# Hired a friend Monday



## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Did that day one!


Right on :thumbsup:

I hope your friend tightens up.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Warren said:


> So, I must be a bad boss. At least I never worked with my girlfriends sister.


:laughing::laughing::clap:


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

> So, I must be a bad boss. At least I never worked with my girlfriends sister.


As some got the jist of it, ummm... she really didnt have to work at all, recalling, actually I think she DIDN'T work at all. Still Some great A"S days. Honestly truth be told, just asked her this week if she was looking for anything.. maaan you guys r slacking..


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

> And I am already banging my head against a desk.
> Don't worry, I already know to never hire friends or family.





> Who said I work side by side with him? I am not his boss, his foreman is his boss.


So you hire, he fire's? Maybe that's the problem?



> I will let you know next week how long this *experiment* lasted.


I don't get it? I usually don't use my friends in an experiment. Am I missing something, like I said and repeating, predisposed to fail..


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Acres said:


> So you hire, he fire's? Maybe that's the problem?
> 
> *I don't quite where your head is at. I am not on the job sites. All hires obviously need to be approved by me. The foreman is responsible for letting me know who he wants to let go. I trust his judgment otherwise he wouldn't be in charge of running a job*
> 
> I don't get it? I usually don't use my friends in an experiment. Am I missing something, like I said and repeating, predisposed to fail..


*Once again, maybe it is in different in the world of lawn care. All new hires are an experiment. They can tell you they have all the experience in the world but you never know what they can do until they are on the job. This is not a line of work where one guy can call in sick and I can call my wifes sister to see if she can fill in for a day.*


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

> This is not a line of work where one guy can call in sick and I can call


Bam your making the point. As the skill level goes up as needed the variables to YOUR EXPERIMENT should go down. Add to that being your friend, you should know exactly what your getting. No? Each and every hire I've known almost exactly what I'M getting, which is precisely why I like hiring friends. And my main reason why your pre-disposed to fail in hiring friends is your clasifying them as friends. Not employees.<hiring 101>. Separate emotional attachments and you might have better luck with hiring friends. Or better yet you may find that you don't hire any friends because there, "cough" unqualified..


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Acres - What I am trying to say is that my 6 year old nephew can cut grass. I am in a line of physically demanding work. You never know someones work ethic until you have them on the job site. Some people allow slackers, I do not. He worked for a union company for years (maybe that should have been first clue).

How would I know "exactly" what I am getting when I never worked on a roof with him before? I am not a God.

Personal and Business are two separate items in my life. If I would've titled this thread "Hired an employee today" It wouldn't have much made sense.

FYI - My foreman is my friend and I worked side by side with him before I went out on my own, before I became his boss. I have zero problems with him.

I appreciate you changing words and meaning around though to try to get your point across


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

Perhaps the hiring/firing in your company needs a policy check.

Your friend is responsible to his foreman. If the foreman suggests dismissal then it is because of your friends shortcomings (competent foreman is a given).

If you casually offered your friend this job, perhaps he thought the relationship of employee/employer would be equally as casual. You should set the record straight now. Explain to the new hire your full expectations and policies and get on with your business and friendship separately.

I am thinking you might provide the following info to the friend:

"I am sorry if I inferred that this job was because we are friends. The truth is this is a business and we run things as such. You were hired because you have roofing experience, not because we are friends. I hold your foreman to company standards and it's his job to hold his crew to company standards. I cannot and will not put you in a preferential position because we are friends."


If the hiring was done as casually as I suggested have a meeting right away and set it straight. An amicable separation now might save your friendship. Likewise a straightforward discussion about the job and and its expectations might save the friendship and a potentially fruitful employment relationship.


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

Your the only one who said it's for cutting grass, if were breaking down jobs (employee being sister) was for a large deck and roof...oops :whistling. 



> Acres - What I am trying to say is that my 6 year old nephew can cut grass. I am in a line of physically demanding work.


Yes but can your 6 year old nephew cut 25-35 lawns a day? could you? Are you trying to measure sizes?



> I appreciate you changing words and meaning around though to try to get your point across


Touche my friend..


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Measure sizes? Nothing to measure.

It doesn't really matter, he was a no show - no call today so he has been let go.

A roof hey? Do you pay roofing insurance and comp rates?


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Mr Latone said:


> Perhaps the hiring/firing in your company needs a policy check.
> 
> Your friend is responsible to his foreman. If the foreman suggests dismissal then it is because of your friends shortcomings (competent foreman is a given).
> 
> ...


All employees get the same speech and the same employee handbook and safety book that gets signed. As I just stated, he has been let go anyways.


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

BamBamm5144 said:


> A roof hey? Do you pay roofing insurance and comp rates?


:whistling


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

BamBamm5144 said:


> All employees get the same speech and the same employee handbook and safety book that gets signed. As I just stated, he has been let go anyways.


I see now. I posted without reading all previous posts.

I have found those who claim to be experienced in roofing need to be vetted much more than the ones who claim to be a hard worker and are willing to learn.

It's sad but true that many roofers with experience don't have very good experience. Either too relaxed previous work environment or just plain bad roofing skills/habits/technique or both.

One can try and hire "good" roofers, but they are not usually the ones looking for work.


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

> > Quote:
> > Originally Posted by BamBamm5144
> >
> > A roof hey? Do you pay roofing insurance and comp rates?
> ...


Not for my own deck and roof, pointless..cash baby...


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

Also not to beat a dead horse, well ok maybe a little :jester:




> Don't worry, I already know to never hire friends or family.





> FYI - My foreman is my friend and I worked side by side with him before I went out on my own, before I became his boss. I have zero problems with him.


See, it can work..


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Measure sizes? Nothing to measure.
> 
> It doesn't really matter, he was a no show - no call today so he has been let go.
> 
> A roof hey? Do you pay roofing insurance and comp rates?


He didn't show up today?

Wow, I never saw that coming!:whistling


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

BamBamm5144 said:


> *Once again, maybe it is in different in the world of lawn care. All new hires are an experiment. They can tell you they have all the experience in the world but you never know what they can do until they are on the job. This is not a line of work where one guy can call in sick and I can call my wifes sister to see if she can fill in for a day.*


I ask test questions over the phone, I don't just ask what they know. Because as you said, they can tell you they have all the experience but that still won't tell you what they really know. You can ask how they go about building a deck, or how they cut shingles. Then you should be able to tell pretty quick where they stand. 

I think hiring friends and especially family is a bad idea, unless they can prove to you they are qualified for the job.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

I remember when I used to have friends....before they all worked for me.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Acres - Difference between my foreman being a friend and my personal friend is like night and day. The foreman being a friend became a friend only because I worked next to him. My personal friend becoming a friend became that because we went to school together. I probably should have made that more clear.

I don't know if cheating the government is something you should brag about on a public internet forum though...


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

> I don't know if cheating the government is something you should brag about on a public internet forum though...


If I decide to cheat the government I will be sure not to, brag about it on the internet.


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## MikeGC (Dec 6, 2008)

JBM said:


> I remember when I used to have friends....before they all worked for me.


:laughing:


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

BamBamm5144 said:


> It doesn't really matter, he was a no show - no call today so he has been let go.


I'm sorry to hear that. I hope neither of you took it personally.


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## PA woodbutcher (Mar 29, 2007)

Mr Latone said:


> It's sad but true that many roofers with experience don't have very good experience. *Either too relaxed previous work environment* or just plain bad roofing skills/habits/technique or both.
> 
> One can try and hire "good" roofers, but they are not usually the ones looking for work.


That would be me:laughing:

The majority of the roofs I do have no pressure at all attached to them, unless there is rain in the forecast.


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