Hi Davie,
Long time no post eh?Is that me, or you?
How do you get on with Polish workers? Great, fantastic, wonderful, super, marvellous, terrific, absolutely love them. They turn up on time, if they're EVER off they'll phone ahead to say they can't make it - but I've had to send one home when he struggled in to work when he should have been safely tucked up with some Night Nurse (to alleviate the flu symptoms!) They shake your hand when they arrive to start a shift, same again at finishing time. Bring me presents of FIERCE Polish wodka when they return from a break back home. For the first time ever I bought Xmas presents for employees to show my appreciation - and I'm tighter than you Aiberdonians, ma loon!
Is there a language problem? Not really, anyone coming to a new country to work must understand that a smattering of the language will go down well, but my current two both took English at school - so they've got a head start. There are language classes for Poles locally, if you make an appointment at the job centre to get the lads their N.I. number you're asked if they need an interpreter. Check this out
http://www.hse.gov.uk/languages/polish/index.htm we're a multi-cultural society, don't you know.
How do you find a good one?Most of them are. They're desperate to please and are deeply appreciative of the fact they've gained a job in a foreign country. Ask someone about the work ethic here about thirty years ago and that's what's imbued in the Eastern Europeans coming over here. Turn up on time, respect for employers, put in a good days work for your pay, don't try to screw the system. Most have more than one job. One guy just wasn't cut out for our busy-busy-bash-bash way of working - he was a bit too laid back - but he found somewhere else where he's happier.
If you're considering taking on any Eastern Europeans, you need to make sure they get a N.I. and that they register with
http://tinyurl.com/y9td48 But you can't do both at the same time because original passports must accompany applications to each organisation and neither accept photocopies. To quote Tommy Cooper. . . Chicken, egg - egg, chicken. AhaHaaHaa
To sum up - it's the best thing I've done, go for it.
