Dealing with employees who quit

[redprospector]

At the end of the day / week / month / year, it's a two-way street. Different people will act in different ways, because we are all different. I've been at my current job for three years now, longer than any other. My boss knows that my current position is merely a stepping stone to the next thing, and he and I have been talking about that for the last two years. We're finally getting closer to the reality of my next thing, and it's something we're both looking forward to, because it looks like my next thing will still involve and benefit him.

I hope, within the next year, to be an employer. I hope that being an employee or contractor for half my life has prepared me for the fearsome battles ahead.  :-\

I hope you all the success in the world with your new business venture. Not saying you aren't smart or anything like that, but that's when your education will begin. There is absolutely nothing that can prepair you for the challanges of being your own boss. One word of advice that I got was If you're not the hardest S.O.B. you've ever worked for....odd's are that you won't make it.
The 1st thing you're likely to learn is about that 2 way street.

Andy

[Okrafarmer]

At the end of the day / week / month / year, it's a two-way street. Different people will act in different ways, because we are all different. I've been at my current job for three years now, longer than any other. My boss knows that my current position is merely a stepping stone to the next thing, and he and I have been talking about that for the last two years. We're finally getting closer to the reality of my next thing, and it's something we're both looking forward to, because it looks like my next thing will still involve and benefit him.

I hope, within the next year, to be an employer. I hope that being an employee or contractor for half my life has prepared me for the fearsome battles ahead.  :-\

I hope you all the success in the world with your new business venture. Not saying you aren't smart or anything like that, but that's when your education will begin. There is absolutely nothing that can prepair you for the challanges of being your own boss. One word of advice that I got was If you're not the hardest S.O.B. you've ever worked for....odd's are that you won't make it.
The 1st thing you're likely to learn is about that 2 way street.

Andy

Good advice. I also realize that if someone quits, it's just another day. I've seen an awful lot of people quit from a lot of jobs over time, and so nothing like that will surprise me. What will surprise me is if someone sticks with it.

I've had bosses that were too soft, and others that were too harsh, and some that were both (schizophrenic). I've had a few that probably struck it just about right.

You are definitely right that I will be jumping in with both feet and can't begin to imagine how it will be. I think it's like marriage-- no amount of expectation can prepare you for what it's actually like. But unlike marriage, it doesn't have to be forever!  ;)

Anyway, I'm sure I will have my share of problems. One key thing to remember, for me, is never to depend on any one employee to the point that if they leave, everything falls apart. I think of them as people who make my work more efficient. The more they can keep me in the decision-making mode and sales-making mode, the more productive I'll be. If my chief _____ operator ups and quits, just means I'll be wearing that hat myself for a while, and being a bit less efficient.

It is in an employee's best interest to strive hard and work earnestly to build up the company they work for. If they don't do that, they are kicking themselves in the teeth. Some get that, some don't.

It is in an employer's best interest to strive hard and work earnestly to build up and do what's best for his employees, or else he goes back to being a one-man show-- or a no-show man.

[nhlogga]

[quote author=thenorthman link=topic=61000.msg896034#msg896034 date

Well, I guess that's another one of my dinasaur traits. That job is how they can afford to have a family (just like me). I try to pay my people well, and a lot of times, at the end of the job, they will have made more per hour than me (yeah I know, that's the nature of being self employed). They show up at 6 and work until 3. I show up at 4:30 and stay until everything is maintained, and repaired (usually 7 or 8, but sometimes 10 or 12) so that they can go to work and make their wages. Yep, I've given them everything I've got, so I expect them to give me everything they've got. If they crash on the coutch, that's fine with me because I'm still working so that they can make their 8 tomorrow.
I understand family time, that's why they seldom work Saturday's, and never work Sunday's. If they have something they feel they need to take time off for, all I ask is some advance notice so that I can make plans to acomodate them without disrupting progress too bad.
If that's asking too much, well I guess I should lower my expectations. Of corse lower expectations come with lower wages, they could have more time off and not be tired, but they might not be able to afford to do anything. They might not be able to drive late model trucks if I cut my expectations in half (along with their wages).
It seems that a lot of people have lost sight of the fact that if their employer isn't making money, they won't be making money either. Everyone want's to make $20 or better an hour, but they don't understand that they need to make their employer $40 an hour just to break even. Employers aren't there to break even, they have to make a profit or they can't stay in business.
It's economics 101.

Andy

If you pay well and dont scream and yell and treat your guys with respect and I was employed by you, everyone else goes home by 3, I would be the guy staying late or coming in early to help ya get things fixed/going, etc. It's almost to a fault on my part. I usually end up getting scewed in the end. I worked for an outfit once where I was paid by the day and paid well. The hard part was I was told the work day is 7 - 4 which is fine. If it rained and we had to leave early, then we got half a days pay. On the other hand, if I was asked to stay late there was no extra in the check so it didnt really work both ways. Besides that, 7-3 was really 6-5 for me because I had to get to the boss's house and get the co. truck and get all necessary things for the day and @ nite claen all the trash out and organize for the next day because the other guys trashed the truck. I brought some of these issuses but nothing was ever done. At the end, I didnt drive the co. truck anymore as it was not safe to drive. 3 other buys incl the owner drove it once and then parked it. Spriing break up came and I got laid off and 3 month later got called back but I had found somewhere elst to work and that is another story.

