What makes a good employee?

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OK I want to put to rest this idea about states not alowing their employees to say no to breaks. IT DOES NOT EXIST.

look here http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm

21 States require meal breaks and only 7 of those require paid rest breaks. NJ is NOT one of them California is and they DO NOT require you to take them, you may turn them down. please read the whole law not the parts you wish to see. MA yes for meal no for rest.

Further I never said that there should not be breaks for people I said a good employee limits them for the sake of production and will most likely be rightly compensated for that move.(this is a thread about good employees not breaks) In my experience the employees who chatted about break time the most took more time than they should have and were always saying' "they have to give us breaks its the law" again in MOST cases 29 out of 50 it AIN'T TRUE for meal breaks and 43 out of 50 for not true for paid rest breaks. No federal law or OSHA requirement exists about breaks.
 
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By break law I am refering to the 20 minutes required after 6 hours of work, not morning, and afternoon breaks, they are optional, but you can't exchange the hours, for example take 2 snack breakes, and not take the 20 minutes after 6 hours.
 
In CA you have to provide the break time (2 - 10's) or you have to pay them an extra hour of wages. And likewise for meal breaks - or you need to pay them another addition hour of wages. So if you don't, and they dont take them - you could be liable for an addition two hours of wages to that employee. And that person decides to take you to court for that you could end up oweing that money to him cummatively. Which why I go around whisteling real load and telling guys to drop their crap and take their breaks - "Its the law!" Sure they could agree not to take them - but is that wise to spend an extra hour and ten minutes! (2 hours < their 1/2 and 2 - 10's) You make them take them - or you need to pay them more - here at least.

And according to this give them a place to breast feed too....
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/RestAndMealPeriods.pdf
 
Every state is different, even here in New Jersey they have different laws for different groups, and different professions, for example minors under 18 years can only work 5 hours and must have a 30 minute break, adults in general have no breaks required, health care workers have defined rest periods, some of the state manufacturing operations with employees with over 200 employees had still another rule for rests, that was ammended back in 84, then under public safety, and adminstrative laws some workers have defined work hours, high voltage workers have a lot of rules that fall under public safety, not labor laws, farm workers have another set of rules, and it gets better, last month the governor sent out a survey for new industry classification, this can bring in a new group of regulations, for all business here in the state

So a good worker deserves good treatment no matter where he works or what the laws are, and as I said most on here agree with you, and if the laws don't require rest periods, my thinking is give the guy a break, and I agree with your thinking about taking a few breaks during the day, rather then a long lunch.
 
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bikeindy said:
if an employer is going to give me two paid 15 min breaks and 1/2 hr unpaid lunch I am taking my lunch in those two paid 15 min breaks and not taking the unpaid 1/2 hr meal break.
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I can tell that you are looking at this from the way you run your own business ( smaller jobs, mostly residential ). Try looking at a larger job with a 50 man crew on a commerical or industrial job. Many of the jobs are not going to allow food or beverages in the work area. The porta potty may be a 1/4 mile away and the closest water a couple hundred yards. You get to the job at 15 of 7 in the morning, you sign in, check out tools and work until 9 without a drink or trip to the potty. At 9 when break is called you are more than happy to walk out and have a little coffee and a stop at the facilities. At 11:30 when it's lunch time you haven't been snacking all morning so you are starting to get hungry. Even if you are not hungry it's good to get away from the noise for 30 minutes and relax a bit.
I have worked where the hours were 12 hours a day 7 days a week for up to 6 months. At times it was good just to be able to walk out of the building and see the sun.
 
j_erickson said:
My best guy jumps into whatever we are doing headfirst. That's not to say without thinking or planning, but he treats every job like it's the most important thing he's ever done or is going to do. Never complains about too hot, too cold, too dirty, etc.

I've had so many employees that were capable, but not willing, motivated, etc.
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Motivated in the past, was to bring home a paycheck, and for that, a worker would do "every job like it's the most important thing he's ever done or is going to do. Never complains about too hot, too cold, too dirty, etc." today it seems especally amoung the younger workers, there is an entitled mentality or if you prefer an additude, so to attract a motivated employee it might be best to first find one that does not feel entitled, then offer him an intrest in the business, with something like profit sharing, in exchange for old work ethics.
 
I believe that the Book of Proverbs has a few places where it says something like "Blessed is the King whose servants only rest and eat so as to be better servants." Some things never change.

Yet, "classic" management teaches practices that seem designed to get the least possible out of a man. That these practices have been thoroughly debunked by Deming, etal, has not stopped their practice at all. It's as if managers were still being taught that the Earth was flat.

The first key to having a productive shop is to practice what you preach. If, for you, the crew exists only so you can go play .... well, they're not going to be inspired to do anything else but play! Lead by example.

Second, is to actually care. Come down off that pedestal. It is amazing how much better my stuff is treated, when it is seen as belonging to me ... and not "the company." When they see that it costs me money, that replacing something really does mean something else doesn't get bought.

The most important thing is that the guy "own" the job. How many times have YOU driven past some place, and thought "Those are MY lights in that parking lot?" The more you micro-manage, the less the guy feels he "owns" the job. So what if his coffee break is at 10:15, rather than 10:00 sharp? You think you can treat him like a kid ... and expect him to act like a pro? Sure.

