[Fox]

I have just heard there is a new system for finding out where staff are.  It is not just designed for staff booking in and out of site but lets you know if they leave the premises in working hours.

The supplier even says that each cleaner can be tagged (upon agreement) so we can monitor if they are standing or sitting for over 5mins - therefore can see their productivity!  This doesn't cost much either what do you think?

[garyj]

Even better than that, in last weeks Private Eye there was an advert for a Henry Hoover fitted with a covert camera. You can sit at home and watch exactly whats going on.
Think I'll order 20

I've seen that ad too. In the long run it would save us a fortune, a bit 'Big Brother' though isn't it?

[Fox]

lol - what do you reckon we would see!  Most interesting - no more clients saying ' but the hours weren't worked'  Yes they were we got proof!  
(whoops not the right kind)

[garyj]

It would be handy if you had an ankle fetish I suppose.

We would see, lots of talking, yawning, passing wind and bums being scratched. The blokes wouldn't be any better either.

[Fox]

LOL - I suppose but what do you think? Is it feasible?  Come on peeps comments

Gary - got yours - hmmmmmmmm ankles at least the hoovering would be done lol

[George-Reid]

Fox
I guess it is the next step.
We have GPRS in our vehicles thats live transmission on broadband 24/7 straight to my desk.
As all our work is vehicle based I can tell if they have been to a customer how long they were their if vehicle engine was iddling or not etc.
We can tell our domestic clients if we are in the next street and For our commercial clients it is proof of being on location. Very importantly it shows where you have not been this is very usefull espically in todays blame culture.
You need to sell it to staff as a working tool which we have done and not as big brother.

Watches are avilable in the states which you need a security code to remove and are used to track children 24/7 from home pc so parents allways know where their children are.

Our vehicles also have fixed data terminals which the driver uses to communicate with the office again live on broadband 24/7 so no mobile costs.

Next step would be a camera hooked up to the system but to be honest it wold not give me much more info than I allready have.

I have four canvassers at the moment working 3pm till 8pm last night the one with the company mobile managed to switch it off took me ages to find them I would love to be able to monitor them as I am sure they slow down if having a bad night.

I am sure their are lots of moral and ethical questions about these systems my question is how can i get the distrubution rights because regardless of what you think its coming and it will sell.

Cheers

George

[MR WHEELIE CLEAN]

If you cant trust your staff to the extent that you want to know whether or not they are taking a five minute break, surely you should n't be employing them!  After all what other liberties are they taking when on your client's premises.  Perhaps the answer is to pay better than average wages for better than average employees!!

I admit at this point I haven't employed anyone, but am about to.  Just thought I would give my idealistic viewpoint.

Cheers,
Nev.

[Fox]

Nev - what a wonderful naive thought  

[garyj]

Thats EXACTLY what I was going to write this afternoon.

[The Great One]

Hi

Would this system not be an infringement of human rights?

I know that the govrnment spy on us constantly CCTV etc but maybe you employees would want to sue you under the HR law. They would of couse get legal aid for their cause, as as we all know it is the self-employed and small business owner that funds the compensation claim industry?

Regards

Martin

[MR WHEELIE CLEAN]

OK Fox,

I agree it is a naive view  :  . So how about this - on the basis that good staff are few and far between in the cleaning industry - their inefficiencies need to be built into the cost of any quotations and pricing - this maybe a better method of profit control without the need for big brother - i.e. pay them low but don't expect too much on the productivity side.  Alternatively, the answer could be some form of productivity/performance bonus scheme that is measurable. This should be reasonably easy from my point of view as I'm dealing with cleaning of bins i.e. numbers.  More difficult for you guys to measure - here's a suggestion - pay your staff by the task and not by the hour!  

Nev

[garyj]

Over the years we've tried all sorts of ideas to either increase the productivity or just get the job done correctly. The biggest issue appears to be that a lot of people don't actually want to work. We have to contend with the skivers, the chatterers and the moaners.
Here in Hampshire we have a very high rate of employment and there seems to be an awful lot of cleaning jobs around where the staff just have to turn up and not do much at all!! To lose a cleaning job is no big deal to them because they can walk straight into another one tomorrow.
We pay the highest rate in our area and expect the best cleaners, but if someone isn't willing to work then you have no option but to get rid of them, usually with a lot of hassle and threats being aimed at us.

We have tried incentives, even a bonus being paid to turn up for work for a full week, that failed too!!

I do agree with your point that if we don't trust them then perhaps we shouldn't take them on in the first place. But even after 5 years in this business I still see the good in people first and believe them when they tell me what a good job they will do and how reliable they are. I do feel angry at times when I've put trust into someone only to be let down yet again, but we just soldier on and keep going until the occasional gem appears. Those people get looked after really well.
We do have some staff that have been with us years, and they are worth their weight in gold, the companies get to know them and think a lot of them to, but they are few and far between.

I hope for you that the emplyment situation will be easier, because I should think that you will be offering full time work and probably a realistic chance of some sort of managerial or supervisor role. But I think you'll be surprised just how often these people are to ill to attend work.

Since I've been self employed I don't think I've had a day off sick. Most of my staff are off ill monthly at least.
Its even worse when we have hot weather!!!

But believe it or not, I still enjoy this job, the hassle, arguments and all the administration are worth it when you 'win' another contract and see the company grow.

And with each new contract, all that hassle starts again.

[MR WHEELIE CLEAN]

Gary,

Interesting points and prooves that theres no substitute for experience.

Nev.