You break/cut you buy?

honesty should be it's own reward, I took at bloke a bottle of scotch last month out of the blue because he helped me with no thought of being compensated for his time, he didn't expect it and I was happy to do so more because of his unselfish nature.
I like your bosses way of doing things, thats how you foster a good working relationship that lasts.
 
The big problem is how do you deal with the wide range of personalities and trying to get a job done to make a profit that requires essential equipment. Obviously local laws should prevail. A bit of common sense such as recorded employee evaluations at a pay raise request. should help..... but some people are so far gone that they have no shame or care.

I've worked at companies that literally had nothing in the way of proper tools and equipment. I purchased my own and used them myself, just to make the work day a little easier for me. Upon leaving (fired) the boss would think that what I bought, with my own cash, would stay with them!!!
 
KYAPLE said:
Never thought about it like that. Thank you. Ever have an employee want to pay for something they damaged or broke? Because they feel bad for breaking something that was extremely simple to avoid? I.e. Driving over wheel chocks(blown out chipper tire) things like tha?
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So far every employee has fessed up and offers/ expecting to pay. Some even argue it was stupidity versus an accident. I then explain my policy and why.
 
limbcontrol said:
We dont have an employee $ penalty in equipment damage. If someone damages the equipment a stern discussion is usually all that is needed for explanation to evaluate and correct any negligence. If a pattern occurs of stupidity their job position gets evaluated. If reoccurring stupid mistakes are observed, those mistakes could get someone hurt and their part of a crew member may be elsewhere.

if a saw or such gets left on a job. It is absolutely the crew's responsibility to do a tool count at the end of each job. Our policy is if "you lose it the whole crew buys it" say for example a $800 saw gets left in Mrs Jones ivy bed cause they didn't account for it at the end of the job. Their responsibility to go find it or they buy it. $800 divided by 4 employees $50 per week till the replacement cost is covered. Unfortunately it is the only method we have found that works for having employees keep track of the equipment like it's their own.
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Forgetting a saw would be a tough one for me to mentally deal with.
Plenty of rakes and other non pricey things have been left then vanished.
Sounds like if a saw was left then vanished, that would mean it was stolen.
I'll inquire with my insurance co, but pretty sure they would cover that.
If it's not insured, well that's the owners short coming setting up for a fail.
 
Treetopflyer said:
Do you think its possible that if you offered a higher rate of pay you would find a higher caliber employee?
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You could have at least hold them to higher expectations, higher goals.
KPI (key performance indicators) as per contract. If not met, then well...next please.

My lowest paid guys have had the most forgiveness/leeway and have stayed the longest.
The highest paid guys thus far don't last, for too many reasons. They start off like the rabbit but...
 
frashdog said:
So far every employee has fessed up and offers/ expecting to pay. Some even argue it was stupidity versus an accident. I then explain my policy and why.
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frashdog as long as you can see the dividing line when it crosses over from a damage and loss issue to a threatening life issue?
thats why the cut/buy policy when it comes to ropes, there has to be a line in the sand so to speak or you have complacency around an area where there is no room for complacency - just ask a climber who has found him/herself in the situation where their climb line is now entering the chipper and velocity is gaining?
by the by do you or have you been a climbing arborist or bucket worker?
 
Stihlmadd said:
frashdog as long as you can see the dividing line when it crosses over from a damage and loss issue to a threatening life issue?
thats why the cut/buy policy when it comes to ropes, there has to be a line in the sand so to speak or you have complacency around an area where there is no room for complacency - just ask a climber who has found him/herself in the situation where their climb line is now entering the chipper and velocity is gaining?
by the by do you or have you been a climbing arborist or bucket worker?
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Sorry I don't see the difference.

I have professionally climbed trees for 10 years now as owner, we got a bucket truck 3 years ago.

Buddy that got me into tree work had his line feed into a chipper while he was in a tree, he cut it with his hand saw as it got tight...ground guy never knew it. Own it. If you can't trust your guys or pay attention to your own line take it in the tree in a bag with you. I know guys who do for that very reason. Now that I remember I have been ready to cut my line as a ground guy got too close with my line in a limb being feed. Thank goodness for headsets now.

You go off the end of your line...that's your fault. I know two people who have done this. One is dead the other is in a wheel chair. The dead one did not tie a knot, the other cut his own line and did not know it. I always inspect my line as it comes at me. Inspections go for rigging lines too. What if some one nicks a line and did not even know it.
 
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I don't believe in making low wage earners monetarily pay for equipment/property damages, but I do insist they pay in some way. You cut my line and you may find yourself hauling all the logs to the truck by yourself, or doing all the raking, or getting the pleasure of trimming all the nastiest hedges. Don't let me know what you hate most, because when you mess up that's what I'll have you doing.
 
Boomslang said:
I don't believe in making low wage earners monetarily pay for equipment/property damages, but I do insist they pay in some way. You cut my line and you may find yourself hauling all the logs to the truck by yourself, or doing all the raking, or getting the pleasure of trimming all the nastiest hedges. Don't let me know what you hate most, because when you mess up that's what I'll have you doing.
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nothing wrong with that!
My joke is, by them not having to pay for it me and the crew gets to tease. Some times we make a new rule with their name in it. Humor +shame = humbling humility!
 
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frashdog said:
I must have missed some thing?
"Cut off", like rope?
I might see the humor, I'm sure it was not aimed at the guy in the wheelchair, if it was, well good luck with that karma.
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yeh my mate Brady didn't see the humour in losing his leg to a stump grinder either at first but he owned his mistake and now tells people that the clogger chainsaw pants weren't designed to stop a stump grinder but they did clog off his blood supply long enough for the em airlift that saved his life.
sorry the emjoi fell at the front of the sentence not the back as intended I didn't find cutting myself with a chainsaw funny either but I laugh about it now.
 
Treetopflyer said:
Do you think its possible that if you offered a higher rate of pay you would find a higher caliber employee?
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I actually offer far better pay than most places in my area and a couple bucks an hour better than what I started at? I said the applicants were poor though, not my employees. I've just found that most guys willing to drag brush in Wyoming are not the guys I want on my job site.
 
Stihlmadd said:
yeh my mate Brady didn't see the humour in losing his leg to a stump grinder either at first but he owned his mistake and now tells people that the clogger chainsaw pants weren't designed to stop a stump grinder but they did clog off his blood supply long enough for the em airlift that saved his life.
sorry the emjoi fell at the front of the sentence not the back as intended I didn't find cutting myself with a chainsaw funny either but I laugh about it now.
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All good.
 
LeviRockett said:
That being said I have always had a hard time getting mine. example- the other day the truck that I was driving at work broke down. I had to wait nearly four hours to get a tow. I work at a small company and I was feeling bad for the owner so I did not clock in for the whole day. My boss noticed that on my time card and actually paid me for MORE hours than I had worked.
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I know that dude and it doesn't surprise me.
And Levi, you're no doubt a good employee.
 
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