Sounds to me you need a better screening process.
Even with a stellar screening process some still slip thru the cracks tho. I had severe issues like yourself until I did what another window cleaner in my area did.
Put out the ad, and in the ad make sure you put in it that they need to show you a recent DMV printout (it cost 5 or 10 bucks) upon arrival at the interview. There have been a few on this forum that point them to a website meant for the hiring of employees that will take video of the candidates and answer a couple questions for you in the video. This way you can see if they care enough to look like they even want a job.
THEN comes the interview, where you can ask questions about health issues and other questions that would enable you to find the best one for the job.
Check facebook pages. Social media does wonders. Birds of a feather flock together.
The DMV printout and video both make them jump thru hoops to show you they are willing to do what it takes to get the job.
This will weed out 5 from 1000 trust me. Even outta those 5 you may not find who you want.
Myself, I put in the ad that millitary backgrounds are highly preferred. If youāve had a veteran or someone honorably discharged work for you then you already know what I mean. In my opinion, the majority of them are just better workers at whatever they do and they command respect just by the way they carry themselves, and thats something I value in someone who wears my family crest on their shirt.
This will help in finding a quality person to be part of the family, your systems, and improving them on a weekly basis will and should do the rest.
I held a meeting every Friday morning before the guys went out with them and the customer care manager and we would go over the highlighted jobs for the week. The ones that were stellar and if there were any complaints, even minor ones.
Praise came first, the complaints next but with the goal of tweaking the system not browbeating the fellas. So, Iād ask my CCM what the complaint was, how we resolved it, asked the tech how he thought the problem came about and what he thought could be done to keep it from happening again. Then Iād put it to the floor āanybody have another idea on how to make it better?ā and if there were ideas, weād listen, vote on the best one and write it into the checklist for the techās.
A word to the wise:
Take your checklist with you and go and do a job on your own or with a helper and make sure YOU follow the list to make sure itās not stupid.
I was a nazi at making the crew leader initialed and checked off every step on that list on pains of termination, and had the suspicion that it was just being done right before they got back from the office.
So I went out and did it myself, half that list was just silly. How are they supposed to do their job AND have them check that list durring the job? It didnāt work. In fact I got pissed because I had to check it off. It was stupid. Even after the job was done, it took too long to check everything off when the homeowner is looking to move on with her day, besidesā¦sheās made to sign off that the work was completed the way she wanted.
Just saying, in theory the systems should work perfect. Just make sure its practical and not counterproductive by following them yourself to make sure.
Donāt ask me about retaining them. Because I havenāt figured that out yet.
I was paying 35 an hour, and Iād get them calling in sick and straight out missing days if they had 2 days off in the week.
While my good friend pays his guys 12 bucks an hour and they wonāt miss a day unless theyāre in the hospital!