Dependabilty versus performance

[Kitty]

Employees are not that easy to find, at least around us. The pickins aren't that great. We have very few "full" timers, we have tons of part timers. Many have been employed for years, and their set in their ways of doing things. Some are really slack while others do everything and anything and work hard while some slack off.

However, all these slackers are dependable. Some of them, the job performance is extremely low. How many times do you speak to the employee to improve? Is a half assed dependable worker worth the low pay position?

[Anonymous]

Poor but dependable prevents me from having to be there is the way I look at it. I have one like that, dependable and extrememly honest, just a little lazy. I've thought about replacements, but decided to leave well enough alone. Better the evil we know than the evil we don't know.

[Andy]

I think you have to weigh all these things. I had a girl who was always early to work and never missed a day, however she didn't clean worth a damn, she liked to read and sketch with a pencil-that she was very good at.

On the other hand, another lady who worked for me could never sit still and constantly mopped and cleaned. However her customer and social skills were lacking.

I don't know, at least half of working at a mat is showing up, the rest will be a constant struggle.

[Lar Hylobates]

Reliability is the number one most important trait required in life. As I get older I find my self at times paying almost any price for it. Getting jerked around is not worth the aggravation.

[pete f]

It seems to be easier to train a reliable person to do what you want, via a specific list, than it is to train a performance person to show up for work on time~!

[soaps]

Well, the problems seem pretty universal. When talking in theory about hiring attendants it sounds great, but in reality it is nigh impossible to find a good one. I am struggling with this right now. I HATE hiring. The interview process. Then training...and when you get all done. they don't show up for their first shift. Basically they are babysitters so somebody can get a quarter back instantaneously or have help putting the bill in the changer. Is it worth it? I am evalutating it. The down size is that thieves will come if you don't have a babysitter.
Worst yet, in my state the min wage is $7.02/hr....and that doesn't make them any more educated (ie basic math & writing skills) or work any harder.