Some guys think that the employees exist to make them look good. WRONG! The management exists only as a tool to help the employee do his job. Management works for them .... not the other way around! Get that schedule in order, get the parts coming, get the help where its' needed, keep the paperwork straight. If you can't do those things, the crew can't produce to the max.

"Attitude" has been mentioned a lot. That sword cuts both ways. But- what is the 'attitude' you favor? A smiling, always agreeable 'yes-man,' who would never tell El Jefe that he needs some clothes? Here's a news flash: sometimes the boss NEEDS to be told he's off track.
 
workin the dungeon cicuit huh?

workin the dungeon cicuit huh?

growler said:
I can tell that you are looking at this from the way you run your own business ( smaller jobs, mostly residential ). Try looking at a larger job with a 50 man crew on a commerical or industrial job. Many of the jobs are not going to allow food or beverages in the work area. The porta potty may be a 1/4 mile away and the closest water a couple hundred yards. You get to the job at 15 of 7 in the morning, you sign in, check out tools and work until 9 without a drink or trip to the potty. At 9 when break is called you are more than happy to walk out and have a little coffee and a stop at the facilities. At 11:30 when it's lunch time you haven't been snacking all morning so you are starting to get hungry. Even if you are not hungry it's good to get away from the noise for 30 minutes and relax a bit.
I have worked where the hours were 12 hours a day 7 days a week for up to 6 months. At times it was good just to be able to walk out of the building and see the sun.
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I did this for six years and decided to start my own gig doin mostly residential due to the freedom involved and ooh the fresh air.

I believe if the employee is good you need to give them a little freedom and trust until they display un-worthiness. Then watchem like a hawk til they improve or quit.

Mutual respect is the key to production from employees not break restrictions...in my opinion.
 
What makes good employee

What makes good employee

Agree the most important trait for a worker is attitude. Ill gladly hire someone with a good attitude over someone who has great credentials. Also another great trait in an employee is someone who knows how priorities there time. The dream employee is someone who treats the company like it’s their own. I have an employee like that and it just makes the biggest difference. Skills you can train but good attitude is one of those things you cant train you have to look for it when hiring an employee.
Im new here and would be interested in talking with you guys via MSN...

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Whatmakes a good employee?

Whatmakes a good employee?

I believe the standards for a good employee have a common thread, but must be adjusted to fit your region and market.

I would be happy to find one in my market that showed up at least three other days than payday, one who was sober and didn't resort to bouts of profanity and rage on the job, and would do the job in such a way that I didn't have to buy new material and redo the job once he went home. I have given up trying to find one that didn't have a jail/prison record or a parole officer I have fill out weekly forms for. One that came to work with a full set of tools once in a while would be nice. I grow weary of having to replace mine that were either lost, stolen, or in the possession of my workers.

I have lived and owned businesses in other markets, and I know that there are some extremely valuable journeymen out there. Anyone looking for a job in an isolated desert town in Arizona?
 
ShockedOneinAZsun said:
I believe the standards for a good employee have a common thread, but must be adjusted to fit your region and market.

I would be happy to find one in my market that showed up at least three other days than payday, one who was sober and didn't resort to bouts of profanity and rage on the job, and would do the job in such a way that I didn't have to buy new material and redo the job once he went home. I have given up trying to find one that didn't have a jail/prison record or a parole officer I have fill out weekly forms for. One that came to work with a full set of tools once in a while would be nice. I grow weary of having to replace mine that were either lost, stolen, or in the possession of my workers.

I have lived and owned businesses in other markets, and I know that there are some extremely valuable journeymen out there. Anyone looking for a job in an isolated desert town in Arizona?
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If the pay is rite.can do .calepore123@comcast.net
 
For me it's pretty simple, but pretty critical. It also has nothing to do with breaks, lunches or showing up early. IMO the guys who work through breaks and lunches and show up an hour early are little more than suck ups, and to be sure I've seen some downright lousy employees that kept such habits in an attempt to look good. All I've ever asked is an honest eight every day.


For apprentices it all comes down to the desire to learn. I have no need for an apprentice that looks at the job as a paycheck this week and not as a long term career move. Give me an apprentice that wants to learn, is willing to listen, and has the mechanical aptitude and mental dexterity to learn this craft and I am a happy guy. In fact, I'll take an ambitious and intelligent apprentice over a lot of journeymen.

For Journeymen, I want someone who is able and ambitious enough to work with minimal direction. Obviously, a guy fresh out of apprenticeship is still going to need some guidance from time to time, and I accept that. But the more years you have on your back, the more I expect of you. An employee with, as an example, 10 years in the trade, I expect to be pretty much self sufficient. I want to show that guy to the print table, tell him to "go rough in that area, I'll show you where the home runs are located" and have him go do it. I expect it done right, neat and workmanlike and up to code and spec, and I expect it in a timely manner. Beyond that it's up to the employee to "do it his way." If he finishes the project given and comes back and says "do you want me to rough in the next area as well?" thats even better. Initiative counts for a lot in my book. I don't micromanage and I don't have any use for an employee that needs to be micromanaged.
 
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