The younger workforce.

/ The younger workforce. #1  

Taylortractornut

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
2,921
Location
Iuka Mississippi USA
Tractor
3550 Fard Backhoe and a 1948 Farmall Cub,
I would like to know if anyone else had had hiring trouble with the younger generation. At thanksgiving my 73 year old compactor operator had a stroke and possibly dementia. We don't think he will be able to come back to work. I moved my yard man and backup operator to the compactor. I set out to hire a new guy. I tried a job service and realized that was an exercise in futility.

We pay 13.45/hr for labor plus insurance and 2 weeks vacation and 2 personal days. Then the more you learn we raise pay. It sounds low but here its a good wage. Had 5 guys walk out when they found out we drug tested, one left wen he found out it was 40 hrs a week. All the stories about I can't get to work that early or I'm not working on a Saturday.

I had a friend ask me if we still had the job opening that he knew a 28 year old that had a kid and he and his wife were out of work. I said send him in. He came by and filled out an application DEC 23 and went to the main plant for his drug test. I checked his references and knew many of them they said he was a good worker but the jobs had either ended or he left for better employment. I told him he had the job but we had to wait till the Jan 7th to hire him so he could work out a notice with his current employer.

He came by every other day we worked during Christmas break asking if he still had the job. I reassured him he did. He said he never had made that much before that he was making 7.50 an hr. On the 7the he showed up an was signed in. He worked that day riding the golfcart and picking up trash. I did notice some he missed out in the open but you can't drive the cart to. Its a 25 foot walk. The next day he left at 9 AM to take his dad to the ER. Monday he came in and left again atthe same time citing a family emergency. The guy that referred him asked how he was doing but when I got to the dad going to the ER part he said he lied, his father was working with him on Friday.

I Wasn't gonna say anything but he never showed up after that. He called wanting to get his personal days cashed in. He worked 14 hours in 3 days. Had a 71 year old retired truck driver come in for an application while he was waiting for me to get back from lunch he dismounted and mounted 3 trucktires. Hired him now. I've never been so frustrated over hiring help.
 
/ The younger workforce. #2  
Seems to be the norm now days. My company only hires the young for customer service and any other jobs they look for at least five years experience.
One CS person complained we did not allow Facebook or Twitter on the company computers. The supervisor watched as the person missed three calls because the person was on the cell phone with personal calls.
 
/ The younger workforce. #3  
Maybe make sure that you are actually paying a good salary? Sometimes we convince ourselves we are offering something good when we actually aren't. You definitely get what you pay for. (I'm not saying that is the case, just reassess.)
That being said, Mississippi isn't exactly known for it's education system and economic prospects. Maybe not much reason for the poor, uneducated, and young to work hard when, in their eyes, they'll never get ahead anyway?
Crummy for you, them, and society.
 
/ The younger workforce. #4  
Before i retired i had to train 3 young people. Two of them never lasted 90 days and were fired. The pregnant girl liked to roam around the factory and the guy was always mad about something and very hard on the tools.
 
/ The younger workforce. #5  
I would like to know if anyone else had had hiring trouble with the younger generation. At thanksgiving my 73 year old compactor operator had a stroke and possibly dementia. We don't think he will be able to come back to work. I moved my yard man and backup operator to the compactor. I set out to hire a new guy. I tried a job service and realized that was an exercise in futility.

We pay 13.45/hr for labor plus insurance and 2 weeks vacation and 2 personal days. Then the more you learn we raise pay. It sounds low but here its a good wage. Had 5 guys walk out when they found out we drug tested, one left wen he found out it was 40 hrs a week. All the stories about I can't get to work that early or I'm not working on a Saturday.

I had a friend ask me if we still had the job opening that he knew a 28 year old that had a kid and he and his wife were out of work. I said send him in. He came by and filled out an application DEC 23 and went to the main plant for his drug test. I checked his references and knew many of them they said he was a good worker but the jobs had either ended or he left for better employment. I told him he had the job but we had to wait till the Jan 7th to hire him so he could work out a notice with his current employer.

He came by every other day we worked during Christmas break asking if he still had the job. I reassured him he did. He said he never had made that much before that he was making 7.50 an hr. On the 7the he showed up an was signed in. He worked that day riding the golfcart and picking up trash. I did notice some he missed out in the open but you can't drive the cart to. Its a 25 foot walk. The next day he left at 9 AM to take his dad to the ER. Monday he came in and left again atthe same time citing a family emergency. The guy that referred him asked how he was doing but when I got to the dad going to the ER part he said he lied, his father was working with him on Friday.

I Wasn't gonna say anything but he never showed up after that. He called wanting to get his personal days cashed in. He worked 14 hours in 3 days. Had a 71 year old retired truck driver come in for an application while he was waiting for me to get back from lunch he dismounted and mounted 3 trucktires. Hired him now. I've never been so frustrated over hiring help.

We have MANY, MANY people that get through our interview process, pass the drug test, are hired, and then don't show up. And the cell phone and social media use are rampant among the ones that do show up.
 
/ The younger workforce. #6  
Uncle Sam will give them more unemployment and other benefits than they can make/get in an unskilled job. That's the big problem. They don't need to work.

