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The recent discussion on holding employees responsible for poor workmanship made me think.
Do any of you require any tools from your employees; e.g., do you furnish all tools, or require them to furnish some/all?
If you furnish some tools, how do you keep track of them, and if they are lost, stolen, or damages, do you hold your employees responsible?
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I used to provide all power tools and commonly worn out hand tools to employees. All they were required to provide were most of the non-powered hand tools and cords. Actually, I even provided cords if the job required more than reasonable amounts. Then I got smart.
The tools were company property provided to each individual as their position dictated. A written list of tools went into each employee file. Sign-out date, item description, serial #, and tool condition were all written and signed by employee. They signed out for them and were expected to return them in reasonable condition minus reasonable wear and tear at some future date. If the tools were lost, damaged through negligence, or stolen they were to explain what happened. If I thought the story was BS, I would deduct replacement cost from their wages.
Hard assed? Not if you think my expectation was reasonable for each guy to maintain the tools--freely given--and to adopt the attitude that if they don't have tools, they don't work. Even replacing utility knives continually became an undue expense.
One year, I replaced 31 knives, this for eight guys. I had a guy use an almost new 100' cord to tie down his lumber load. That same guy drove off for home--22 miles--with one end of the cord still attatched. Just a mistake or pure carelessness?
What about the 2 hp hand drill the employee loaned to a friend never to be seen again? I already provided it once, why should I p/u the cost twice?
Brings us to the insurance question. How many hits you willing to take on your policy before you see the light? Oh, but it's a writeoff. Sure, but it's also overhead and if you don't watch your overhead, you're dead. So you pay out of pocket or just don't make those claims, same difference; you just cut your losses a little by not incurring the hidden costs of making a claim. I also don't think this tool expense is a justified cost of doing business.
Not too surprising, but I found the top guys were just as bad as the helpers. What it boils down to is that no one appreciates what is given to them as much as what they have earned, or, in this case, bought with their own money.
BTW: I would not ask something of anyone which I couldn't do myself. I still have files, nailsets, knives, etc (tools commonly "lost") from 18 years ago. What is so hard about expecting others to hang onto tools?
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I am in my first few months of business and when I hired my first field hand, their first assignment was to inventory tools. I did the final edit, loaded the info in the computer and sub-divided the list for shop and vehicle. I want any employee of mine to think that I always know what tools the business currently owns, even if it happens that I do not have time to check the tool list.
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careful now, you might be opening a whole big can of worms,, and not just one of them little ol fishin cans, but one of those clown cans where they jump out with explosive energy and throw confetti everyplace.
Why holdin an employee resposnible, sh**, I make mistakes, I lose tools, waste materials, but it is all part of the game if your playin in the major leagues, and i've learned my lesson bringing up something like this,even if it is just a thought you are playing with, the responces not only here at breaktime but those e-mailed to me made me wonder how candid I can be here, but hey its fun.
So here is what seems to be a politiacally correct moajority responce. No you can not hold someone responsible. Just get rid of them. ( And how those are not the same things are well beyond me)
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View Image © 1999-2000"More than any time in history mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly." Woody Allen
*I am a 19 year old punk kid, recently dropped out of drama school and thinking in 6 months I am going to be God's gift to the carpentry customer.I don't have any tools. Well, maybe I can steal dad's old rusty craftsman bent claw and a screwdriver that I can use as a chisel.I sign up to work for you. As Joe said, if I don't have any tools, I can't do the work, so if'n youse wants me to do the work, then youse has got to give me the tools.If you are smart, you will team me with someone who has already proven themselves with both tools and work. You will make sure that enough tools are supplied for both of us. You will make an agreement with me as a part of signing me to work for you. That agreement will say that I have to buy my own hand tools, and some power tools. The specific tools should be listed. A list of what you expect me to buy for myself, (And a time limit within which they should be bought.), and a list of the tools that you are willing to supply on an ongoing basis. If I take forever to buy my tools, giving excuses about just not having enough money, but coming to work on monday morning with tales of bar-hopping, 150 dollar a ticket concerts, engine swaps in my toyota, etc... Then you should take me aside once more and let me know that if I don't live up to my part of the sign-on agreement, and soon, then I will be let go.It would also behoove you to keep a record of the tools which you supply for me. I, as a new employee can always see where you should give me tools if you want me to do the work, but I cannot always be bothered to care for or even to keep track of the tools which didn't cost me a penny.Personaly I have no problem with being responsible for making sure my employees have tools. Not just tools, but good tools. I have no problem with being responsible for 'expendibles' like knife blades, sandpaper, sawblades, chalk, pencils, etc. (I saw where someone here was thinking about buying their whole crew a death's head hammer apiece because it was so much better than any other hammer they'd used. Bravo. I would do that as well. Your payback for doing that is not only saved time, but better morale, and employees who are proud of the company they work for.) I also have no problem with asking my employees to hold a bit of responsibilty themselves for the tools and expendibles I supply them with.Accidents happen. Carelessness doesn't have to. If You are running through my expendibles faster than anyone else on my crews... If you lose or break one too many power tools... then you are going to have to face me and tell me why. If you can't explain yourself, then you'll have to go waste someone else's overhead.
