Biden's EO for $15 minimum wage on federal contracts

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by TJDave

I visit restaurants and critique their operations. Most have horrible staff, some better and a few excellent. Find the ones that are best and steal their employees. Pay what is necessary. Constantly train staff. Reward the best and fire the rest. Figure out what it costs for you as CEO to mop floors, buss tables etc. then figure how much less it would be to hire and keep competent staff. You’ll be ahead in the long run.

Supply is a tough one but, to me, sourcing locally makes the best sense.

Your post above pretty much describes our operation nowadays.

We just went thru a period where we have raised the pay of the best we have ($3 an hour for most). we have a very comprehensive training program that is created and managed by our home office. 90% of our staff stays current. The ones that don’t or suddenly fall behind, are big red flags for the future.

I recently “lured” away a cashier from the drive thru window of a nearby McDonalds. Believe it or not I picked up on her customer service skills while parked at the dry cleaners next door. I could hear her over the drive thru pa. Told my wife about her and decided to buy some soft drinks thru the drive thru just to meet her. She was fantastic. I wanted her for a cashier spot. She comes in to interview with my wife and next thing I know she is a server.

My wife said she was too good to be just a cashier. She seems to be working out well. But it’s hard to steal away employees. We are all fishing in the same barrel and they all suck, most of the time.

[Cuffdaddy]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Your post above pretty much describes our operation nowadays.

We just went thru a period where we have raised the pay of the best we have ($3 an hour for most). we have a very comprehensive training program that is created and managed by our home office. 90% of our staff stays current. The ones that don’t or suddenly fall behind, are big red flags for the future.

I recently “lured” away a cashier from the drive thru window of a nearby McDonalds. Believe it or not I picked up on her customer service skills while parked at the dry cleaners next door. I could hear her over the drive thru pa. Told my wife about her and decided to buy some soft drinks thru the drive thru just to meet her. She was fantastic. I wanted her for a cashier spot. She comes in to interview with my wife and next thing I know she is a server.

My wife said she was too good to be just a cashier. She seems to be working out well. But it’s hard to steal away employees. We are all fishing in the same barrel and they all suck, most of the time.

Have you attempted to use a Staffing Agency in your area. You can do direct hire contract with a 30 day guarantee, which means you do not pay until the candidate works 30 days.That is usually enough time to figure out who you are dealing with

What a Staffing firm has over you is they consistently have peiple people coming thru the door for a variety of jobs. A good recruiter can provide candidates who would he a good fit but not necessary looking for a resteraunt position.

[Dave Schwartz]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

In todays environment we find it hard to be away from direct involvement in day to day operations. We just cannot find staff, and no matter our pay, decent managers are few and far between. We have had to develop our own internally. It’s working better but the success rate is still 50/50

I have been searching for alternate businesses to start. I want a couple of options, but everything I look at it comes down to

1. How will I staff it?

2. The profit margins seem out of whack (too low) considering the investment to start up (including finding staff/labor) and I have the money to do some things……but it all comes back to staffing and who’s gonna run it. We can barely keep enough people in our first business.

3. The supply chain is still a mess……….how will that hurt me?

Good post, Ralph.

I ran across an article recently - Yahoo, I think - discussing that the depth of the labor problems are just beginning.

As you've alluded to multiple times, every business is having staffing issues. But almost all the emphasis is on keeping the business open.

IOW, serving the customer is #1, and it moves back from there to things related to stock management and logistics.

What the article spoke to directly was how LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE IS BEING COMPLETELY IGNORED!

The prediction was that in another 6-18 months there would be a new wave of business failures as a result of putting maintenance off for too long. (Obviously, this increases with reliance on equipment)

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by Cuffdaddy

Have you attempted to use a Staffing Agency in your area. You can do direct hire contract with a 30 day guarantee, which means you do not pay until the candidate works 30 days.That is usually enough time to figure out who you are dealing with

What a Staffing firm has over you is they consistently have peiple people coming thru the door for a variety of jobs. A good recruiter can provide candidates who would he a good fit but not necessary looking for a resteraunt position.

My potential employees will not be on a staffing agencies radar. And vice versa.

90% of my employees are decent people. But they almost always are living in troubled situations treading on the edge. They are regularly dealing with family issues/car problems/medical problems/domestic violence etc. They live from crisis to crisis.

I can draw a line between the issues above by the culture/race of the employees. I try to guide them and help them as much as possible………

[chrisl]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

My potential employees will not be on a staffing agencies radar. And vice versa.

90% of my employees are decent people. But they almost always are living in troubled situations treading on the edge. They are regularly dealing with family issues/car problems/medical problems/domestic violence etc. They live from crisis to crisis.

I can draw a line between the issues above by the culture/race of the employees. I try to guide them and help them as much as possible………

Amen to you Ralph. This country could use a lot more business owners like you and your wife.

