[KS Cleaning]

Send him up to me for a day, I will show him how to speed up😁

[Slacky]

Truth is, he wants some money but not  that much money. He’ll never be what you hope he’ll be.

[Stoots]

Working 2 man is never going to reap major rewards per day.

I sometimes work with a lad who helps me out here and there, hes been doing the job years and cleans to a high standard and just as fast as me. We get on well, have a system down and I cant fault his work one bit....

But even then on days where i would do normally 300 (lets say 6 hours), we only manage 400 - 450. By the time hes been paid 100 quid is it really worth it ? Then theres those days when things go wrong and you struggle to break even....

Ive worked 2 man quite a bit and i reckon theres maybe 50 quid a day profit to be had, so ok a grand a month isnt to be sniffed at but to be working with someone all day doing your head in 5 days a week forget it.

As for you trying to incentivise him with more money maybe hes just not bothered about working harder and earning more.

For example before i was a window cleaner i was a delivery driver and they always offered overtime and saturday work, i never took it even though it was double time i just wanted to go home. They also tried to push us to call in at local businesses and leave leaflets and try to get contact details to pass to our office who would then try to drum up business from them. If we got a new client we got a bonus. None of us did it because we couldnt be arsed and wasnt comfortable doing it. Employees just want to do the bare minimum and go home.

[jay moley]

I did make it clear yesterday that if we don't hit certain numbers it isn't worth it for me.

My gut instinct is to give him more time but boy is it frustrating. Just goes to show that there are positives and negatives to working on your own and with someone else.

[SB Cleaning]

I have employed before and much prefer working on my own ,far less hassle.

[Stoots]

I did make it clear yesterday that if we don't hit certain numbers it isn't worth it for me.

My gut instinct is to give him more time but boy is it frustrating. Just goes to show that there are positives and negatives to working on your own and with someone else.

Last lad who i employed lasted 4 months, i knew after 2 weeks he wasnt right but i kept plugging away and away but in the end a dead horse can only be flogged for so long until you want to burn its corpse.

[Splash & dash]

Working 2 man is never going to reap major rewards per day.

I sometimes work with a lad who helps me out here and there, hes been doing the job years and cleans to a high standard and just as fast as me. We get on well, have a system down and I cant fault his work one bit....

But even then on days where i would do normally 300 (lets say 6 hours), we only manage 400 - 450. By the time hes been paid 100 quid is it really worth it ? Then theres those days when things go wrong and you struggle to break even....

Ive worked 2 man quite a bit and i reckon theres maybe 50 quid a day profit to be had, so ok a grand a month isnt to be sniffed at but to be working with someone all day doing your head in 5 days a week forget it.

As for you trying to incentivise him with more money maybe hes just not bothered about working harder and earning more.

For example before i was a window cleaner i was a delivery driver and they always offered overtime and saturday work, i never took it even though it was double time i just wanted to go home. They also tried to push us to call in at local businesses and leave leaflets and try to get contact details to pass to our office who would then try to drum up business from them. If we got a new client we got a bonus. None of us did it because we couldnt be arsed and wasnt comfortable doing it. Employees just want to do the bare minimum and go home.

Working on domestic your takings should have a much higher margin than what you have said  from one to guy guys , on commercial two men will easily double the figures . But it’s swings and roundabouts some times you make very good money and some days less but it’s the monthly figures that count , we work 2 guys per van and have done so for  years  and it makes good money if done right .

[Richard iSparkle]

Little update on this:

So he's been with me two months now. He's a nice enough lad. Doesn't complain, always on time. Does canvassing with me too though not that good at it (not expecting him to be yet).

Problem is still his speed. I've showed him how to be quick and he managed to speed up last week. This week he's back to his old pace. I've asked him why and he hasn't really got an excuse. The more we do the more he will earn but Im thinking he's probably not that motivated by money. Even when he's got a new job canvassing which I give him a cut of, he shows no enthusiasm that he's just earned more. Bit strange really. I think it may be that employees are just turning up to do a job and go home. Obviously they don't care as much as us and I wouldn't expect him to.

He also doesn't have any sense of urgency when we get to a job, slow to get going and packing up. Ive told him about this.

My other major gripe is that he keeps asking me the same questions.

Last two days ive said at the start of the day: "You've got the fronts today, start straight away unless I say otherwise". He's asked me whether he should start at least 5/6 times over the last two days.  Also - "should I wipe the sills".

Another one is going to fill up with water (I dont make my own) and him asking whether he should take the lid off the tank and put the pipe in. I wouldn't have a problem if it was the first couple of weeks but he's been working two months now and ive told him to do that when we get there.