My own son told he can get free medical, free cash, free cell phone, and free this and that. He said, "if I worked at $12/15hr, I'd have to pay a couple hundred a month for medical, have taxes withheld, etc. After all that's taken out, I'll be making about $2/hr more than if I didn't work. Why should I work for $2/hr ?".

It also helped keep his child support payments down.

Then he got himself classified as 'disabled' because of stress in his life and gets a disability check from the SocSec department.

I'm so proud of him. :banghead:

Isn't our govt wonderful?
 
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/ The younger workforce. #7  
You used to make peunuts, but could survive, and with hard work and integrity, get ahead. Buy a car and house. I'm not sure that's possible anymore.

But the smart phone addiction drives me nuts, and certainly not just the kids. You will never get anywhere if you don't know how to function and think on your own.
 
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/ The younger workforce. #8  
Pretty ******* sad isn't it . I have 3 grandsons that have been informed IF they do not carry the load ,it will be dumped on them !
 
/ The younger workforce.
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I agree 13.50 plus insurance an hour isn't that great but it beats the snot out of 7.50 and no insurance. The really good paying jobs near here are either in the medical fields,power company or TVA power pants which we are losing the coal plant. Not much here unless you want to travel.

The company gives raises pretty quickly when you get cdls. I make a litre more but I be been there the longest and have cdls, and do the landfill schooling, and mechanic work. I held in an got a company truck and phone too. Ive workers the 7.50 jobs till something better came along, took what I learned with me and moved up. If he didn't mean to work why put in an application and tie me up with the signing in.
 
/ The younger workforce. #10  
If he didn't mean to work why put in an application and tie me up with the signing in.

To satisfy his parole officer or show his unemployment compensation officer that he's been looking for work so he can continue with unemp benefits.?
 
/ The younger workforce. #11  
Yup, we've had the same issues with some of the younger generation. We've had prospective new hires not show back up for the drug test (all ages). Had others that were hired, got one pay check, then disappeared for a week till they run out of money. Then showed back up ready to work, then wonder why they didn't have there job still :rolleyes:

Others that were walking jerry springer episodes. We've gotten pretty selective with who we hire now. The more stable the work history, the better chance they will get the job.

We've been lucky with our kids. My 21yo is a manager in a fast food joint, and the 26yo was a tool pusher on an oil rig till they shut down in our area. He got his walking papers, severance pay, and was working for a company the next day hanging gutters for 40 to 60 hours a week. Now our middle son was just the opposite. We struggled with him for years to get him to step up and be a productive and responsible adult. He's finally got it. Took forcing him to go into the military to get him to man up. And then he was in the reserves, and kind of coasting for a few years. Finally got himself a full time job with the national gaurd and is being resposible. But, geesh...... we were about to start whooping him on a regular bases till he finally started to smarten up. He had been cut off, unable to move home, with no help except for Ramen noodles, and bolagna, for a couple years before he finally figured it out and started doing for himself.
 
/ The younger workforce. #12  
Young (lazy) guys have it tougher. Young women just need to start pumping out the kids and the tax-payer is forced to support them.
 
/ The younger workforce. #14  
This cartoon is not meant to be a political statement....ignore the character depicted. It's just a statement of the current state of society today. Please don't lock the thread because of it.

wizard.jpg
 
/ The younger workforce. #15  
I have a very hard time training the younger generation. First rule, "get that phone out of my sight!" And show up on time.
I am grateful that both of my sons are employed full time with OK jobs.
 
/ The younger workforce. #16  
I have a very hard time training the younger generation. First rule, "get that phone out of my sight!" And show up on time.
I am grateful that both of my sons are employed full time with OK jobs.

Amen brother, had more then one employee that I've had to tell them to put there personal phone or tablet in the car. They were glued to it and wouldn't do there job. There social media was more important. Fired one guy. Bone head almost ran me off the road towing a piece of equipment that weighed 10,000lbs. Dude was reading a book on his kindle while towing said equipment :mad: Couldn't understand why I was so mad :banghead:
 
/ The younger workforce. #17  
Here (In Canada) it's not so easy for a male to get welfare. Mom with Kids, no questions asked!

Finding young people to work here is a real problem. But firing someone can be an even worse nightmare. An employer is actually financially responsible now, if that (useless) ex employee can't find a job. Sickening but true.
 
/ The younger workforce. #18  
Uncle Sam will give them more unemployment and other benefits than they can make/get in an unskilled job. That's the big problem. They don't need to work.

My own son told he can get free medical, free cash, free cell phone, and free this and that. He said, "if I worked at $12/15hr, I'd have to pay a couple hundred a month for medical, have taxes withheld, etc. After all that's taken out, I'll be making about $2/hr more than if I didn't work. Why should I work for $2/hr ?".

It also helped keep his child support payments down.

Then he got himself classified as 'disabled' because of stress in his life and gets a disability check from the SocSec department.

I'm so proud of him. :banghead:

Isn't our govt wonderful?

Tell your son, I said he's welcome....
 
/ The younger workforce. #19  
Who's to blame? Look in the mirror as a society. We have given the 20-30 somethings everything. Everyone got a ribbon for participation. No winner, all winners even if they came in last. It's entitlement at its best.

The last few years as a manager in a large business, 20% of my time was spent dealing with this mentality.
 
/ The younger workforce. #20  
That's just mental!
 

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