Theory X

[Snotty]

Not really. There are people that are self motivated and those that have to be motivated (at all skill levels)
When you hire, you try to identify people that are self motivated. (regardless of the tasks you need done)
If you can't identify the difference, you should let others do the hiring.

Thanks for that Rah, I often feel my profession is unappreciated in America but Im glad you can see the importance of good workers.

As I make a career out working in the service industry of being a Gardener/Household staff, I get to see a wide variety of work ethics on the ground. I find my business spreads predominantly through word of mouth. This has the dual effect of happy customers freely advertising a service they are content with, and ensuring I maintain a high level of service throughout that entire word of mouth network as bad news travels fast.

I expect a caretaker/gardener position would be hard to fill effectively as the base rate of pay is not high, and in theory anyone can do the job. However in practice, as you have found, the job requires an attitude and mindset that you will not often find by picking the most eager guy of the unemployment line.

In short, look for word of mouth and experience. High quality property maintenance is a career, not pastime

[Jon Miller]

In short, look for word of mouth and experience. High quality property maintenance is a career, not pastime

I think this is Zoe's problem.

He needs to offer enough to take another high quality person away from their current job or find someone who wants to change jobs for other reasons (moving).

JM

[rah]

And he has to start thinking about it as a 'PROFESSIONAL' position, and not a serf position.

[Zoetstofzoetje]

So, the current guy did not need to be fired! He disappeared yesterday. Word is, he met a German girl who was here on a holiday, and eloped with her to Germany to follow his passion: become an electrician. So now we can't hand him his official notice. Good for him.

Also, we found another guy, who is more specialized in gardening than anything else, but willing to take on the cleaning tasks. I'm sure he'll have lots of fun with the roses. He's 50, so should be mature...

[Jon Miller]

And he has to start thinking about it as a 'PROFESSIONAL' position, and not a serf position.

Good point.

I was trying to think of a good way to say it, but wasn't doing a good job, so didn't.

JM

[Lorizael]

Also, we found another guy, who is more specialized in gardening than anything else, but willing to take on the cleaning tasks. I'm sure he'll have lots of fun with the roses. He's 50, so should be mature...

Make sure you don't accidentally hire the pan-dimensional bio-weapon-wielding alien instead.

[Zoetstofzoetje]

he did say something about purging the sauna of all life, but should be good, right?

[Lorizael]

Go for it.

[rah]

he did say something about purging the sauna of all life, but should be good, right?

It depends who's in it at the time, I guess.
I would suggest staying out of there for awhile.

[Fake Boris]

I think that the posts by Americans are slightly disconnected from reality.

Latin Europeans definitely don't have the same kind of work ethics.

[Zoetstofzoetje]

yes, PWE is a little something special.

[Jon Miller]

Then import someone from England or Poland.

JM

[Dinner]

I think that the posts by Americans are slightly disconnected from reality.

Latin Europeans definitely don't have the same kind of work ethics.

We know they're lazy and useless. We see how their countries are all in the ****ter (France is just taking longer to get there than the rest but it will get there).

[Aeson]

... don't have the same kind of work ethics.

That was obvious from the boss saying they didn't want to be bothered with managing their employee...

[rah]

Latin Europeans definitely don't have the same kind of work ethics.

I was going to post my typical, "that's the kind of racist crap that we expect from you" but I prefer Aeson's response.