I started working for a small company and it's not really my place to hire people but there is three of us who do the climbing and I'm kind of the low man on the climbing ladder so I get stuck doing quite a bit brush dragging which is part of the job. Well we've gotten some groundies this summer so I can get more time in the trees and since we have quite a bit of work. We have already been through I think 4 or 5 guys this summer. It's not like we abuse them. I mean we work just as hard dragging brush and everything as they do. So is there any advice on finding anyone who is worth anything to have as a groundy that will last longer than a week or two?
Finding Quality groundies
- Thread starter PUClimber
- Start date
- Location
- North of Boston
I think that finding groundies who will stick around and learn the "ropes", is harder to find than an Arborist. Most people don't realize how hard this work is. They view our industry as a joke, and bunch of beer drinkers using chainsaws and making a mess. Most of the general public views us this way as well.
Groundies are easy to run off. If you have been through 4 or 5 already this summer maybe there is something more to the picture. Work environment, co. attitude, morale, respect, PAY.....? Were they all fired or they quit? What was the reasoning for their dismissal/quitting?
Groundies are easy to run off. If you have been through 4 or 5 already this summer maybe there is something more to the picture. Work environment, co. attitude, morale, respect, PAY.....? Were they all fired or they quit? What was the reasoning for their dismissal/quitting?
Believe it or not, ex-cons make great groundies - especially if they're still on probation/parole. One of my best groundmen was a murderer. It seems the more severe the crime, the better they worked. Go figure.
<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>
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<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>
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- Location
- North of Boston
Have to focus all thir rage in a legal manner! LOL
rfwoodvt
New member
- Location
- This side of eternity.
We tried to hire a groundie this spring.
Over a hundred calls asking for apps, nobody, not one, submitted an app.
In talking with many of them on the phone almost all said, "that sounds like work" or some variation on that.
That said, I have a highschool student who simply wants to lift heavy stuff. He likes the paycheck but the exercise is his desire.
The other thing we have done is to make it clear that everyone is a groundie first and a climber second.
Even my lead climber understands that ground work is essential, and everyone is first and foremost a groundie.
We have tried to eliminate the "caste" system of "lowly ground worker" and "primadonna climber." And have had great success at that.
We have some ground crew come through that don't have climbing skill or desire so they don't climb, but they never feel as though they are the bottom feeders.
In fact, we are finding more and more that a job well done on the ground garners more and more praise and compliments from on-lookers.
As the employer, I have made it a point when I am working a job to set the standard by being the first step up and do the crap jobs such as filing saws, raking, sweeping, shoveling, and gophering.
And when someone complains that something isn't getting done I simply ask them if they always make sure it is done when they have that job.
Over time it changes attitudes and brings the "whole job" into focus thus making the crew more efficient and more apt to be coordinated in getting the job done quicker.
It also leads to less "hands on hips" time because everyone understands that the completion of the whole job is thier personal responsibility.
In the long run it also means that the company improves efficiecy and ends up with more resources for raises, bonuses, conferences and play time for the team.
Over a hundred calls asking for apps, nobody, not one, submitted an app.
In talking with many of them on the phone almost all said, "that sounds like work" or some variation on that.
That said, I have a highschool student who simply wants to lift heavy stuff. He likes the paycheck but the exercise is his desire.
The other thing we have done is to make it clear that everyone is a groundie first and a climber second.
Even my lead climber understands that ground work is essential, and everyone is first and foremost a groundie.
We have tried to eliminate the "caste" system of "lowly ground worker" and "primadonna climber." And have had great success at that.
We have some ground crew come through that don't have climbing skill or desire so they don't climb, but they never feel as though they are the bottom feeders.
In fact, we are finding more and more that a job well done on the ground garners more and more praise and compliments from on-lookers.
As the employer, I have made it a point when I am working a job to set the standard by being the first step up and do the crap jobs such as filing saws, raking, sweeping, shoveling, and gophering.
And when someone complains that something isn't getting done I simply ask them if they always make sure it is done when they have that job.
Over time it changes attitudes and brings the "whole job" into focus thus making the crew more efficient and more apt to be coordinated in getting the job done quicker.
It also leads to less "hands on hips" time because everyone understands that the completion of the whole job is thier personal responsibility.
In the long run it also means that the company improves efficiecy and ends up with more resources for raises, bonuses, conferences and play time for the team.
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