What makes a good employer?

[Kevin B]

What are you doing to keep good people? Do some stick and some not?

Anything you do specifically to keep employee moral up?

I want good techs to stay, and want to stay

 

[Desk Jockey]

Its a crap shoot.

Pay well but on merit. Have a future for them that they can see. As the business expands give them bonus's or percentage of profit from there truck. Empower them to make decisions. Thank them often with sincerity and with random spiffs.

Attaboy free lunch, dinner, fuel, movies etc...

 

[GeneMiller]

My checks dont bounce.

Gene

 

[Old Coastie]

Good summary, DJ. I take a moment with each person on each job, to hear his or her opinion on something we are doing. They really want to be heard. A sense of being able to influence things seems to matter too ("do you want your flogging now, or later?"), and as they mature, their ideas get better.
There really seems to be a gauntlet of confusion, dumb ideas and errors that each needs to work through. I find that patience and humor goes well with a direct coaching style. So far, so good.

 

[Mikey P]

@Brian H
@Desk Jockey

 

[PrimaDonna]

Get to know them on a personal level. Have fun. But this can be a slippery slope too.

Getting too close with employees can cause issues. We treat them like family, but you know what happens when family works together.

We do throw the some bones (gift cards, food, take the afternoon off to go golfing). Be flexible and creative with them (alternate work schedules or pay structures).

I agree with the listening to them part....that makes a huge difference. Have had to hand hold through quite a bit of personal life drama with employees. But they appreciate it.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

We are "friendly without being their friends"

The issue with becoming too close to employees isn't so much the kindness and understanding that we might extend (we do that more than we probably should), but when you get too close by sharing personal information, family time, etc, then their feelings become easily hurt when you have to counsel or discipline them, even when done mildly.

I agree with Meg about listening to them. That's a vastly important sign of respect and humanity that so few employers will give, and it doesn't cost you a penny or any "professional distance" that you might still need to maintain.

We also are very generous with time needed for family matters, especially child and parent care issues.

 

[Desk Jockey]

We also are very generous with time needed for family matters, especially child and parent care issues.

We ask so much of them time wise. Often to change their plans for an evening or a weekend with 30-minutes or an hours notice. So we have to be as flexible when they need off or have an emergency in their lives too.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

We ask so much of them time wise. Often to change their plans for an evening or a weekend with 30-minutes or an hours notice. So we have to be as flexible when they need off or have an emergency in their lives too.

That's a great point Richard. They have their lives disrupted so often by emergency restoration service needs; it seems to be inconsistent not to allow the same for legitimate emergencies.

Back in the 70's and 80's we had a crusty retired steel mill supervisor work for our cleaning and restoration division. This guy had a a foul mouth, slaughtered the English language in amusing ways worthy of Yogi Berra, but was one of the wisest men I ever knew.

This was one thing he told me that stick's with me to this day:

"Pemberton, when you hire a man, you hire his entire family, and his entire life. You cannot ask, or expect, his life and family to disappear for the hours of the day he works for you. You can create reasonable rules, and you have to be even handed, but to pretend that he doesn't have needs in his life that will creep into this job just isn't fair."

He had a lot of other memorable sayings that were far less sensitive and politically correct, but I'd be put "on the raft" here if I quoted them.

 

[Desk Jockey]

"Pemberton, when you hire a man, you hire his entire family, and his entire life. You cannot ask, or expect, his life and family to disappear for the hours of the day he works for you. You can create reasonable rules, and you have to be even handed, but to pretend that he doesn't have needs in his life that will creep into this job just isn't fair."

He was a sharp guy. It is a family thing, just because it doesn't bother the employee to work like a dog, it might bother the wife. Generally its the wife pushing the employee for the extra money.

 

[hogjowl]

Oh man ... I was raised by a steel mill worker.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My father was a manager of a Dry cleaning plant. A drill Sargent in the military. Very calm and understanding but when he yelled...

Never cussed though...no that's what I do.

 

[Shane Deubell]

I would say good communication and being consistent. The problem with us small businesses is us the owner is the problem. We change rules or overlook infractions when it benefits us.
Gotta create a simple employee manual of say top 10 topics and make sure everyone understands. Absence policy, late, commission, call backs, etc.

and be consistent in enforcing it... Employees hate favorites (unless THEY are the favorite) more then anything.

For compensation full time, would say can they support a family of 4, afford a house and health insurance. Woman and children NEED health insurance.
Often in this industry the questions are too shortsighted, like how to cut up the %%. Well what does that = in a year and is it enough to support a family.
Average for country is around $45k, so thats a good target for full timers.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Oh man ... I was raised by a steel mill worker.

That explains a lot Marty...and I don't mean that unkindly.

Most of the men our age in the Pittsburgh area were raised by steelworkers.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I would say good communication and being consistent.

Very well said Shane

 

[laura@legendbrands]

Ah there are so many things I want to contribute on this thread maybe because I have spent numerous hours studying, researching and analyzing data to better understand individuals and their decision making processes-- What? Why? or How? we can retain engaged, productive and loyal employees -- and mainly because Employer / Employee relations can make or break a company.

Hoping I have time to jump on later to provide some constructive ideas and methods I have seen be successful in the corporate, non-profit and small business world.

 

[hogjowl]

You're going to need to dumb it down a bit if you want to catch us.

 

[Mikey P]

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Ah there are so many things I want to contribute on this thread maybe because I have spent numerous hours studying, researching and analyzing data to better understand individuals and their decision making processes-- What? Why? or How? we can retain engaged, productive and loyal employees -- and mainly because Employer / Employee relations can make or break a company.

Hoping I have time to jump on later to provide some constructive ideas and methods I have seen be successful in the corporate, non-profit and small business world.

Laura, how about we save your contributions for a MB Webinar Session on August 19th (6PM PST)?

I'll invite a couple more note worthy employers and employees to chime in as well, unless you feel you got an hour's worth of material to let loose..

 

[laura@legendbrands]

You're going to need to dumb it down a bit if you want to catch us.

Small words. No compound sentences. Got it!

 

[laura@legendbrands]

Laura, how about we save your contributions for a MB Webinar Session on August 19th (6PM PST)?

I'll invite a couple more note worthy employers and employees to chime in as well, unless you feel you got an hour's worth of material to let loose..

Sounds like a plan! It will give me time to prepare. I mean I could talk for an hour... I am a woman.. but inviting others is definitely better for the whole group and session overall !

 

[Mikey P]

great, lets talk tomorrow