Company attendance policies

[WOLOG]

I am curious to see what policies you guys have regarding worker attendance, being on time and working overtime. I have problems with two of my "under achievers" and I am not sure how to handle it in a professional manor. I know that workers are hard to come by, but these two abuse the situation.

Thanks, Wolog

[John3]

We've got the same problems from time-to-time. Any more my reaction is dump them, they will end up going anyway and its better now than when you've invested more training on them.

Typically we've started by taking a kind/gentle approach. Shifting their starting time so they are not late. If the lateness comes back at the later start time, the guy's a looser and must go.

Sometime discipline works. More often to push the dead wood out than to correct a problem. My thoughts are that either result is good. We've docked an hour's wages for lateness if it continues after verbal and written warnings.

Another thing to consider is that often there are other factors that cause this problem. If its personal and they discuss, I'll be understanding. If there is no GOOD reasons given, we've done drug testing on grounds of reasonable suspicion (its in our policy book). That usually solves many of the problems, as you don't want substance abusers in a shop.

Sorry to say that today's workforce has some pretty low standards for themselves. When I recently asked one perspective employee what would be his ideal job he said "to stay home, do nothing and be mailed paychecks" ... I've had a few of those.

We also have a positive incentive as well. Everyone who had perfect attendance for a given month is given an hour of paid time off on the first Friday of the next month, they get to go home an hour early. Also those with good attendance for the month are entered into a simple drawing and randomly one receives a $50 bonus for that month.


John

[mxtras]

Originally Posted by John3 Sorry to say that today's workforce has some pretty low standards for themselves. John

Boy is that an accurate statement of the times!

We do not tolerate poor attendance and we start out that way with new hires. They get the three strikes and your out method - the out is a one day off suspension for the first offense and a three day suspension the next time. The third time they get in trouble for poor attendance they are terminated. By the time they are terminated, they have had at least 6 firm reprimands. Just make sure you document your actions and the events that triggered the action.

If you have an employee that is coming in late habitually, you are going to have to go at it gradually and make sure all employees are treated the same. Show no favoritism and document, document, document. Make sure you are never late, also - even if it is YOUR company.

It's amazing how stupid some of these clowns are, but they suddenly become pretty intelligent and very ambitious when they find an attorney who can sue for wrongful termination.

Another method is this: For each tardy, doc them 1/2 point. For each day out without a call in, dock them 1 point. For excessive sick time, charge them 1 point for each occurrence. When 6 points are reached, they get a day off to think about it. Termination occurs at 8 points accumulated. It takes 30 days without an infraction to remove 1/2 point from their record. If they have no infractions and have accumulated no points within the last 4 months, they get a $10 gas card. At 8 months with no points, they get a $20 gas card, etc. This method requires record keeping, but you should be doing that anyway. The rewards will not be handed out often if at all, believe me!

It's easiest to start out firm and back off than it is to start out easy and get tough later.

Good luck!

Scott

[Geof]

Originally Posted by mxtras .....It's easiest to start out firm and back off than it is to start out easy and get tough later. Good luck! Scott

So true.

And the comment about document, document, document also so true. We had two instances both with long term employees who turned bad. I was too soft too long and we got into a big hassle. One of them made a complaint about intolerable working conditions so we had a major health and safety inspection (you have probably seen pictures I have posted of my shop) we came through that with flying colors. Eventually everything was sorted out and all the negative comments and allegations were expunged from the court records but it wasted a lot of time.

[MrWild]

Been there, done that. From the employee perspective. First off, not an under achiever. I was vocal union which is even worse. Even then things weren't bad, but there were a few under achievers in the shop. My shop took on the accurance way like outlined, but to get one off, you needed SIX months perfect attendance. If you got another you started at ZERO to accumulate good behavior time. I ran into a period with a recalcitrant vehical. Nothing major, but the 1/2 occurance was pretty bull**** considering how hard I worked and how my work was done on average in 80% of the time given compared to 100-110% which was average for the coffee cluthers.

Five months out with good attendance saw another occurance with a sick day. The next time I got a half occurance was three months out from this one. I'd actually overslept due to a power outage. I got a VERBAL! TWO TARDIES AND AN ABSENCE IN DAMNED NEAR A YEAR GOT ME A VERBAL? The next time I was late due to a power failure, I said to heck with it and took my wife out to breakfast, read the paper, and scratched my butt until I could leave for work and get there right before 11:00. They met me at the time clock wondering where the heck I'd been, so I told em. 1/2 an occurance for five minutes late is 1/2 ccurance for four hours late. From now on if I was going to be a minute late, I was going to come in at 10:57. They were not pleased.

