Ok, this is going to be a bit of a rant thread..... Well, about 3 weeks ago they hired these 2 new kids at work. My partner was asked to "train" them. In other words, explain how to empty trash, sweep the floor, mop the floor and move vehicles around as well as other various tasks that they're supposed to do throughout each day. Well, one quit after the second day and we still have the other. They hired another kid to replace the one that quit and he started 1.5 weeks ago. My partner "trains" everyone they hire for that particular position because he was the last to have the job without getting fired or otherwise pissing everyone off. Back story out of the way...we continue with the ranting.... Well, the kid that started 1.5 weeks ago was "trained" by my partner as well. On his second day, the kid went home at lunch time and cried to his step-dad that my partner was giving him orders. His step-dad decided to show up and threaten my partner for expecting his step-son to actually work. What the **** happened? Do kids seriously expect to never have to work for anything? If we yell at them and management finds out, we're told we're being "too hard on them" and "they're just kids"..... If they're 18 years old, they're not kids anymore and they need a good ass beating to get them in line. Why would anyone want to cater to these spoiled brats? Does anyone else feel the need to walk around with a wooden club beating entitled little brats senseless? Sorry, I just had to get that off my chest before someone gets hurt. I'm really not a "people-person" and generally prefer to avoid dealing with other people whenever possible because I find most people are too stupid to actually be of any real benefit to society.
What did you expect for a likely minimum wage position? It doesn't tend to attract the best type of people. The idea that it's "kids these days" is as old as time itself. You have to admit that. The generation gap is always going to exist.
Does step dad have anything to do with the business?If he doesn't I wouldn't blame the kid I'd blame the dad for not pulling his head out of his ass.
Minimum wage job or not, it's about integrity. If you've accepted the job and if they're treating you fairly, there's nowt to complain about.
Not minimum wage, but not much above it. On average, they pay $8-9/hr because it's an entry-level position. When I was hired for that position, it paid $5.50/hr.....that was back in 2002 when minimum wage was $5.15/hr. I realize there is a generation gap, but geezus man. They've hired around 10 people for these 2 positions in the last year and they've all been lazy ass kids that refuse to do anything but talk on their phones and text all day. Then they get all pissy when they're told to actually do the job they were hired for. When they get fired because they don't do ****, they start running their mouths about how they're going to sue for wrongful termination. He's a former employee that everyone hated and was happy to see leave. He thinks his status as a former employee gives him some authority over what happens to current employees.
I don't know, if you can't figure out how to effectively manage people without being angry and abusing them, then maybe, you're not quite as smart as you believe you are. Seriously, here you are letting them waste more of your energy when you're not even around them. Just my two cents from managing people in both the military and civilian world.
I'm a sub contractor with a very small business and I won't hire kids anymore as I got tired of the whining when if they break a sweat they're worth 25 bucks an hour.Let alone unreliable and generally no common sense or self motivation.There are kids that are great out there it's just I don't have the time or money to sift through the crap.
I worked as tech guy in a computer store for several years,and in each year i had at least 2 freshmen sent to do 3 months of work,just to add to their experience and improve their skills.I had to stay with them,assign tasks,monitor their ability to pin point problems and offer the best solutions.Was my personal hell..Some were real life morons,some were snotty bratty spineless SOBs Really,as OP said,sometimes you get the itch to use force to get some sense in these tenagers.Not that it will help a bit,i assume,just cause problems and worsen the situation. However,there are still teenagers willing to DO things,to use their wits;but their number just shrunk and keeps getting lower. Even so, for a ****ty paycheck,one doesn't have the excuse to not having a brain and common sense and start using both.
I'm not their supervisor. My partner is. I only have 1 "underling"....which, coincidentally, is the kid I refer to as my partner. I spend my day trying to keep him from killing them. I've had the same "underling" for the last 1.5 years and he'll be officially replacing me in the coming weeks if all goes as planned. Management has made it clear that it's time for me to move on to another position within the company. A promotion of sorts. As a result, one of these lazy ass kids will become his apprentice.
