothing stopping him coming back the next day with his cap firmly in his hand.

Surely that would firmly depend on the context of the parting conversation, as we are only reading part of the equation.
Still do not know how many other employees, if they have to do the exact same, and share the old and new etc etc.

If it is simply spitting the dummy for the sake of it, and his past behaviour is aligned to this level of rational thinking - then he has technically walked off the job and resigned imho.

 

[Goweresque]

Whats the oldest tractor you have ?
if he bothers to turn up again put him on that for a week after removing such niceties as radio etc.

 

[farmerclare]

Hope @farmerclare never wants a day off

I never get one

 

[suffolksmallholder]

My radio still picks up R4 with 'our Henry' commentating on your favourite game! I'd really like a better radio but haven't managed to find one yet!
SS

 

[Henarar]

I never get one

your not the only bugger

 

[ARW]

Doesnt sound much of a loss, another Herbert that's gets erect over 200 hos and flashing lights, did he take his number plate out of the front window?
I remember going to lead silage for a dairy farm while they milked, jumped on a MF 6170 on row crops with a dodgey clutch and a missing side window, while 1 lad moaned that he didn't get to drive the "new tractor"

 

[farmerclare]

your not the only bugger

You had loads of days off not so long ago while I worked night and day

@gone up the hill says I'm a poor maid

 

[little_p]

Well technically he may have resigned, as it was a reasonable request to ask him to drive the 3 year old vehicle (shock horror), as long as it is roadworthy and all employees are treated the same.

He could only argue that he is being unfairly treated if you only ask him to drive the old tractor and someone with similar skills always gets preferential treatment from you.

Well the "I'm going home" might be deemed as a resignation, but as the conversation ended with the employer telling him to go home, I think that it would more likely be deemed as a dismissal (with or without notice). There are potentially a thousand and one reasons why this employee could argue that he is being unfairly treated, we just don't know from the information provided.

Although I suspect that the one thing that we both realise is that in the modern world telling an employee to go home might not be the end of something, but the start of something (quite expensive)...........

 

[DRC]

Doesnt sound much of a loss, another Herbert that's gets erect over 200 hos and flashing lights, did he take his number plate out of the front window?
I remember going to lead silage for a dairy farm while they milked, jumped on a MF 6170 on row crops with a dodgey clutch and a missing side window, while 1 lad moaned that he didn't get to drive the "new tractor"

I really doubt it's simply about the tractor, I may be wrong, but everyone seems to be looking at the incident in isolation. could be the straw that broke the camels back, after a long hard harvest and cultivation period. A bit like when you complain that your owed money for jobs. You need a kick u the arse for letting it get that far, Man up and go and get your money

 

[gone up the hill]

You had loads of days off not so long ago while I worked night and day

@gone up the hill says I'm a poor maid

Aye he works you far too hard, whilst he is at market yapping/ drinking coffee all day we all know you are the one back at the farm doing all the work and then he strolls back in about 5 pm and then expects you to have his dinner ready

Time you put your foot down

 

[Neuson510k]

Out of interest - how old was said employee, and what skill set did he offer the business compared to other employees if you have anymore?

Employee was mid 20’s, have 6 more employees on that department, was a v good operator but has a history off huffing when didn’t get his way. Always has to drive the newest kit and wants to do everything.
The ‘new’ tractor is usually his but he was supposed to do a bit of haulage today and I wanted to use the tractors with the poorer tyres and to save hooking the one pass off.

 

[Henarar]

Aye he works you far too hard, whilst he is at market yapping/ drinking coffee all day we all know you are the one back at the farm doing all the work and then he strolls back in about 5 pm and then expects you to have his dinner ready

Time you put your foot down

bloody rubbish I don't drink coffee

 

[multi power]

Employee was mid 20’s, have 6 more employees on that department, was a v good operator but has a history off huffing when didn’t get his way. Always has to drive the newest kit and wants to do everything.
The ‘new’ tractor is usually his but he was supposed to do a bit of haulage today and I wanted to use the tractors with the poorer tyres and to save hooking the one pass off.

I suppose it's not your fault he is so insecure and immature, sounds like you are better off without him