The other thing that gets to me is that he takes his gloves off every time we get in the van. We are driving no more than 5 minutes between jobs often less. Its a tiny thing but its just more wasted time. I haven't said anything about that as im wondering whether thats unreasonable and Im going mad. I try to be patient and not be on at him for everything as I don't want him to get disheartened.

Bit of a rant sorry.

Thoughts?

get rid mate.

I'm not sure why you would persevere?

my staff are great. they do more work than i can, day in day out.

they don't complain, the turn up on time, most days i don't hear off them at all. sometimes it goes weeks without hearing off them

[jay moley]

Little update on this:

So he's been with me two months now. He's a nice enough lad. Doesn't complain, always on time. Does canvassing with me too though not that good at it (not expecting him to be yet).

Problem is still his speed. I've showed him how to be quick and he managed to speed up last week. This week he's back to his old pace. I've asked him why and he hasn't really got an excuse. The more we do the more he will earn but Im thinking he's probably not that motivated by money. Even when he's got a new job canvassing which I give him a cut of, he shows no enthusiasm that he's just earned more. Bit strange really. I think it may be that employees are just turning up to do a job and go home. Obviously they don't care as much as us and I wouldn't expect him to.

He also doesn't have any sense of urgency when we get to a job, slow to get going and packing up. Ive told him about this.

My other major gripe is that he keeps asking me the same questions.

Last two days ive said at the start of the day: "You've got the fronts today, start straight away unless I say otherwise". He's asked me whether he should start at least 5/6 times over the last two days.  Also - "should I wipe the sills".

Another one is going to fill up with water (I dont make my own) and him asking whether he should take the lid off the tank and put the pipe in. I wouldn't have a problem if it was the first couple of weeks but he's been working two months now and ive told him to do that when we get there.

The other thing that gets to me is that he takes his gloves off every time we get in the van. We are driving no more than 5 minutes between jobs often less. Its a tiny thing but its just more wasted time. I haven't said anything about that as im wondering whether thats unreasonable and Im going mad. I try to be patient and not be on at him for everything as I don't want him to get disheartened.

Bit of a rant sorry.

Thoughts?

get rid mate.

I'm not sure why you would persevere?

my staff are great. they do more work than i can, day in day out.

they don't complain, the turn up on time, most days i don't hear off them at all. sometimes it goes weeks without hearing off them

I'm just not sure whether he might come good given some more time so I'm reluctant to pull the trigger. Hence why I'm getting everyones opinion on here.  I've struggled to find someone so I'm concerned that I'll struggle to find someone else quickly if I let him go. I said before that Indeed didn't produce for me. I also need  company, I really don't like working on my own. It's not as straightforward as I'm not earning more so I'll get rid unfortunately.

[Smudger]

you need to find the right motivator - money may not be it....

maybe extra holiday or longer days but less days - you need to find out what floats his boat - and if practicable introduce it..

otherwise you need to may the hard decision ( but also look at what and how you pay and what you expect him to do - you might think your reasonable but in truth trying to get too much out of him for what you pay/offer )

Some people don't always work well with others esp. with the boss, he may not feel confident to take the initiative - why don't you put him out for a day a week on his own with the £300 target and see how he copes..

Darran

[Richard iSparkle]

If he’s been with you a month and can’t clean £300 a day within another week I’d get rid

Unless there’s a very good reason …

I can’t think of a reason myself tbh!!

I think he’s already down he’s not good enough

[NWH]

Darren I must just say that’s a load of rubbish you keep going on about money not being the motivator etc you’ve said it before,this job attracts idiots at the end of the day. 
Richard and a few others  maybe you have been lucky you shouldn’t have to keep buttering them up it’s a job you earn X if you do more you get more or you can have time off if you are an extra good boy lol,at the end of the day you have to be lucky I’ve been lucky a couple of times but it’s not like they are going for a job bond trading it’s window cleaning like I say it attracts a lot of idiots sack him and be done with it and onto the next if you want some more of it.

[jay moley]

you need to find the right motivator - money may not be it....

maybe extra holiday or longer days but less days - you need to find out what floats his boat - and if practicable introduce it..

otherwise you need to may the hard decision ( but also look at what and how you pay and what you expect him to do - you might think your reasonable but in truth trying to get too much out of him for what you pay/offer )

Some people don't always work well with others esp. with the boss, he may not feel confident to take the initiative - why don't you put him out for a day a week on his own with the £300 target and see how he copes..

