I tend to think that I made it up on other jobs where I made them a ton of extra profit
I agree with that.
When an employee finds a way to cut a few thousand off a job, does he get a bonus cheque?
When an employee brings scrap copper back, does he get a bonus cheque?
When an employee picks up material before his paid start time, does he get a bonus cheque? How about cleaning out your truck?
If an employee starts early or works late, does he get a bonus cheque?
If you don't share in the profits, and expect to share the losses, who will work for you, or, are you describing those people, already?
To be clear, I just spent two hours of my own time going over job specs to charge out extras, and I don't expect to be paid at all. However, my employer doesn't expect it to be free and has already made it up to me. We work together to make money.
What incentives do you provide? Are they reasonable?
While I do treat my employees with respect and dignity, "extra" money for doing the normal requirements is not in my business plan. We have incentives for going above and beyond the required workload.
1. share in the copper $$? Didn't I pay for it the first time? I've been on jobs where the GF ordered extra wire just to have scrap. Wouldn't you be a little loose on the footage if you know that you will get $3.50 a pound for any "extra" wire, even though it cost the contractor $8 a foot? All scrap comes back to the shop!
2. An employee should be paid for every minute that they work, and should work for every minute that they are paid. Who do you think loses out most of the time?
3. It is part of the requirements when issued a truck to keep it clean inside and out. It is especially beneficial to an employee of a construction based company to have a vehicle because it is very expensive (at least $6-$8/hr)for a contractor to have a vehicle sitting at a jobsite for 8 hours a day to basically be a taxi for an employee. I can have material delivered to that jobsite every single day of the week, so a truck is not particuarly necessary. In a service based business, it is a little different if they take after hours calls.
4. ...share in the losses? You must be joking! I've had jobs that lost money, not one employee ever stepped up and asked to share in my pain. And of course it was never their fault. I always bid them wrong. Yes, although the employee failed at his job, it is ultimately my responsibility to make the job profitable, so I wouldn't actually expect the employees to share in any losses.
It is great to have an incentive plan, but the things you described seem to fall in the normal everyday activities of electricians, and would not be a basis for giving money away.