*josh,> So here is what seems to be a politiacally correct moajority responce. No you can not hold someone responsible. Just get rid of themI don't know what your e-mails said, but not charging the employees for mistakes has nothing to do with political correctness in my book. It has to do with how good a crew you want. If your charging for mistakes and lost tools, anybody that is good is going to be ready to jump ship at the first opportunity. Your crew will not be as good.This is good management, not political correctness.Rich Beckman
*Luka, thanks for clearing it up for us. All this time I only thought you were a 19 yr. old punk, now I know.Anyway, the chief reason I ever provided tools was as an employee incentive. And Josh, if you think losing tools, wasting material, et al, is part of the game, you'll never get to the majors. The mark of a professional is not just their work, but the always higher standards they set for themselves and, subsequently, for others. You'll do good to keep that in mind.As for you, Joe: I too missed ya', busy or what?
*Luka, thanks for clearing it up for us. All this time I only thought you were a 19 yr. old punk, now I know.Anyway, the chief reason I ever provided tools was as an employee incentive. A worker better have his own tools but in those days when I did provide, he didn't necessarily have to bring them to the jobsite. And Josh, if you think losing tools, wasting material, et al, is part of the game, you'll never get to the majors. The mark of a professional is not just their work, but the always higher standards they set for themselves and, subsequently, for others. You'll do good to keep that in mind.As for you, Joe: I too missed ya', busy or what?
*Well Rich, I lied.I'm actualy only a 9 year old punk.I know. I'm sorry. I'll go sit in the hole again...
*I will provide the big stuff, the unusual stuff and most of the power tools (please own a circular saw).If you use your own tool and ruin it or just plain wear it out, Pick one up to replace it on my account. If you lose it, break it because you drove over it, not my problem. If you break on of my tools that I gave you whether your fault or not, It's my problem. If it was your fault, you gotta listen to me bitch though.
*Whoa, Ryan. Let's go with a different scenario. You loan one of your tools to a neighbor. You know he knows how to use it so you have no problem loaning him the tool. Later, he returns the tool and it's broke. You still going to pick up the tab?
*His neighbor is not working for him.His neighbor is using his friendlyness to save some money. His employee is supposedly making money for him.Apples and eggs.
*God help me, I agree with Luka. Loaning to a neighbor is a completely different thing. I think Ryan's got it exactly right. I'm printing it out so maybe when I have employees I'll find it and do it right, too. Thanks, Ryan.Rich Beckman
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Have them wear a tool belt around their waste with loops and pockets. They can stick stuff in the pockets and hang a hammer and prybar in the loops. This will cut down on lost tools. OK ....everybody like a little ass but nobody likes a smart ass. My bosses always trusted me with their tools. they taught me how to use them and put them away. It's not much differnt then if they broke a window. Believe me they sweat more than the damage done.If they have any character they will offer to replace or help replace the tool. I offered and was always told it was part of the biz and not to worry about it. The fact that I offered probably had some impact.
