Employees who dont clean up

[Fit]

I need advice! We only have 3 employees and they treat the ground like a huge dumpster can. I have reminded them to clean up so many times and they will clean up once I tell them to, but they wont do it unless its gotten to the point that I HAVE to tell them to. Should there be some sort of discipline? What do you guys do?

[mspecperformance]

set a time at the end of the day where everyone cleans up OR before a tech can close out a job they must clean their work area as the final step. BTW none of these have worked for me I am just throwing suggestions out there that I've heard lollll

[HarrytheCarGeek]

You lead by example. Start with yourself, if they don't follow your lead either they haven't shown the proper way or they need to be replaced.

 

I have the senior guys show the new guys how to work organized and tidy.

 

Messy guys leave strains on customers' cars.

 

They know my pet peeves.

[phynny]

Have designated areas for them to clean at the end of the day and they will start ensuring it stays clean if it begins to affect what time they get to leave.

[SMMotors]

Do you pay them to clean? I understand keeping my work area clean, but if your asking them to take out the trash and clean the crapper, I'd have a hard time with that especially if I'm flat rape.

 

If your paying me hourly, then I'll do it. To an extent. It's costing the shop take me off a car to take out the trash. I can promise you it's going to cost you more than if you hired a scut worker for $8-9/ hr to clean up.

 

I have one that mops, emptying trash, fills up washer fluid and brake clean jugs, empties the waste oil, ect because I crunched the numbers and the lost productivity was way more expensive that his salary.

 

Food for thought.

[bluewater182]

They guys are resonsible for their work areas, they have to clean up the major messes. The gs tech takes out the trash, scrubs the floors etc. When I was still turning wrenches, I cleaned up at the end of the day, put my tools away so I could start fresh. I worked with a tech that always showed up 30-45 minutes early to clean up, put tools away etc.

 

As long as it gets done, I dont care when they do it. HOWEVER if it is a trackable ( foot print leaving mess) it MUST BE CLEANED UP IMMEDIATELY. If it dosent, it invarabily ends up missing the floormat in the customers car...

[SMMotors]

Then fire them. Or send one home for the day. If up you have to keep repeating yourself, then it sure sounds like you don't have the guys respect.

 

Like I said, I have no problem keeping my area clean and I don't like working in a pig s pile. That's just basic life. But if the boss tells me to clean the darn bay, you know what? I'm going to clean it.

 

 

Maybe they don't value working for you and you need to pull the choke chain a little to remind them. But again are your guys flat rate or being paid to clean? Was it told to them when they were hired they'd have to play maid? ( I ask when I interviewed at my previously places a lifetime ago). What does it say in the employee handbook? You have one of those .....right?

Edited August 2, 2015 by SMMotors

[alfredauto]

My place looks like a mess some times. I say "what's up with the mess everything OK?" My tech says "do you want me to stop working on cars to clean?" Nah I guess not. I take out the trash and mop the floors, its cheaper.

[xrac]

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[CarER]

I used to have a tech that once he emptied a quart of oil into the engine, he would throw the empty quart bottle on the ground. If he ever spilled oil, he would continue working, sometimes even lay down on the ground IN IT . Yeah, talk about a mess....

 

It's safe to say that he is no longer with me anymore.

[alfredauto]

Lol at the pack rat mentality. I just scrapped about a full ton of "almost still good" stuff. I'm guilty of saving everything. I stopped the drip oil collection because I needed the bench space.

[Joe Marconi]

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[meowpox]

1) Be clean yourself. Me and my significant other (owner) keep the shop and office immaculate. This means customers get amazed by it. Which also means the techs feel like they need to be clean as well because if it gets even a tad bit dirty, it will stand out. When customers bring up the fact that the shop is so clean and the employees hear this often, they will feel like wow, I work for a shop that impresses people....this will give them more reason to be clean.

 

2) For messes shared like the bathroom, we take turns and have a schedule. This is still hard and a work in progress because people forget or get stuck on cars.

 

3) For pay, they are paid hourly plus bonus for completed jobs. So even though they are not working on a car, they will still be paid for their time there in which they can use to clean or research, etc.

[skm]

Great topic.. Where I work for now, we have a guy I would not call him a tech all he does is engines and trans swaps, a butcher at best. His bay is a disaster even his tool box is a mess on top and in the drawers. There is no organization at all. All wrenches thrown in one draw, all sockets in another etc.. no racks or anything like that. His cart is always full of tools. (most tools cheap no name tools) His bay always covered in oil etc. He will come in and decide to clean the way he does this is gets the oil absorbent (kitty litter) and throw it all over the shop like some sort of religious ritual and leave it there never sweeping it up. Not to mention he relives himself on the floor in the corner, in antifreeze drain pans, in the parking lot next to cars, or in a coffee cup and pours it into the used antifreeze container (55 gallon drum) I have mentioned this to the owner numerous times he has seen it himself, but continues to employ this guy ! This guy is there about 2-3 hours of the work day most of the time he is gone doing side jobs somewhere I am sure. He also has his "student" a guy that he pays to work two days a week who knows nothing about cars at all . also something I have brought up with the owner on almost a daily basis being it is a liability to him. I tell him all the time customers would be more willing to have their cars worked on if they see a clean tidy shop, they will get the impression that we care about their cars since we care about our appearance . This is a daily battle for me that is why I am looking for my own shop to open . sorry got a little off topic.

[xrac]

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[skm]

Did this guy use to live in Indiana. Sounds like a guy I use to have. Man am I glad he is gone.

no he is Haitian , in his mid fifties been here since he was a teenager.

[xrac]

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[skm]

Maybe they are cousins!

LOL they may very well be HAHA

[PAPShop]

It does come from the top. Fortunately, 3 of our guys are neat freaks and every tool is put away in their toolbox at the end of every night. We have only one problem child who is about to be the guest of honor at a blanket party. (Just kidding, but it is the owner's son so he can't be fired. The owner is going the have a serious sit down with him.)

 

Something my wise father taught me - A job is not complete until everything to put away. Maybe not assign the next job till the area is clean?

 

We spent the end of the day yesterday (Friday) doing the little extra cleaning; corners, trash, etc. This happens on the evenings when everything is done and it's not quitting time.

[alfredauto]

My best tech cleans and puts away his tools before the car is backed out. Drives me nuts. I heap my tools on my cart and put them away at the end of the day. Everyone's different. If I caught a guy relieving himself on my floor I'd be mopping it up with his last paycheck.

[Chuy Reyna]

In my opinion you're never to busy to clean up your work area. The more organized/clean you are the faster you can crank out work.. I was once a tech and I made it a point to clean up after myself.

 

I also have that problem at the shop. I implemented a policy and designated work areas and trash cans for my techs.

 

The policy states-

If you're area isn't clean, you will not receive your bonus on Monday. If it doesn't hurt their pocket, they won't change.

 

I also told them that I provide them with a clean restroom, they should provide me with a clean work area!!