[Richelle]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to find out from peoples' experience when taking on staff, which is more reliable, employed staff or self employed staff?

I started providing domestic cleaning about a year ago, I've built a good reputation and my client base has increased quite substantially through word of mouth and as such have employed a member of staff, but I am finding that there is a recurring sickness every month.  While I understand that people do get sick, I am beginning to find it strange that it is happening every 4 weeks for 4 days at a time.  In addition to this, salary advances are always requested the day before they go off sick!!  Having spoken with her, her only answer was, clients won't mind missing a clean now and then - Its made me hopping mad - there is just no understanding about provision of service, and even if the quality of cleaning cannot be called into question, if it is patchy, clients will look to other companies for their cleaning provision, I have managed to cover all the hours myself, but it is costing me financially to do this (childcare and copious re-organising).  I'm aware now that I have started ranting, so if anyone out there can give me their advice, it would be very appreciated.

[TomCrowther]

You simply need to find more reliable staff asap. If they don't understand the need for reliability, you will lose clients faster than you gain them. It is the hardest time in growing the business, sourcing decent employees.

[Ashley Brothwood]

There may be certain points to look at with self employed. HMRC generally say if there only doing the work you set out for them your employing them.

Quite often when I do builders cleans and have staff I will pay them 4 weeks after the job which they know and are fine with and pay bonuses if the job is completed in a fair amount of time and to a standard which I expect.

I think the best thing you could do is not pay them in advanced. Once in a while wouldn't matter but everytime isn't good. They don't have the incentive to get up and do a good job if they've already been paid for it, look at bonuses every month or so and they'd get an extra hours wage if the customer is happy with the work. You could have a feedback form from the customer asking if all the jobs were done to standard and they were happy with the work. This shows you how the staff is getting on if you don't have time to check their work but also shows the customer your looking at improving and value their input

[Richelle]

I agree, some form of incentive is required - bonus every 3 months, ie for full attendance/complaint free service.
I'm not against advances, but I think I need to have a cap on how much to allow.

[Dave Graham]

Be very careful here.  We had similar and the more you give in to them the more they will take the pi££ out of you!  We gave our guy a bonus and when one quarter his bonus was only £200 he went crackers!  I explained he had been off for  2 weeks then also a number of single days off sick, and we also had to pull him about his standard of work and his start and finish time.  They will start to think they get a bonus just for turning up!