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Bob Smith (yeah right.....)
I have not had a chance to read everything here, but as an employer of carpenters I can tell you that so far - after many years no one has "lost a tool".
The men who work for our company are expected to supply the normal compliment of personal tools. (If you're a real carpenter, you know what that means). I supply everything else, and have not had a problem with tools walking off.
Having said that, I have had tools stolen off jobs before, but have never suspected our crews of "master minding" the theft. It hurts them just a much not to have the tools they need.
If you can't trust an employee, fire him.
Ed. Williams
*I do not currently have employees, but I used to have a crew. My take on the responsibility for the tools is like most here.I do not own the tools (big stuff), my COMPANY owns the tools. They are purchased to be used BY the company, to make money FOR the company. Employees are part of the company. Employees use the tools to make the company money. If the tools get broken, worn out, or lost, then the company replaces them. This is part of the operating costs of a company such as ours. The company has to have these tools to operate. Tools, whether it be purchase of, repair of, or additional tools needed, all come out of the overhead of the company. If too many tools are getting broken or lost, then the overhead gets kinda high, and the reason for the loss, destruction, etc... needs to be determined in a hurry. The whole idea is to keep overhead down, not up. Whenever ANYTHING causes the overhead to go up unexpectedly, then a reasonable explanation needs to be found, and a remedy sought. Sometimes, the remedy is to fire a worker that is causing the overhead to shoot up (either through negligence, theft, or lack of skill needed for the job).Just my thoughts on the matter...James DuHamel
*My lead has some of his own stuff. I buy blades and expendables for him. I bought him a new Skill 77 last year. I really believe in changing blades frequently. A sharp blade on a saw is a safer saw in my opinion. So we get a couple blades sharpened every month, which is pricy for the carbides. The Skillsaw blades we also buy in carbide, but toss them.The grunts have nothing. They check out tools and must return them. We use chits for power tools, and hand tools are in a couple boxes, free for the grabing. If they want a raise, and more responsibility, then show up with a tool chest and know how to use them.They lose them, they pay. They wreck them, I pay. They wreck too many of them, they get fired.
*BobAs a GC, I supply the major tools, ie., Chop saws, air compressors, etc., but I expect the person applying for a job with me to have the basic tools (hammer, tape measurer, utility knife, hand saw, etc). If a young person just starting out applies for a job and doesn't have the necessary tools, I have a couple of older loaners that I yet them use until I can get an idea of the type of work that they are capable of. If they show potential, I will front them the money (actually go with them to the tool store) and have a signed agreement that they will pay me back each payday until it is paid for. If they quit before it is paid for, the agreement states that the balance due will be taken from their final paycheck. I supply the consumables (pencils, chauk, saw blades, etc). When I first started out, I supplied all the tools and had the employee sign a tool sheet for tools assigned to him/her. The biggest problem with that was, how to prevent an employee from losing a tape measure and grabbing another guys tape and saying it was the one assigned to him.On a diferent point, all company tools have their place in the job boxes or site trailer and they get locked up at the end of each workday. They do NOT go home with an employee at any time! Found that out the hard way when I "loaned" an employee some expensive equipment (in addition to all the normal tools "loaned to employees when I first started) over a long weekend for a small "job" at home. He didn't show up on Tuesday and did not answer the phone. When I went to his house to find out what was wrong, found out that he had packed up and moved out of town.To the others that say that the "Company" should provide all the tools, I don't accept the reasons given above. Why should our trade be the exception? Go to any automotive repair shop and ask the mechanics if their employeer supplies "all" their tools. Each mechanic has to have his/her own tools. The only tools supplied by the shop are the big ticket items (tire changer, floor jacks, etc). Plumbing and electrical companys supply the major tools, but each employee has to have their own hand tools.Vince
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The recent discussion on holding employees responsible for poor workmanship made me think.
Do any of you require any tools from your employees; e.g., do you furnish all tools, or require them to furnish some/all?
If you furnish some tools, how do you keep track of them, and if they are lost, stolen, or damages, do you hold your employees responsible?