More money isn't always the answer - so how do you attract staff to work for you

[steveR]

Shorter work days and more appreciated on the dumpers?

Could well be,especially if bringing an agriculture work ethic too.

 

[ollie989898]

I had a mate drove a coach , basic wage but made double wage in tips …… hated it went onto timber

I spoke with a guy involved in the timber side of things. Not uncommon for guys to teach themselves how to use the thing. Good money too I think.

 

[DrWazzock]

I had a mate drove a coach , basic wage but made double wage in tips …… hated it went onto timber

I couldn’t drive overnight. I’d be asleep at the wheel after 20 minutes nowadays.

 

[Drillman]

Had a wagon driver here a few years back dropping fert off. One of those steady away types who have that lazy efficiency about them and always time to have a chat before moving onto next job.

Anyways he was telling me about his boss and the 2 new wagons he had recently bought, Spoke very highly of his boss even though he knew he could earn more money elsewhere? Why I asked, well he never bothers me much and wen the new wagons came the boss had specced his own and this chaps identical with all boxes ticked. The chap didn’t expect or know this was gonna happen either. he fully expected his boss to go for the bells and whistles version but thought he be just getting a middle of the road spec one himself. Chuffed to bits he was as well with it.

End of the day it’s alright having a good boss who treats his/her employees well but it also needs the employee to know when there onto a good thing and be equally appreciative of there employer.

 

[DrWazzock]

Could well be, if bringing an agriculture work ethic too.

When I worked in industry I remember at one time working with a colleague who was also off a farm. It was the first time I’d been on the same wavelength as any coworker and in fact I’m still in touch with him 20 years after leaving industry. The agricultural mindset is something completely different from the urban industrial mindset. We really wanted to shake up the department and get things done but faced resistance from the urban folk at every turn who never saw the business as a whole but were only concerned with protecting their own position. We were viewed with considerable suspicion. Folk were scared stiff of change. In reality the department could have run with only half the staff but the whole thing was stuck in typical committee style management treacle typical of British industry at that time. Farm management is incredibly dynamic and efficient in comparison, I think because we are driven by the seasons and by weather and they wait for no one and don’t take prisoners. That kind of urgency just didn’t exist in industry at that time.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Bedford 330 diesel, quite crap in reality

The chrome was to cover up how bad it was, likely built by Duple in Blackpool

Ford's on the other hand had a 380 engine and body built by more upmarket Plaxton's of Scarborough

Did Brian Kingsley coaches get out your way?

50's coaches in the 70's

They can make good money, but day in day out, year-round, for a number of years? You're talking about a business with expenses like a van, tools and the need to hire/pay a labourer (or two if you're really fast) not a full-time employee working a certain number of hours every week, it's a different thing.

No, local companies are losing staff one after the other, these 400 houses are going up fast.

£500 a day for brick layers day in day out, labourers are supplied.

They are leaving £1,200 a week on the staff jobs.

I'm not complaining , just commenting.

 

[kiwi pom]

When I worked in industry I remember at one time working with a colleague who was also off a farm. It was the first time I’d been on the same wavelength as any coworker and in fact I’m still in touch with him 20 years after leaving industry. The agricultural mindset is something completely different from the urban industrial mindset. We really wanted to shake up the department and get things done but faced resistance from the urban folk at every turn who never saw the business as a whole but were only concerned with protecting their own position. We were viewed with considerable suspicion. Folk were scared stiff of change. In reality the department could have run with only half the staff but the whole thing was stuck in typical committee style management treacle typical of British industry at that time. Farm management is incredibly dynamic and efficient in comparison, I think because we are driven by the seasons and by weather and they wait for no one and don’t take prisoners. That kind of urgency just didn’t exist in industry at that time.

They were probably scared of the fact that they might be laid off because of the input from you and your mate. I'm guessing when you say they could have run with less staff you weren't suggesting it was the two of you who were let go?

It's the same in most jobs with a decent number of employees though, there's usually too many staff in certain areas. Everyone has their own ideas how it could or should be done. The reality is, it's not the employee's company, they're there to do what they're told, it can be frustrating, some people can deal with that some can't.
It's perhaps the reason you packed in the employee life and went back to being your own boss on the farm?
Don't blame you really.

 

[kiwi pom]

Did Brian Kingsley coaches get out your way?

50's coaches in the 70's


No, local companies are losing staff one after the other, these 400 houses are going up fast.

£500 a day for brick layers day in day out, labourers are supplied.

They are leaving £1,200 a week on the staff jobs.

I'm not complaining , just commenting.

They might be in for a shock when the jobs over. Take the money while you can I suppose.

 

[Devil's advocate]

They might be in for a shock when the jobs over. Take the money while you can I suppose.

They will be gambling on getting their old jobs back.

I think another 300 houses going up when the first 400 are part sold, so will be a while.

Not much maintance been done locally, no one to do it, unless DIY.

 

[Netherfield]

Did Brian Kingsley coaches get out your way?

50's coaches in the 70's

No, never heard of them, we had a firm called Kenmargra coaches, paint job by a ten year old wearing a blindfold.

Neighbour drove both trucks and coaches, on the coaches the pay was poor, it was tips that made the difference, although he could get free board and lodgings when out touring and sometimes could take the Mrs with him.

