I HAD only two full time people working for me, neither could be relied on to show up on time and stay for a full shift. As of this morning I’m down to one full time person. The jerkoffs with some perceived grudge that think they’re sticking it to the company by walking out without a notice should be shaken like a rat. I’m about 40 man hours down this week due to all this bullshit plus a few other circumstances. Wouldn’t normally be such a huge issue but I’ve got a list two pages long of things that need to be done by EOB Thursday. And I can’t get OT. Plus I have to deal with needy customers and sales reps that sell jobs after the noon cut off for delivery the next day.

I hear ya. When I had my record store I had several employees like this. "I can't make it today" and another guy who always had a car problem and was always late. My partners would not let me fire the mother fucker either, it was so aggravating.

I understand about unreliable workers.

But you mention you have two people who can't be relied on to show up on time and for a full shift. And it looks like someone walked out without notice.

1) Have you checked your management skills lately? I don't know you nor do I have any idea how you manage. And I don't care either way. But the person who walked out without notice did not do so to the company in general but to some person in particular and the most likely target is you. It really is making a statement when one walks out without notice.

2) It doesn't help you now in the immediate, but you have to question your hiring process if the company ends up hiring people who can't be relied on to show up on time and stay for the full shift.

In response to your first point, unless they’re lying, nearly everyone that’s worked for me has said I’m one of the best managers they’ve worked for. I’m fair and consistent in what I do, say and expect. The guy that walked out has grumbled in the past that he’s never considered for promotions. It’s because he’s never showed any initiative or a hint of critical thinking skills. Nice guy but he’s just coasting through life doing the bare minimum. The other, full time person hasn’t lasted more than a year in any other job based on what I’ve heard. Upper management’s reviews of my performance has been almost entirely positive. Perfect? No, and I won’t claim to be.

As for the hiring process, we’re screwed. It’s an entry level CS position that requires physical labor. Last stats I saw put our failure rate from background/drug tests around 70%. Nothing I can do about that.

The guy who never lasted more than a year in prior jobs couldn’t have been found out before he was hired? Should have eliminated that one at the interview.

quote:

Originally posted by tsmccull:

The guy who never lasted more than a year in prior jobs couldn’t have been found out before he was hired? Should have eliminated that one at the interview.

With 70% of the applicants failing the background / drug screening tests (see the post immediately above yours), they might have to take what they can get.

I look at my wife's office, a health services practice, where it seems to be almost impossible to hire a decent front desk person, and I understand what the OP is dealing with.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by tsmccull:

The guy who never lasted more than a year in prior jobs couldn’t have been found out before he was hired? Should have eliminated that one at the interview.

With 70% of the applicants failing the background / drug screening tests (see the post immediately above yours), they might have to take what they can get.

I look at my wife's office, a health services practice, where it seems to be almost impossible to hire a decent front desk person, and I understand what the OP is dealing with.

Yeah, I know what you mean. But if they're not already, it won't be long before they'll be paying all those folks at least $31K per year and it's depressing to think they can't at least cull out the deadbeats for that much money!

I have a friend who owns a cafe. She’s had an employee call in “getting laid” and be late today.

She wouldn’t fire him on the spot because she said there wasn’t anybody else to hire that would be any better.

quote:

She’s had an employee call in “getting laid” and be late today.

Probably a better reason than most.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

She’s had an employee call in “getting laid” and be late today.

Probably a better reason than most.

And an honest one too.

Lower paying jobs that are easily replaceable will always have that problem. Higher paying jobs people don't quit they quit managers.

I work for a large manufacturing company. We are scraping the bottom of the barrel it seems these days. However. Most young people these days have no work ethic. They expect everything and do nothing. It is not unusual to see people standing around talking for a half hour or more multiple times a day. The ones that do bust their asses see this and get pissed off that others get away with it and start to follow suit. It's a vicious cycle that drags morale down and makes it difficult to go to work every day.

I employ about 50 people and it sure seems as though I am going through more folks to find solid, reliable people these days.

quote:

Originally posted by rsbolo:
I employ about 50 people and it sure seems as though I am going through more folks to find solid, reliable people these days.

They hired a guy to be a department manager a couple weeks ago. He failed the drug test.

I work in automated manufacturing for a large company that pays very well for the area and we actively recruit ex-military, not just because they already have the technical training that transfers over but more because they already know how to work.

Our engineering techs are expected to show up on time and turnover with the off going shift and do what needs to be done to manage their assigned production line without a manager looking over their shoulder.

4 techs to a line, figure it out among yourselves. Breaks, lunch, downtime, whatever comes up. Call the manager if you have an issue or need something. I've gone entire on-shift rotations without seeing a manager.

We are also uniquely fortunate to have a large ex-military pool to work with in the area. I've heard 75-80 % thrown around as the number of prior service we have on the manufacturing floor.

My only issue with the OP is that people quitting without notice should be shaken like a rat. I don't know why employers expect two weeks notice, but will let someone go with no notice whatsoever.

quote:

Originally posted by dgshooter:

My only issue with the OP is that people quitting without notice should be shaken like a rat. I don't know why employers expect two weeks notice, but will let someone go with no notice whatsoever.

Agreed. I have seen this too many times.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by dgshooter:

My only issue with the OP is that people quitting without notice should be shaken like a rat. I don't know why employers expect two weeks notice, but will let someone go with no notice whatsoever.

Agreed. I have seen this too many times.

This was my initial thought as well. Fairness works both ways. Or should.

When I worked in Corrections, the first day of snow was when the call offs began filtering in.

Guy living about 5 miles from the Instuition calls off, 'cause he's snowed in by a light dusting.

Five or six officers living in the depressed coal mining area's of NE Pa have to car pool 100 miles thru snow drifts and are never late.

A chronic problem in retail, restaurants, and other low paying jobs.

I kept one job waiting tables all through high school and college, and could even get shifts when I was home from college for Christmas because I was reliable. If they put me on the schedule, I showed up.