Taking on staff

[Ethan EZ -Clean]

Hi all,

So I’m getting rammed already 6months in and I’m starting to struggle to keep on top of admin having less time to canvass clean windows all in one. I coach football twice a week and will be having friendlies soon so I want to have enough time to canvass as possible so I’ve made the decision to take on a friends little brother (who is also a friend of mine) part time.

Offered him two days a week just to take the load off of me and he’s happy with that as that’s all he is doing at his current job (technically 16 hours over 2-4 days)

I want to do everything properly from the start so I want to have a written contract up etc for us both to have and then going forward when it progresses to full time I can then change the contract.

Is there anywhere I can get a template or anywhere I can get exactly what is needed on there and is there anything else you lot would add.

Cheers fellas

 

[Bell Pallisey]

i say take on 2 parttimers over just the 1 . That way when one lets you down youv got the other to take the slack. iv allus had at least 2 ,not necessarily working the same time . When one starts letting you down bring on another new one and let the deadbeat go swiftly . I had a card in the window of a local shop,"p/t helper wanted,putting out flyers etc" so when they rang up id jot down their number so were ready in the chamber. Register with hmrc as an employer you get a disc to download and then each week upload their wages to hmrc and iv always paid their NI. Get employee liability insurance its roughly 100 notes per yr per employee . Being kind has allus been important to me but i explain its 3 strikes and you are out and 2 months probation period a loser never lasts a month they cannot behave .
I have not ever regretted employing although had a lot of deadbeats the gold came thru too.

 

[WindyinNorfolk]

Yep - never employ friends or family

 

[Yogi1872]

i say take on 2 parttimers over just the 1 . That way when one lets you down youv got the other to take the slack. iv allus had at least 2 ,not necessarily working the same time . When one starts letting you down bring on another new one and let the deadbeat go swiftly . I had a card in the window of a local shop,"p/t helper wanted,putting out flyers etc" so when they rang up id jot down their number so were ready in the chamber. Register with hmrc as an employer you get a disc to download and then each week upload their wages to hmrc and iv always paid their NI. Get employee liability insurance its roughly 100 notes per yr per employee . Being kind has allus been important to me but i explain its 3 strikes and you are out and 2 months probation period a loser never lasts a month they cannot behave .
I have not ever regretted employing although had a lot of deadbeats the gold came thru too.

3 strikes and out ? If an employee took you to a tribunal,depending on what they were sacked for then chances are they would have a good case against you. 1 verbal and 2 written warnings is seen as procedure with the second written being the final warning unless it classes as gross misconduct and you can skip they phases and sack them. Although it's seen as the procedure, by law you don't have to give them any warnings and just sack them. But doing this unless it's something serious will likely not benifit you at all if a case gets put against you.

 

[Yogi1872]

And if you are to full for one man after 6 months then fair play to you, that's some going, out of interest, how much value does your work add up to monthly ?. To be taking someone on its got to be around the 6k mark I'd have thought.

 

[Ethan EZ -Clean]

And if you are to full for one man after 6 months then fair play to you, that's some going, out of interest, how much value does your work add up to monthly ?. To be taking someone on its got to be around the 6k mark I'd have thought.

I’m on roughly 3-4 a month now.

The reason I’m doing it part time is to save me on the days I have to coach I need to be done and out the door at roughly half 4 and don’t get back till late so no time to canvass then the days I’m full I’m too fycked after I’ve finished to canvass.

Just to ease the pressure off so I can spend the extra time canvassing and putting more work on I average 4 a hour at £18-£22 when I go out so it’s well worth having someone to get me out the **** so I can spend more time putting regular work on.

I get hammered with additional services too every week I’m doing something

 

[Ethan EZ -Clean]

It’s all coordinated I’ve got myself to a position where I’m trying to spend time building the business rather than just being a cleaner. In my eyes it’s worth paying out to free up my time and worth doing it so I can get more long term work. Been well thought out just happened sooner than I thought it would.

 

[WindyinNorfolk]

@Yogi1872 - if they are on probation 3 strikes as you see fit is perfectly acceptable - I'm sure @Bell Pallisey is more than reasonable.

you get unto 2 years for an easy dismissal after this point you need to have records and warnings - dot your eyes - cross your tee's - but if someone has lasted this long in the game they are a good one

 

[Bell Pallisey]

@Yogi1872 - if they are on probation 3 strikes as you see fit is perfectly acceptable - I'm sure @Bell Pallisey is more than reasonable.

you get unto 2 years for an easy dismissal after this point you need to have records and warnings - dot your eyes - cross your tee's - but if someone has lasted this long in the game they are a good one

iv had to have "a little chat" with several exs employees over the years of course, usually preceded by "cmere You, moody farker " , not to finish them,just to point out that you are here to work not moan about doing it to other employees you are dragging them down . Usually id say "its very simple all you have to do is turn up on time and get on with your work,you know how to do it i dont mind if you dont talk wear your earpieces- from now on you are going to be first out the van but last one in ..." The trouble is that a number were hoping to find a cosy niche probably in an office where they do F-all or maybe wash a few rags with music blaring out but its turned out theres no office just a shedload of glass to clean daily and they cant adjust to it . Im just remembering some of the nicknames i had for em, "the gasser "had an opinion on everything spoke so loud custys thought they were being broken into, another "the p isser" [even had his own 5 gallon p iss bottle in van boy did it reek. Happy days!

 

[WindyinNorfolk]

Totally agree - defo since co-vid its become incredibly hard to find "working" staff - when you tell them its unto 25 houses a day they turn a funny shade of grey

They do a day or 2 - then pooooof! - like a they disappear - Mind you they always remember to demand their wages!

 

[JasonD]

Yep - never employ friends or family

I've learnt this the hard way.

Have you had a bad experience working with friends & family?

 

[Yogi1872]

I've learnt this the hard way.

Have you had a bad experience working with friends & family?

Friends and family won't take you serious, your employees need to fear you a bit. Friends and family won't have that fear of you.

 

[P4dstar]

Friends and family won't take you serious, your employees need to fear you a bit. Friends and family won't have that fear of you.

employees just need to respect you. Fear is the wrong word. Agreed on the family and friends bit though. Had experience of both.

 

[ched999uk]

I'm not suggesting you are doing things the wrong way but if you are getting too much work then maybe you can adjust your prices up a bit. Aim to win about 80% of your quotes. Trying to find a reliable, trustworthy, conscientious worker is difficult - they are never going to be as good as you!

 

[P4dstar]

I'm not suggesting you are doing things the wrong way but if you are getting too much work then maybe you can adjust your prices up a bit. Aim to win about 80% of your quotes. Trying to find a reliable, trustworthy, conscientious worker is difficult - they are never going to be as good as you!

I've got one that's better than me. He has been a window cleaner 33 years though. Only working for me as he moved down from Scotland to start a new life.

 

[Crystalalan]

I've got one that's better than me. He has been a window cleaner 33 years though. Only working for me as he moved down from Scotland to start a new life.

Hey its not Scottish cleaning services is it?

 

[Bell Pallisey]

i tried to bring in my own son to the biz, but he wanted to know how much the pay was -up front , i knew itd never work.

 

[P4dstar]

Hey its not Scottish cleaning services is it?

hell no!