# how to trust employees?



## bullit340 (Oct 25, 2005)

How do you guys trust that new employees will come through and do what they say they will do? I have always used people I new and my on season summer employees to run the loader, bobcat etc... Whenever I have hired guys I do not know to run equipment they usually fail to come through. We pay good, with great equipment and work environment. I have been burnt so many times its hard to hire guys that you need to come through in a high liability situation. I can deal with this during the landscape season but not so much during the snow season. I dont want to get over extended but dont want to turn away work either. Do you guys have a way to deal with this sort of thing? ( besides get used to it)


----------



## SullivanSeptic (Nov 30, 2008)

Sub the work out then. There is a reason a lot of companies pay good employees a good wage. And also why they pay them during off season. Truely good employees are hard to find


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

I assume if you don't know them you do some kind of screening process or at least check their references, even then it's a crap shoot at best. It seems 9 out of 10 guys looking for jobs because of a reason they have complete ownership in, the 1 out of the 10 is the hard one to come by. It seems to me a solid work ethic and a mans word is a thing of the past. People have learned to abuse the system to receive government handouts/aid, this socialist trend our government/society is striving for will be the end of our country.
Your best bet maybe to look for someone you know that knows what work is and has a sense of responsibility but may not have any experience in the industry and train them. It'll be slow going at first but given sometime you'll have a great employee.


----------



## bullit340 (Oct 25, 2005)

I do a screening process and check refrences as well as try to bring up guys without experience. Finding good employees is tough I get that. Now I am at the point where I am being forced to do more snow than my regular guys can handle. I am just having a hard time relying on guys that are unproven to me. It seems that the larger companies are able to absorb a no show but smaller companies really dont have the ability to absorb that no show employee. Maybe I am wrong but it seems the liability of a no show employee is much worse for the smaller company


----------



## SullivanSeptic (Nov 30, 2008)

For sure. It is a way higher liability. You're not alone on this. Its one of the many struggles of being a wonderful business owner


----------



## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

If you need good operators why not look into getting a few guys from your local gravel pits or excavating contractors in the winter? Obviously they can handle running a loader and most guys like that are pretty reliable. Maybe check with their bosses to see what kind of guy you're getting. Just my .02


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Sullivan hit it on the head.........it's one of the struggles with growing a business in this type of industry. 
If subbing out isn't an option to level load yourself and your biggest worry is a employee not showing up (justifiably so) is there someone you can use as a backup? Have you tried networking, I've found this to be a real help plus I've also picked up work from this and sent work the other way. 
I have a guy I've known for years, use to plow and who works for a power equipment outfit that can fill in until the store opens up. He can't help during day but it does work and relieves some pressure. 
Worst case you may have to consider keeping your operation at a size where you're not spread so thin until Mr Right comes strolling through the door.


----------

