New help

[Bruno of NH]

I hope I don't jinx myself.
I have all new help at the mill.
My cousin Bill , very smart and knows how to do lots of things. He was a mechanic for a long time. He 66 years old and has been sick for a long time. The Docs got him right now and likes the work building his strength back.
Tim a guy I have know for years. Has been a equipment operator his whole life he's my age 55. 10 months ago got in a car crash and almost died. No one will give him a job because he limps bad.
Screws and rods in his leg and hip. He can run the skid steer like I haven't seen.
Jeremy a fireman and ambulance emt. He works 2 days a week. He's the muscle. Supper smart hard worker and can emt all us old guys when we go down  :D
Our first full week we got so much done. Steady work,no phones,cigarettes, leaving for lunch, honey girl issues.
Man what a breath of fresh air.
I will lose Jeremy in the spring,he does his own landscape business then on his days off.
I will ask if any guys at his station might be looking for spring/summer work.
No more smoking or phones or honey girl stuff for me ever.

[firefighter ontheside]

Sounds like a good situation Bruno.  Young firefighters are often needing something to do on days off.  Working at your place would probably appeal to a few.  I would do it if I wasn't very far away and didn't have my own sawmill business.  Lawn and landscaping is very popular among firefighters as a side gig.

[Bruno of NH]

Just need to find a Saturday person for 7:00 to noon.
I have lots of Saturday pickups.
And I like working Saturday mornings .
I have for my whole self employment. 

[Bruno of NH]

Jeremy has his act together. 
Great kid he's my daughter's age.
I know both his parents and families. 

[Bruno of NH]

My other help worried more what honey girl was doing while at work.
To mood changes durring the day for me.
3 Saturday's ago he chest bumped me. Sheila called the cops before I killed him in my yard.

[Bruno of NH]

25 years ago Bruno came out.
My knees work great for 10 minutes while he got chased to his care.
Swore at Sheila lucky he didn't leave in an ambulance. 

[WV Sawmiller]

Bruno,

   If I'm reading this right what you are suggesting is if you need good, dependable, experienced help you need to look for a bunch of old crippled up guys nobody else will hire. :D

   Congrats on the new team. It sounds like they mesh well together and enjoy the work and your stress level should be way down now. ;D 

   It is hard to comprehend that some strapping HS student (Note I was politically correct and did not specify gender because, honestly, in this case it would not matter) who would jump all a Saturday morning gig like that. You might talk to the local HS coaches and shop teacher, if they have such at your school and see if they have suggestions or will put the word out. When I was 15-18 y/o I'd have loved that kind of opportunity to earn some spending money and spend time with and learn from a bunch of older, experienced guys. Maybe I was wired wrong that way. ???

[barbender]

It's a sweet experience to have a good crew working together! 

[richhiway]

 

 My future helper stopped by the woodlot yesterday. He is my grand nephew. Got to break them in young.
Lack of work ethic is a huge problem in this country. I have 25 men at my day job and they are all good guys but some of the younger ones definitely lack drive and direction.
I was mentored by good men,and try to do the same. I aspired to emulate my elders but I don't see that anymore.
Glad you found a good crew,Bruno.

[KenMac]

Congratulations on finally finding a good crew Bruno!! I'm a one man part time show, but I do understand how disheartening it can be trying to be productive with less than helpful employees. Good luck in the future! 8)

[handhewn]

Less than a thousand people in this small town. Can't find any good workers. Everybody just wants to grow pot and get at least $20 per hour as they slouch around looking for excuses for not working. >:(

[mike_belben]

Glad to hear it bruno. I hope you get a good head of steam built up and sail this one off into the horizon.    Now we get to see how long you are a good enough boss to keep them.  ;D


Always remember not to insult or disrespect your help.  A lot of bosses lost me over a stupid comment. And ive done a lot of horrible, filthy, hard and dangerous work for people that treated me right.  It aint just about money.  Bring donuts. Ask about the wife and kids.  Make time to listen. Dont look at your phone when they want to talk to you. When you lose your temper and bark at someone, or somehow embarass them in front of others, privately apologize after youve cooled down.  Dont just let it fade away. Resentment builds up if not addressed.  Good workers got options.  They get poached quick if you arent someone they like being around.  

[Bruno of NH]

I feel I'm a good boss.
This guy got an hour lunch everyday.
2 day online Dr appointments
3 days online AA meetings.
I would never ask someone to do something I wouldn't do.
When paying someone paying attention to you work should be the norm. 
How many phone calls and text are acceptable a day ?
How many cigarettes smoked when asked not to smoke in equipment and around the mill.
How many times the fuel cap left off every fuel can and fuel tank ?
If someone asks for money to buy lunch or gas they get it.
I will buy them breakfast or lunch if they need it.
If they need firewood they get it.
Brand new chainsaw you fill gas and oil and don't put oil cap on. Run saw without oil twice in a row it burns up new bar.
Pick up a guy in the morning and bring him back home every day. 2 hours of my time every day. I don't hold it over there head. I do it to help them. But at what point is it time for them to help ones self?
Smash a rear tail light out of customers truck. I ask be more carefull please. He didn't sleep well because of honey girl that night. I say stay home next time please. 
And get told to #*@&  #**.
I don't know how I could be any better to him.