[learner]

I believe that if you Love what you do, everyday is a new experience, your wages pay the bills with some left over for play and needed things, then your far better off than most people.
I only have one employee right now but he loves the work, wages and no hurry atmosphere.  I have to keep telling him to slow down because rushing in This bussiness Will get you hurt.
Heavy equipment, Sawmills and Big trees allways win over the Human body. So take it slow and everyone wins in the end.
I think the same applies to anyone you do bussiness with.  If they do the job well and everything gets done, then all is well.  It's when you start thinking like a Manager and demanding more for your money that people start losing their Love of the job.
When that happens, people get hurt, production goes down and everyone loses. I'd rather have One Good employee that loves his work, than ten good employees that hate what they do. Keep it interesting, flexable, enjoyable, tough enough to make a person feel good about what they've done and earned, and you'll allways have good people working with you.
Yes, I say working With you.  Because if you have employees that feel like they are a part of the entire operation, and Not just a hired hand, then you have a Man or Woman that will stick with you through thick and thin.
If you give your employees That and they still quit then you don't want them working with you.  They have problems in their lives that Only they can deal with.  You can ask them if you can help, but Never let your desire to keep them influence your Own needs to survive and prosper.
If they can't deal with their Own problems, then you can't reasonably exspect them to deal with the problems of everyday bussiness. 
Times are tough and we all want to help each other.  But sometimes we just have to say goodbye and move on.

[thenorthman]

Very well said, current job going on 8 years that's a record for me, of the jobs I have quit most of the crew fallowed me out the door within a few months, same goes for the jobs I got fired from, any employer that treats his employees with dignity, and honesty will have a dedicated crew working for him or her.  I could make $10 more an hour at half a dozen shops in the same area, but they won't treat me nearly as well as where I'm at, plus I've burned most of those bridges :D
and don't care to rebuild them... a good half of the shops I used to work at are now defunct or under "new management" same diaper different dinner...

[Okrafarmer]

Good post, Learner. I almost think Teacher would be a better name for you.  ;)

[learner]

Well thank you Okrafarmer.  I have allways believed that the day you stop learning is the day you start dying.  So I think I'll stick with learner.  Oh, no offense to MM but MY sweetgum is drying very nicely too!  ;D

[1woodguy]

Played manager several different shops usually only had forty or fifty folks to deal with on the shift
Some were whiners and you constantly had to babysit ,afew could care less were there for a check, some listened and understood when you turned into mr a@&hole
Lots of the others understood that if you didn't get production some of the above and maybe they would be looking elsewhere for a check
Before long you could figure out away to get them to produce

Had more problems with the owners than the employees most poor production had to do with lack of supplys or parts to repair equipment or they stayed in the office and after awhile they had no clue how long some things took to do and because of that got behind on orders and expected everyone to forget life cause your life priority should be company comes first(actually had a guy want me to tell the employees that)
Or comes time to get rid of slackers and he won't back you because he knows so and so is a hard worker (guy was worthless lied all the time but could kiss up to the owner well)
  Had several quit that just wanted to try something different for a bit later ended up coming back had one do this three times he was a good hand would do what you asked
Had a guy push me into a position to fire him so he could get out of child support payment hike,had afew who only wanted to work to pay off tickets or courts then quit and when they got into a jam again wanted a job back
Fired or pushed some to quit cause they couldn't get along with anyone else
  As far as employing younger people had luck with maybe one in eight(talking city kids from Tulsa) larger percentage of decent help came from rural areas
Don't know how it is now this was 10/15 yrs ago
Learned to try to keep two or three folks around that could cover all the slots whenever possible they were my rovers and paid them more they were worth it
  Ran into a bit of guff at times when some refused to train them thinking it was job security by not doing so ,got rid of one who refused rest saw the light
Had several quit or threaten to when promoted(more pay but lost their security blanket) same folks complained about being passed over In the past and how theyWanted  to step up

Never was the owner bet if I was would have different point of view
Aboutt a lot of it

[Okrafarmer]

Good insights there, 1wg. Being stuck in the middle you get to see all sides of things.

[learner]

I've been at the top, bottom and middle. That's how I arrived at the balance I described above. If your management you Work the hours they want(for the same pay). At the bottom you Do what they want for little pay. In the middle you just get to listen to everyone complain and Still have to get the work done. But if everyone gains from the work done and goes home happy, well then you have Happy people that Love the work they do. And I may be wrong but when My employees Want to be at work then I've done the right thing.

[davch00]

In the middle you just get to listen to everyone complain and Still have to get the work done

So very true!