Darran

Good idea re asking him what would motivate him.

He doesn't drive so can't put him out on his own.

I think I'll give him another month and if not let him go. I should probably tell him that to see whether it speeds him up.

[jay moley]

If he’s been with you a month and can’t clean £300 a day within another week I’d get rid

Unless there’s a very good reason …

I can’t think of a reason myself tbh!!

I think he’s already down he’s not good enough

He's working with me not on his own. So frustrating. No sense of urgency. Might be that this fast paced job just doesn't suit him.

[NWH]

As soon as they realise they have to work it hits home they have it in their mind it’s an easy job.

[Richard iSparkle]

If he’s been with you a month and can’t clean £300 a day within another week I’d get rid

Unless there’s a very good reason …

I can’t think of a reason myself tbh!!

I think he’s already down he’s not good enough

He's working with me not on his own. So frustrating. No sense of urgency. Might be that this fast paced job just doesn't suit him.

what smudger said though is right.. set him out on his own and see what happens. he was a job list and knows you expect him to finish it. some people work better like that.

i had one 2 years back like that. training him wasn't working and we were doing eachother's heads in. but on his own he grafted it out.

he was happy as i wasn't on his back, and he proved he could do it

(i still had to get rid of him this year but thats another story )

[Richard iSparkle]

Darren I must just say that’s a load of rubbish you keep going on about money not being the motivator etc you’ve said it before,this job attracts idiots at the end of the day. 
Richard and a few others  maybe you have been lucky you shouldn’t have to keep buttering them up it’s a job you earn X if you do more you get more or you can have time off if you are an extra good boy lol,at the end of the day you have to be lucky I’ve been lucky a couple of times but it’s not like they are going for a job bond trading it’s window cleaning like I say it attracts a lot of idiots sack him and be done with it and onto the next if you want some more of it.

ive been going 11 years and had problems with staff for the last 5 (until this year)

its not luck.

its getting the right job offer, recruiting carefully and properly. and then managing them well

and lets be honest, its getting rid of people who arent right for it

i've had a lot of experience and a lot of very good advice. a lot of excellent advice off smudger's better half

but i've stuck at it and its going well now

[NWH]

Like I say in  the main it attracts certain individuals ok some people have been fortunate I’m not saying you can’t and won’t get lucky but it is luck,the job still has the stigma it’s a stopgap job as far as working for someone goes.
I get loads of offers from people wanting a job they tell me I’ll have some of that home by 12-30-1-00 o’clock lol,interview failed before it started 🤣🤣

[Stoots]

Working 2 man is never going to reap major rewards per day.

I sometimes work with a lad who helps me out here and there, hes been doing the job years and cleans to a high standard and just as fast as me. We get on well, have a system down and I cant fault his work one bit....

But even then on days where i would do normally 300 (lets say 6 hours), we only manage 400 - 450. By the time hes been paid 100 quid is it really worth it ? Then theres those days when things go wrong and you struggle to break even....

Ive worked 2 man quite a bit and i reckon theres maybe 50 quid a day profit to be had, so ok a grand a month isnt to be sniffed at but to be working with someone all day doing your head in 5 days a week forget it.

As for you trying to incentivise him with more money maybe hes just not bothered about working harder and earning more.

For example before i was a window cleaner i was a delivery driver and they always offered overtime and saturday work, i never took it even though it was double time i just wanted to go home. They also tried to push us to call in at local businesses and leave leaflets and try to get contact details to pass to our office who would then try to drum up business from them. If we got a new client we got a bonus. None of us did it because we couldnt be arsed and wasnt comfortable doing it. Employees just want to do the bare minimum and go home.

Working on domestic your takings should have a much higher margin than what you have said  from one to guy guys , on commercial two men will easily double the figures . But it’s swings and roundabouts some times you make very good money and some days less but it’s the monthly figures that count , we work 2 guys per van and have done so for  years  and it makes good money if done right .

Well they wernt   , neither of us are slow but on our best day we probably did 500 quid. Sure theres money in it but to me its not really worth it... Maybe its because my round is all one house then move the van, i dont really have compact work where i only need to move the van 4 or 5 times. Perhaps my round is more suited to one man.

[robbo333]

We are 4 pages in, so just get rid of him!

As I said earlier, I think your lad has 'learning difficulties'. As I said, if you can find out what makes him 'tick' you'll be quids in.
If you can't, then i'm not sure he'll be able to earn your hourly rate, so get rid of!
You don't feel really sure yourself...and if you're not sure, then how do you think he feels!