Ohers were struggling with the same problems and soon followed suit. The six months rule to expunge a single occurance was far too draconian and they ended up dumping it. The person they wanted to get rid of did it to themselves by becoming a crackhead. A one month clean attendance to earn back an occurance is a good enough rule. Realize that any policy you put out can and will affect your good workers also. You can't sweep any under the table because it will bite you in the keester when you don't apply it across the board. That is were labor lawyers will get you and should.

[WOLOG]

Thanks for all of your replies. I can't believe what people think these days. For the most part, half of our shop is great. Always on time, never sick and willing to work extra hours. The other half is a thorn in my side. I have a hard time explaining that electricity is not free. Material is not free. Parts on the last operation that gets screwed up because no one payed attention cost a lot of money. Crashed machine and tooling costs money. But, "i am still gettin' payed" is the response I get. Luckily for them there is not a sledge hammer near my desk. I have one guy that overdrew his account 3 times and still he won't work an extra hour of overtime. One day I threatened them that as soon as I found the right parts, I was replacing them with a robotic cell from Interface Innovations!!! One guy said, "you wouldn't do that to me!" I won't repeat my response.

I can not help but to wonder what the fate of our country as well as our industry will be in the near future. I pray every day that some "sucker" will walk in the shop with a check book and say"How much for the joint?" I used to love programming and making parts. Now I dread getting up in the morning and facing the same stupid lazy people. Oh, my favorite saying: You didn't tell me that! Any way, it's time for a cocktail. Maybe 2 or 12!!!! It's a wonder that I don't have a drinking problem.

[ImanCarrot]

It works both ways though- if you want good output then you have to pay decent wages- pay peanuts and you get monkeys.

I'm quite fortunate that the firm I work for pays quite well and in return I do a good job. I do not get paid for any overtime but work it when the job requires- even weekends on my own with the keys to the factory.

At the end of the day I get a percentage of any profit over a certain limit we make each quarter now THAT is an incentive.

On the other hand- we ad a guy here who was continualy moaning that he was too busy etc etc- I thought "sheesh, that's why they call it WORK. That's why they give you monnney, if it was fun someone would do it for free."

Sorry, went a wee bit off topic then- there are instances where absence is acceptable which may not be immidiately obvious- sales guy flys back from Australia and has jet lag- he should be ok to take a day out. Also, at our place if someone takes a sickie they can elect to replace this by using one of their holidays without damaging their record- within reason this works ok.

As others have stated DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. You will not regret it when the legal a**holes get involved. The incremental approach is best and must be applied to everyone. We got sued for negligence cos some idiot ran across the car park int he rain and failed to see an open window- smashed his head on it and knocked himself out. Beleive it or not, he was given 75% of the Injury claim... for bashing HIS head against something OUTSIDE the factory which he didn't see cos it was raining and he was running *shakes head*.

[daedalus]

well i dont work in a shop, but i am one of those useless employees who is habitually late. It must be a frequent annoyance for my employer that i end up working more hours then i am paid every week, and im sure they hate it when im working weekends when they have a rush on

The first time someone makes a formal issue out of my timekeeping all these things will stop, and i will literally drop what im holding at 5pm and walk out the door, after all if there is no give and take on my start time, why should i make (usually far greater) allowances with my finish time?

[Splint]

A machine shop owner once told me that he was having issues with one of his apprentices. Laziness, absenteeism and an attitude of disinterest. Rather than go down the path of warnings followed by dismissal, he lumbered a lot of extra responsibilities such as maintenance programs for the plant and equipment, stock tracking etc. The apprentice took on these responsibilities and performed well at them, the owner praised him for doing such a good job and the kids whole approach and outlook to his work improved dramatically and he went from being one of the worst employees to one of the best. I think if something like this could be done in your shop it would have a happy ending for everyone. It may or may not work out but if it doesn't at least when it comes to the dismissal you'll have peace of mind knowing that you have given them every opportunity to improve.

Food for thought.

Splint

[WOLOG]

This morning my best employee walks in my office to tell me he is PO'ed because the "deadheads" are picking lint out of their navels instead of what they were told to do. The instructions were clear as day regarding what to do, yet they still find ways to make things much more difficult than it should be. I know work is work , but I have been here 21 years and some snot nosed punk off the street is not going to make me miserable another second. Can anyone give me the name of a good lawyer?

Have a good day gents. I'm going bash heads!!!

[John3]

Originally Posted by WOLOG Can anyone give me the name of a good lawyer? Have a good day gents. I'm going bash heads!!!

What do you need a lawyer for?

Write up the problem, review it with them, make sure they understand and then send them home for a few days to think about what work is and means.

Just make sure that you are consistent with your actions from one to another.


On of my favorite sayings is "Let the losers fire themselves", they usually do by their own actions.


John