[Magicman]

I abandoned a very good job yesterday morning because the customer could not find help and could not do it all himself.  It takes two good tailgunners to keep me in the saddle.  If it's a small job I don't mind grabbing a board or slab, but I can't/won't continually do it. 

Simply put, I have too many good jobs on the book to be wasting my time with anything less.

[mike_belben]

im not trying to pick on you at all bruno, i already know you're too patient with these losers and their flaws but i think you're in for a whole new chapter in your management game with the new crowd.  best of luck with it, sincerely.

[hersnsh#590]

Bruno:  X2 on the cell phones.

Dale

[SawyerTed]

Glad you have a good crew now.  Hopefully a good crew will attract other good replacements when the time comes. 

I've found company policy makes things easier to manage.  For example my company policy is I don't fall trees.  When I tell a customer it's company policy, it saves a lot of explaining.

Company employee policies/rules might include break times and length.  

Cell phone policy when and where they can be used

When and where smoking is permitted 

Safety equipment usage

Consequences for damage, improper  maintenance, improper equipment operation, safety violations etc. 

Attendance expectations, call in expectations when absent 

Drug and alcohol policy. 

There's others I'm sure. 

Have employees sign the policy form. 

If you have a mature crew with life experiences right now, sitting down with them to discuss setting policy might not be a bad idea. If they are reasonable, they'll appreciate helping you.  You just reserve the final decisions on policy.  It is your company to run how you want.  Having company rules makes it easier on you too, employees will know what the expectations are. 

A big old policy book is probably overkill but a one or two page workplace policy or rules form is enough.  The thing is as boss you have to be consistent in enforcing the policies.  Don't write them down if you can't. Employees will respect you for reasonable rules that you enforce fairly and consistently.

Hire a high school helper from Agriculture Ed or Carpentry with some computer skills for Saturday mornings and after school.  He or she can help get the forms ready and later can help around the mill yard and with customers. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

When I visited Liberia, at the sawmill there was a bucket with cell phones in it. 

[Bruno of NH]

im not trying to pick on you at all bruno, i already know you're too patient with these losers and their flaws but i think you're in for a whole new chapter in your management game with the new crowd.  best of luck with it, sincerely.

I know Mike
Sorry for the rant
You do care
After I have thought about it .
It was probably something I should have been reminded off.
I enjoy working and forget sometime folks have to do it out of necessity. 
Bruno

[Southside]

Congratulations Bruno. Happy to hear it is coming together for you. @WV Sawmiller here I can't hire anyone under 18 to do ANYTHING on the sawmill side of the business. Not even to clean up when nothing is working. It's not like it used to be. 

[WV Sawmiller]

@Southside , is that because of your insurance restrictions or some state or local regulation? I thought most states allowed 16 y/o to work.

[SawyerTed]

A registered apprentice can work in certain industries under age 18.  Your state may vary.  Getting a young person in a registered apprenticeship often can be arranged through your local high school or community college.

[Southside]

Virginia law, zero exceptions for anything sawmill related. Now I can put a 15 year old on a JD 620 with a hand clutch and PTO wheel 18" from his foot running a disc harrow, but pick up stickers after hours in the mill building - nope. 

[SwampDonkey]

Hey, up here on the brushing crew (clearing saw work) we have a school bus driver on the end of the saw for a few hrs a day. Anyone that wants to work, will swing a clearing saw. ;D Had a welder, worked an 8 hr day, after work and weekends made more money on a clearing saw than welding paid. :D

Younger folks, I have not seen many under 25 stick around a full summer. One young feller, his dad thinned, dependable for every day, but not a big cutter. Should be running circles around me. His saw is usually turning, but not moving too swift. ;D I mean when an old fart like me can cut 0.9 ha a day on the same ground to his 2 days to cut the same, come on, get the lead out boy!! :D

Neighbor's kids been running 4-wheelers, tractor, skid steer, all under 12. What laws? :D

Cousin hired some young 'colony' types under 25 to cut Christmas trees in November one year. Called about 2 days in and said they have to help dad harvest carrots. Now this is on frozen hard ground, long after carrot harvest. :D :D

If it weren't for being pathetic, you couldn't laugh. Makes you wonder who is paying the bills and buying the milk. Maybe it is coming from them mystery hale bales on the border. ;D

[Peter Drouin]

I get a lot of trades in and all the help is over 50. :