The problem is this type of behavior does not stop at being a few minutes late, it grows a little bit over time and it establishes a precedent. It also erodes your leadership abilities, which is a subtle thing that can cost you a lot more than one good electrician.
I have had to let some really good guys go for this very reason. Generally when there is lots of work and any help, let alone good help is hard to find, I tolerate some of it but when things slow down they are the first to get the axe.
Just recently I had a good apprentice on one of my jobs that was doing this to me, after a few weeks I notice 3 other guys on that same job were doing it and moral was apathetic. Good apprentices are hard to find, but losing 10-15 minutes a day for 4 guys and hard feelings among the crew cost money and I did not like where this trend was going, so I fired him. Nobody has been late and moral improved on that job since then.
Good employees like to know what the rules are and know they are enforced fairly and evenly and in an odd sense it’s really good for moral.
No-show No-call is an automatic termination if unless they are in the hospital, or jail.
The bonus solution was interesting; I may look into something like it. Incentives can be a better motivator than, consequences, but I also like the idea of sending them home for the day if they show up late, which really hurts a man in the wallet
One of my competitors has a very strict policy that they have to sign off on the day they are hired. If you are late more than 3 times or miss any more than 2 days in any 30-day period, the time keeping software will automatically generate a termination slip. He goes through a lot of electricians.
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Techie,
Why don’t you find a job working 3rd shift somewhere, they love night owls like you for this kind of work?
[This message has been edited by ITO (edited 12-01-2006).]
