Dealing with inflexible workers

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EBFD6

EBFD6

Senior Member
Location
MA
electricmanscott said:
I didn't read all the replies but somebody PLEASE kill me if I am still doing this crap at 73. Come to think of it 63 would be better.
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I was thinking the same thing, by the time I'm 73 I had better be working on ten years of experience in retirement.

I don't know how guys even work into their sixties, never mind seventy. I'm 29 and quite honestly I don't want to be doing this crap when I'm 50. I had better be a PM, service manager, estimator, inspector, or something else, but I definitely will not be doing physical labor day in and day out.

In our shop (approx 65 field guys) we have 3 guys over 50 in the field and I would guess more than half of the company (probably more like 2/3) is under 35.
 
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G0049

Senior Member
Location
Ludington, MI
[QUOTE I can do it, but it's going to be one of the most uncomfortable things I've had to do in a very long time.[/QUOTE]

I know that feeling. I've had to do this a few times over the years. One thing I've learned is that thinking about it is worse than actually doing it. Let the guy know that its not your favorite thing to do, but you think he's worth it.

Good luck.
 
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realolman

Senior Member
One man's inflexibility is another man's focus.

Some people, even employees (gasp) think ahead and plan what they are going to do, how they are going to do it, and rightfully resent being thrown off track by someone who perhaps isn't planning or communicating as well as he might.

Maintaining the workplace's order and flow, by anticipating , ordering, moving and placing tools and materials can be the difference between a smooth flowing and mistake minimized job and a cluster flock. Because you don't do jobs twice to see which way works better, problems that have been averted are not appreciated.

A cocky dunce who wants to go around threatening to fire every one because "he's the boss" probably wouldn't even recognize the difference... and certainly wouldn't know why.

You may have the legal right to do a lot of things as someone's employer, but morally, as a human being, you need to make sure you are worthy of being someone else's boss.

There is only one way to avoid getting older, so when you live long enough, you will be old too. Strangely enough, you may discover that you know more then than you do now, and you might find that you don't know much of anything for sure.


I'm curious why a 73 year old man would be the go to guy for crises anyway? Especially if you know he doesn't like it. Why not just let him do his thing if his thing is productive?


I think electricmanscott is right...you should probably just kill him... :D
 
E

Ed Carr

Senior Member
Location
way upstate NY
480sparky said:
Heck, if I make it to 73, I'd be tickled pink if I could still be puttin on a tool pouch every day.
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Me too Sparky...I'd rather be working at something
than sitting on my arse waiting for tomorrow!
We are the doers,the builders the guys and gals
that make things and keep things running.
There aren't too many roads around here I can
drive down without seeing some of my own work.
Makes me feel good!

Marc, just talk to this guy like you have talked to us hear.
I'm sure you will both come to a mutual understanding.
This man I'm sure is not aware of the trouble he is causing you to feel
and when he finds out, I feel he will come around.
Hey the older I get,the less tolerant of things I get.
BTW Marc,how old are you :grin:
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
mdshunk said:
Ed, nobody's really ever asked, but I'm 38.
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No you're not. You're just celebrating the 19th anniversary of your 19th birthday.
Emoticonbirthdayparty.gif
 
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mattsilkwood

Senior Member
Location
missouri
480sparky said:
Heck, if I make it to 73, I'd be tickled pink if I could still be puttin on a tool pouch every day.
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i hear ya. if i make it to 73 and all i can do is fart and fish shoot me:D.

i think its great that the guy still wants to work.
as for the problem i agree with most that a man to man is the best course of action.

weve got a guy about like that, 65 i think, and he can be a royal pita some times, but i like to work with him because of all the experience he has. no matter what it is hes probably seen it at some point in time.

good luck.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
I've gotta tell you guys, this73 year old can out work most guys half his age. He's built like an ox. He's got my respect for that alone, which is why what Ive got to do is going to be rough.
 
Fulthrotl

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
Location
HB, CA (19 Hrs. 22 Min. from Winged Horses)
Occupation
E
realolman said:
Maintaining the workplace's order and flow, by anticipating , ordering, moving and placing tools and materials can be the difference between a smooth flowing and mistake minimized job and a cluster flock. Because you don't do jobs twice to see which way works better, problems that have been averted are not appreciated.:D
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when i was an apprentice, and full of ego and arrogance, (not humble
like i am now....:smile:) i was put to work with a guy who was 68. i was 24.

i thought... this is gonna suck... i'm gonna have to carry his tool bucky
cause he won't be able to carry it and use his walker at the same time.

pride goeth before the fall. it took almost a week for me to figure out
i was badly outclassed, both in quality and volume of work.
(we were doing 2x4 lighting and small emt).

he never wasted a move. everything flowed. he never had to change
anything. everything fit. he never rushed. he didn't have to. i could work
circles around him, and it didn't matter. at the end of the day, he'd have
more stuff in the air, and it would look better. nothing missed, no go backs.

and he'd grin watching me try to keep up. never said a word. he didn't even
talk much at lunch. just silence, and the experience of watching someone
with 45 years of experience, who was good at his craft, walk circles around
someone.

about two weeks went by, and one day at lunch, he said quietly
"i'd been a journeyman 8 years before it really all started to come
together for me. i don't think it'll take you that long."

it sticks with me still that it's one of the nicest compliments i think
i've ever gotten.

if i make 73, i'll still have a hand in. probably not as much, and not as
hard, but i'll still want to play. will i still be working with the tools?
some. i like it. hopefully it won't be about needing the money.

what else would i do? watch law and order reruns? kill me now.


randy
 
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Short.Circuit

Short.Circuit

Member
one of my continuing ed. teachers was in his 70s. old time
electrician. good guy, very wise. i remember him sharing with our
class, that if he didn't learn something new, from training an
apprentice, he didn't want them. marc, if your employee is online,
get him onthe forum.
 
2

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
Pros

1) excellent craftsman,

2) fairly productive.

3) shows up every day

4) thrives on a daily routine, which is good for construction work.


Cons

1) Any deviation from a daily routine makes this person miserable,



What do you do? Just deal with it, and struggle to keep him doing the routine and predictable work OR fire him and take pot luck with another candidate OR counsel him?
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How much of a struggle is it really?

1) If it's too much struggle for you then let him go.

2) If you replace him, what will the ratio of pros/cons of a new guy be?

3) Don't try to counsel him. You can talk to him, man to man but trying to change his ways will be a lose/lose situation.

Personally, even if it was only a wash, I would keep him on.
 
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