I failed to retain staff today

[michael N123]

My 15 yr old son helped me put the trumpet back on to 'his' 3670 today , our best tractor at 1992 approx.
He can't wait to cut grass tomorrow and wants to farm.
Lucky, lucky me.

Sorry to dissapoint him but Its gonna rain tomorrow

 

[Zebbedee]

So if I understand that his normal tractor was parked up with the drill attached and you asked him to do some haulage work with another good 3 yr old tractor. If that is correct then he is being totally unreasonable based on that information and making himself unemployable.

 

[glasshouse]

On the other hand, workers who are a bit precious about "their tractor" are actually quite an asset.
when you have a "swap tractor" scenario, the blame game starts and that can lead anywhere.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Glad I didn't mention the Ford 4000............

Ffs man, nothing wrong driving the 4000, some of us still are.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Give him a second boot up the quoit from the southern hemisphere
Sounds like all he's missing to complete his life experience to date - you can definitely tell a person who has no respect.

"Hobnail Deficiency"

Hell, I didn't even need it to have respect for my elders.

 

[Ukjay]

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)...........

Nail on the head there. Having to deal with all this carp day in day out, there are so many pitfalls to behold a decent employer, that you would seriously wonder why anyone would want to employee another human being at all.
The law is so heavily weighted in favour of the employee side today, that you have to be so squeaky clean and document everything that it is a firkin mire of shite if you miss a single thing.
There are too many vultures today that it is a game for the ones who make a living out of this!!!

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.

If that is the true history - and you treat everyone the same (which you have not mentioned) - then I feel as long as you mentioned the basics that this was a reasonable request etc etc, then he has in effect tendered his own resignation by leaving the workplace and going home without using words like I feel ill etc, whereby if you feel confident that this is a true reflection of events and that you have interpreted this as a form of resignation - then confirm this is writing to him, giving the right of appeal (due diligence and all).

However - as with all these things, it could also be deemed that you are being unreasonable if you have not spoken to the employee of his conduct previously - and there are no written documents as history to your conversations over conduct, therefore it may be more prudent to invite him to a disciplinary hearing to discuss his conduct (do not make it known of your decision prior to the meeting as it is inferred that you pre-empted the outcome), then adjourn the meeting to ponder the meeting notes to allow you to decide how to proceed.

 

[ARW]

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

I agree it won't just be the tractor issue, most likely jealousy over not getting certain jobs etc
There is always work based politics when there is lots of staff

 

[wasted years]

Sorry to dissapoint him but Its gonna rain tomorrow

Don't think it will be much and looks like improving as week goes on.
And its half term.

 

[glasshouse]

neuson, , did you not have some other employee issue this yr?

 

[Sheeponfire]

blood

Wash your mouth out!! We’re NH loyal is this neck of the woods.



3 year old is the oldest, they all are well looked after, have twin beacons, Bluetooth, company supplied phone chargers and i have a guy that washes them weekly for them,

Maybe if I put WiFi in them it might make them more appealing lol

bloody hell where do I sign up???

I can be with you 7am the morn!!!!

 

[Kiwi Pete]

neuson, , did you not have some other employee issue this yr?

IIRC, that was "the Snapchat episode"

I made the mistake of being a little too friendly, a little too nice, and a little too flexible - trying to treat them as I'd expect to be treated myself
Wish I'd bought a megaphone and a stockwhip.
Hindsight is a wonderful aspect of life, where you learn to kick your own arse instead of the right one at the time

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Ask the guy if he had the choice between a 3 year old tractor and the 1594, what would he choose?

 

[Neuson510k]

neuson, , did you not have some other employee issue this yr?

I usually have around 22 staff over a few different departments so staff issues are a occupational hazard to me,
Seriously considering employing a HR person

 

[Cab-over Pete]

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.

Thanks @silverfox for putting me down there, but I was actually being very tongue in cheek and would do my utmost to get to the root of the problem before giving anybody their marching orders.

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.

However, looks like I may be vindicated just a little bit, eh?

 

[Neuson510k]

blood



bloody hell where do I sign up???

I can be with you 7am the morn!!!!

My IT guy might struggle to get the WiFi fitted for 7am, will this be a problem??

You also get a tv when your on the doda pump

 

[DRC]

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[/QUOT

Thanks @silverfox for putting me down there, but I was actually being very tongue in cheek and would do my utmost to get to the root of the problem before giving anybody their marching orders.





However, looks like I may be vindicated just a little bit, eh?

Sorry Pete. I was taking generally, not casting any aspersions on the lime spreading fraternity

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I’ll let you off as long as you send me 6 weeks of -12 degrees weather to get me back on the fields again.

 

[Zippy768]

On the other hand, workers who are a bit precious about "their tractor" are actually quite an asset.
when you have a "swap tractor" scenario, the blame game starts and that can lead anywhere.

Absolutely agree. When we had the dairy we had three frontline tractors. Main tractor driver drove the biggest and newest (he was the one that clocked up the hours), I drove the one and the 3rd was used by our 2nd tractor driver/farmworker. That was a position we could never fill with a long term employee. The result was that the tractor fell into a state. Partly my fault as my machine, but high turnover of driver meant it was never really looked after.

One thing sat in your own mess, another sat in someone elses

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I’ll let you off as long as you send me 6 weeks of -12 degrees weather to get me back on the fields again.

 

[DRC]

I’ll let you off as long as you send me 6 weeks of -12 degrees weather to get me back on the fields again.

Your going to hate me even more. I bought a full load of calcifert!