 

[Hooby Farmer]

Gave the guy that works for me his notice last week and I was genuinely dreading it. He's on decent money, good working conditions, whatever tools he needs he's gets, flexible on time, gave him extra cash if he was getting it tight. I don't think I could have done much more for the guy, he is easy to work with, doesn't make many mistakes and his work is tidy. However his time keeping is zero, average 12 tins of diet coke a day(tins left at his arse) 25 pee stops a day plus 30 cigarettes and had never worked a Saturday in 5 years. That's what wore me down. I told him the truth that I couldn't afford to have someone working for me the way he does. It's felt like a weight has been lifted from me, genuinely wake up looking forward to the day.

 

[Devil's advocate]

No, never heard of them, we had a firm called Kenmargra coaches, paint job by a ten year old wearing a blindfold.

Neighbour drove both trucks and coaches, on the coaches the pay was poor, it was tips that made the difference, although he could get free board and lodgings when out touring and sometimes could take the Mrs with him.

Not heard of Kenmargra coaches sorry.

Brian Kingsley was Stocksbridge based fleet of four the oldest on the road but to be fair well maintained.

One school bus was actually driven by one of the teachers, he had a psv & a mechanic drove it back to the depo (he was allowed without passengers).

 

[Party Pete]

Gave the guy that works for me his notice last week and I was genuinely dreading it. He's on decent money, good working conditions, whatever tools he needs he's gets, flexible on time, gave him extra cash if he was getting it tight. I don't think I could have done much more for the guy, he is easy to work with, doesn't make many mistakes and his work is tidy. However his time keeping is zero, average 12 tins of diet coke a day(tins left at his arse) 25 pee stops a day plus 30 cigarettes and had never worked a Saturday in 5 years. That's what wore me down. I told him the truth that I couldn't afford to have someone working for me the way he does. It's felt like a weight has been lifted from me, genuinely wake up looking forward to the day.

I hope for your sake this doesn’t turn into a “ better the devil you know “ scenario. People you can trust and not worry about are extremely hard to find .

 

[kiwi pom]

Gave the guy that works for me his notice last week and I was genuinely dreading it. He's on decent money, good working conditions, whatever tools he needs he's gets, flexible on time, gave him extra cash if he was getting it tight. I don't think I could have done much more for the guy, he is easy to work with, doesn't make many mistakes and his work is tidy. However his time keeping is zero, average 12 tins of diet coke a day(tins left at his arse) 25 pee stops a day plus 30 cigarettes and had never worked a Saturday in 5 years. That's what wore me down. I told him the truth that I couldn't afford to have someone working for me the way he does. It's felt like a weight has been lifted from me, genuinely wake up looking forward to the day.

I hope you did everything properly if he's an employee.
Could get a bit messy if he gets funny about it.

 

[ollie989898]

Gave the guy that works for me his notice last week and I was genuinely dreading it. He's on decent money, good working conditions, whatever tools he needs he's gets, flexible on time, gave him extra cash if he was getting it tight. I don't think I could have done much more for the guy, he is easy to work with, doesn't make many mistakes and his work is tidy. However his time keeping is zero, average 12 tins of diet coke a day(tins left at his arse) 25 pee stops a day plus 30 cigarettes and had never worked a Saturday in 5 years. That's what wore me down. I told him the truth that I couldn't afford to have someone working for me the way he does. It's felt like a weight has been lifted from me, genuinely wake up looking forward to the day.

I think everyone can sympathise with this situation. Lying in bed and fearing the day in front of you is no way to live.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Did Brian Kingsley coaches get out your way?

50's coaches in the 70's


No, local companies are losing staff one after the other, these 400 houses are going up fast.

£500 a day for brick layers day in day out, labourers are supplied.

They are leaving £1,200 a week on the staff jobs.

I'm not complaining , just commenting.

Mmmmm, ‘Brickies’ earning a shed load of money.
Some/a lot of the work I see has been done by what us apprentice trained Bricklayers call ‘chancers’.
The inside if the cavity never sees the trowel. The insulation which is so, so important to modern builds is thrown in leaving huge gaps which is not the way to ensure the building is energy efficient.
These folk earn shed loadsa dosh but they absolutely have no skill. Meh!
I watch ‘Charlie’ and see some horrors in the background of his clips so even he isn’t immune to the low-skill brigade.
I’m not perfect but my work, when I can do it is clean and very tidy.
SS

 

[Hooby Farmer]

I hope you did everything properly if he's an employee.
Could get a bit messy if he gets funny about it.

He's self employed, I know that's a can of worms because he is with me so long. Ive got him a job interview, for a maintenance man in private hospital.

I hope for your sake this doesn’t turn into a “ better the devil you know “ scenario. People you can trust and not worry about are extremely hard to find .

I'm planning to work on my own for a while til I figure a few things out.

 

[kiwi pom]

He's self employed, I know that's a can of worms because he is with me so long. Ive got him a job interview, for a maintenance man in private hospital.


I'm planning to work on my own for a while til I figure a few things out.

Don't think you've any worries if he's self-employed. Good of you to give him a notice period and find him an interview.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Had a brick layer in a range rover (brand new one) today wanting some straw for his pet geese.

 

[Barleymow]

He sounds a bit like mine!

And mine and the house isn't even insulated, have to split the logs to use on the woodburner myself too