You'd expect some maturity from someone who apparently owns their own business.

I was being serious you know, you're one of those guys who likes to tell everyone they're wrong, and that they know the right way to do things, but is never willing to actually follow through and explain themselves I guess.

 

The way we delt with the problem was to go to a 4 day work week. Either 4 tens or 4 twelves what ever amount of hours your guys are used to working. You would be amazed the increase in moral with a little more down time. I would always work the friday with a few guys that had been with me a long time, just laying out,doing stairs etc. so when the wall bangers come back the jobs actually whent faster.

 

So I Tried the on-time incentive that MD suggested and its working pretty good so far. 75$ a week for perfect attendance.So far I'd say 75% improvement

 

We're going through the same thing here in Winnipeg. Construction (both commercial and residential) is nuts. Huge shortage of tradesmen (I think we lost at least 1/2 of them to Alberta). Thanx guys :laughing: !!! Chase the mighty $$$$.

Here as well it doesn't take much more than another $1.00 an hour to have a guy change employers. Although I know of many that stuck with their original employer (most of them have been there for years and are higher up in the company - supervisors, site managers, etc...).

T-Kat, My first observation of your situation is that (as you said) you're hiring kids out of high school. I know 90% of them have never worked a hard day in their life and have no idea what effort is required to earn a paycheck (most kids I know are just plain lazy)... At the very least try to hook up with the Trade schools in your area (or even Sask and Man.). They have job placement programs and the kids have already shown they can put some effort in to study and spend the time to learn a trade (even if it's a student from a certificate program).

Secondly you said a benefits package wouldn't help (because we have free healthcare). Sure we can go see a Doctor if we have the flu but healthcare doesn't cover Dental or Eye care (glasses etc...). Blue cross has plans available to offer employees that coverage (might cost you $2.00 for every $1.00 they put in but still a nice insurance policy for them)... Something even I would appreciate having (Dental coverage).

Lastly, the perfect attendance bonus kinda rubs me the wrong way. I think a production bonus is better. I honestly have never heard of anyone (besides MD) giving a weekly bonus to the guys to just show up and be on time. Yes, an Xmas bonus for the guys who have been reliable all year is a great perk for them (and they should know about it when they're hired). But, I think if they're offered a good wage and at the completion of every job they get a little bonus for how much they produced you might find they will be more apt to show up on time (and show up period). The more they work, the more they produce, and in their eyes the bigger the bonus upon completion of a project. If right now you're willing to pay each guy $75.00 a week, I think they would like to see a $375.00 bonus check after 5 weeks of completing a project, cost to you is the same and a larger check looks pretty good in most people's eyes...

My 2 cents... By the way, can you send some of our tradespeople back we could really use them :laughing: !!!

 

thanks for the reply worx. You make good points. I have been posting adds in the local trade school and I do prefer to hire apprentices because you know you're getting serious guys who want to learn the trade. Also I've been thinkinkg and realised that I'd rather have a small operation that works effeciently with less headaches than have a bunch of ****ty employees. In other words, I wont be afraid to let some of them go.

 

That is how it was here in the 90s. The home builders were selling more houses then we could frame. We worked day and night. And then the mexicans came to town. We thought it was great the first year. We had mexicans asking for work everyday. By 2001 the tables turned. The builders had so many framing crews they started paying less . And boy did the punch lists grow. Its a nightmare. I got out of the new build game. My buddys are stuck in it and have been crying to me for years.

 

Here's what my brother did when his guys were leaving the post-frame building outfit he ran:

He would bank $1 for each hour the employee worked throughout the year. When they would shut down for the season, if the employee stayed with him, he would buy them tools, parts for their vehicles, gas, etc totalling the amount they banked. It had to be something he could write off for his business, so the range was fairly broad. So if the employee worked an average of 50 hours a week, for 40 weeks, they would get $2000 worth of tools, etc.

I worked for him for about 5 months after college one year, and in even that short of time, I got myself an circular saw, air compressor, finish nailer, and all the hoses and fittings I needed. One guy did his apprenticeship through him and got a whole shop full of tools!

By the way, T-Kat and theworx, I am taking my 2nd level carpentry apprentice training right now in Winnipeg. Willing to relocate....let the bidding begin to join your crew when I get out in March!! LOL

 

T-Kat is right about the labour shortage- I ran into a friend of mine at starbucks last month- he's a contractor, doing kitchens etc. He was bemoaning that fact that he has lost two labourers (from vancouver Canada) that went to fort McMurray tar sands project (North of Edmonton) he was paying them 18 bucks an hour!!! but they both went- they are now getting 28 bucks an hour- some things though- its isolated, camp living- oy!
as for being a loyal employee well now- was working for a spanish guy in West Vancouver (ten miles away) for several weeks as a carp - 32 bucks an hour- but he was a yeller - and I don't like that stress, it really affects my work - so one day he's bouncin offa the walls, mad at the kitchen guys, mad at the window guy etc... so then he starts on me about something that I had nothing to do with- so I stood up to him, he says "you juuus don like it, you juus can go home" so I quietly packed up my gear - left it was a good paying job, all the hours we wanted, but - I will not work under that kind of stress! his son cut me a check and apologized for the old man etc said come back on monday etc... I said nothing's gonna change-

this sure is different from the film industry- you don't show up- one day you are a bad person -- second day its now serious- third? you are toast- they call the hall and get another "body"

I am tired of this- its why I'm trying to go out on my own as my own company, working for myself

Mac.