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Hello all,

 

How many here have an actual employee breakroom?

 

We have an office we have dedicated as a breakroom, but now I feel it turned into a bad idea. Several employees seem to be taking advantage of the area. Make them selves comfortable when there is no work, lounge around, take more than the alloted time to eat their lunch, and sometimes even grabbing a book or magazine to read. In our state, we are not required by law to have a break/lunch room.

 

Thoughts as to how you would handle this? Should we just eliminate the room and have more office space?

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.

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We have a breakroom. It is only used for lunch and sometimes my head tech will order parts or write estimates in there if he sees I am busy with something else. Our breakroom is just big enough to fit a desk and a table in it. It wouldnt be a comfortable place to spend an excessive amount of time in. The only reason we have it is because I dont want everyone coming into my office or our customer waiting area to eat lunch and, on the flip side, I dont want the guys to have tgo eat lunch with a customer standing over them or bothering them while they eat.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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