[Cuffdaddy]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

My potential employees will not be on a staffing agencies radar. And vice versa.

90% of my employees are decent people. But they almost always are living in troubled situations treading on the edge. They are regularly dealing with family issues/car problems/medical problems/domestic violence etc. They live from crisis to crisis.

I can draw a line between the issues above by the culture/race of the employees. I try to guide them and help them as much as possible………

You just described the candidates of a light industrial staffing firm to a tee.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by mostpost

Studies have shown that raising wages by $1 results in $1.50 of benefits due to increased productivity and reduced costs. Workers work harder and more efficiently. Absenteeism drops significantly. Better workers are attracted.

I'm sure that's true for the Post Office and other federal organizations, where all employees are driven by idealism and love of country. Things don't always work that way in the real world.

[TJDave]

Originally Posted by Cuffdaddy

You just described the candidates of a light industrial staffing firm to a tee.

I’ve never used an employment agency and never would. No one knew my industry better than me and the specific requirements of the job in question. I would know within days or hours whether a prospect was worth the effort. Agencies can’t match that level of diligence…or would even care.

[Cuffdaddy]

Originally Posted by TJDave

I’ve never used an employment agency and never would. No one knew my industry better than me and the specific requirements of the job in question. I would know within days or hours whether a prospect was worth the effort. Agencies can’t match that level of diligence…or would even care.

The only part that is true in your statement is that you knew your industry best, agencies can certainly match that level of diligence. I have been in the Staffing business for over 25 years and the key to pleasing a client and taking a burden off is consistent effort and care.

There are many levels of Staffing agencies the lowest being light industrial and that is why mentioned it to Ralph since he deals at that level for candidates.

[TJDave]

Originally Posted by Cuffdaddy

The only part that is true in your statement is that you knew your industry best, agencies can certainly match that level of diligence. I have been in the Staffing business for over 25 years and the key to pleasing a client and taking a burden off is consistent effort and care.

There are many levels of Staffing agencies the lowest being light industrial and that is why mentioned it to Ralph since he deals at that level for candidates.

Yeah, sorry, but I have never had a positive experience with a staffing agency.

I was mainly a mom/pop business with less than two dozen employees. It was never a burden to hire, train and supervise staff. I paid top dollar so prospective hires beat a path to my door.

Staffing agencies may have usefulness with larger scale.

Just not my fit.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by Cuffdaddy

The only part that is true in your statement is that you knew your industry best, agencies can certainly match that level of diligence. I have been in the Staffing business for over 25 years and the key to pleasing a client and taking a burden off is consistent effort and care.

There are many levels of Staffing agencies the lowest being light industrial and that is why mentioned it to Ralph since he deals at that level for candidates.

Food for thought

Thanks!

[Cuffdaddy]

Originally Posted by TJDave

Yeah, sorry, but I have never had a positive experience with a staffing agency.

I was mainly a mom/pop business with less than two dozen employees. It was never a burden to hire, train and supervise staff. I paid top dollar so prospective hires beat a path to my door.

Staffing agencies may have usefulness with larger scale.

Just not my fit.

I see and that is true that for your type of business a agency would not be needed. Paying top dollar attracts the best talent, very wise.

[tucker6]

Originally Posted by Cuffdaddy

I see and that is true that for your type of business a agency would not be needed. Paying top dollar attracts the best talent, very wise.

I wouldn't say it necessarily attracts the best talent although I'd like to think so. For me and just as important, higher pay prevents poaching to a large degree. In the end. Poaching costs money and destabilized my business so limiting that has a value which I am more than willing to pass on to my employees. Business ownership is multi faceted and not for the faint at heart. You work 70 hours a week but spend another 40 thinking about it in your "down" time..

[Cuffdaddy]

Originally Posted by tucker6

I wouldn't say it necessarily attracts the best talent although I'd like to think so. For me and just as important, higher pay prevents poaching to a large degree. In the end. Poaching costs money and destabilized my business so limiting that has a value which I am more than willing to pass on to my employees. Business ownership is multi faceted and not for the faint at heart. You work 70 hours a week but spend another 40 thinking about it in your "down" time..

Yes ,many other sub factors that a great pay rate influences. All combine to take your down time thinking from 45 hours a week to 40.

I am a half owner(who does full owner work) of a brick and mortor agency in Phoenix while living in So Cal and working there as Staffing broker for nationwide business.

Always try to remind myself this is what I wanted during the long weeks that you mention.

[Cuffdaddy]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Food for thought

Thanks!

Message me if you need some help negotiating with a Staffing firm near you, I could give you tips on what wording to use as permanent placement with a fee after 30 days or so is the best route. It would not be cost effective to have a agency place on a hourly basis with a markup attached.

This is not a solicitation for business, I do broker with a firm in Dallas, Ft.Worth, and Houston but not positive they would be a good fit since they are a big player. A smaller local firm would be your best bet.