On 6/15/2017 10:36 AM, wrote:
On Thursday, June 15, 2017 at 8:09:35 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

All? I disagree, though some do. Everyone works differently. An
example, some years go I was a supervisor and had a guy working for me
that ran a tubing bending machine. He often took a walk to the
storeroom, took the extra smoke break, etc. My boss thought he was a
screw off and confined him to his machine; no more trips to the
storeroom for supplies. Before that, he turned out 50% to 100% more at
the end of the day than anyone else. Tied to his machine, his output
dropped to the same as everyone else.

Revenge was his.

You just made my point, although in another way. He was butt hurt, and decided to have an enforced slow down. He was no longer working to his ability, but being to spineless to QUIT, work it out with the manager (might not be possible) or accept the fact that under NLRB rulings he must be treated the same as all other employees, he deliberately decided to "get even" with a manager that was making sure the employee followed the same rules as everyone else.

No, not really. As I stated, everyone works differently. If you tied
Richard to a machine he could not consistently work at the pace he did
in spurts. Another example. Loading a truck (floor load, no forklift)
takes most everyone 75 to 90 minutes. Glen does it in 45 to 60 but then
would take a break for 10 minutes. At the end of the day he does one or
two trucks more than anyone else but you want me to take away his breaks
so he does not get special treatment. Fact is, he was special and
outworked anyone in the shop.



I can see it and hear it now. "Robert... you know XXXX is taking and extra break every day to go smoke, so why are you ****ed off at me for having an extra soda break behind the building? I just do it a couple of times a week, and he gets away with it every day".

Right, and when you can do what the other guy does you can take breaks too.




As f'd up as it sounds, it is better to take a chance on a bad employee decision to keep all employees governed under the same set of rules than it is to make an exception that shows favoritism causing long term payment/fine consequences paid on your full payroll. So in this case, your guy decided to screw the employer directly because he didn't get special treatment.

Been there, done that, got a shipping container full of the T shirts.

Not so sure. You sound like a prick to work for. At the end of the day
tally up what was done, now how many smoke breaks they took.



I have had employees that were great earners for me, but used my tools and equipment to moonlight, adding he extra wear and tear on not only the tools but their consumables. Their reasoning? If they didn't use them, they would just be sitting in the tool box. I have had great employees that use my laptop and software, and my proprietary estimating formulas on the weekends to start a consulting business for prospective remodeling clients. Not to do the work, but to help design and cost out the job. Their reasoning? "I was doing it to help me get more fluent with the software." The two guys that did that to me actually tried to sell me on the idea that if they were more fluent with the software, it benefited me, so ACTUALLY, they were kind of doing it for me! How thoughtful.

That does sound like abuse.



I stick with what I said. It is either on a small scale (took a pen or notepad) or something big like the guy that used one of my company trucks to start a small junk hauling company. Could be an extra 15 minutes for lunch; a few texts back and forth with several people ("Robert, you don't know how dangerous it is these days for kids... I have to make sure they are home") and on an on.

Again. what is the tally at the end of the day. Texting can get out of
hand with a lot of people though.



Take a look:

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...utf-8&oe=utf-8


As for myself, I never sneaked off early. I just said "I'm leaving
early". No reason to be sneaky about it.

But Ed, you didn't steal the time. You announced your intentions, no one made or asked you to stay, and you left. That isn't the same thing at all. In this instance, no doubt you were caught up at your job or worked extra as needed to get to that position. Nope, not the same thing.

Really... never took a pen, pencil, a long lunch to run errands without permission, made personal calls at work, went home early after a training conference instead of going back to work for just an hour, etc. Mind you, I am not saying you weren't a stellar employee, but never?

Did it all the time. Every few months I got my oil changed at a shop
about a mile up the road too. My email was always open on my computer.
Never took a pen though. I have better pens that I prefer to use. My
boss, the owner, does not care what I do all day. What he does care
about is the plant running efficiently and profitably.


I have dramatically reduced my problems by going to an all subcontractor model for workers if at all possible. I pay them more than I would an employee, and they manage their own time. Typically, my average worker now is in their mid 40s, and they are trying to get their work done so they can go to another job or go take care of their personal stuff. We agree on a price per job (as required by IRS) and I pay more if we miss and it takes longer. But I also let them keep the difference if they finish early.

Yes, I bet they don't goof off when it is their time and money. Easier
to do in construction as opposed to a factory setting unless you go to
piece work.




I actually learned of this concept about 30 years ago when I was still going to small business seminars in the 80s. It helped me quite a bit as I was angry all the time about personal calls at work, missing office supplies, they guys that would sneak in the back of the job when they were 10 minutes late, and all the other stuff. Once I got it through my head that they employees don't think of it as stealing, but rather justify their actions as needed to themselves, I got it.

Robert

Happens in every business. Just part of the cost of doing business,
cheaper than trying to change the morals and habits of the world.