Employee Time

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve That is fascinating! Do you keep them informed throughout the year how much total time they have invested and how much that comes out in $ value? Also how do you suggest coming up with a bonus total amount? In this case being the $10,000? Should a lawn care business look to put away a certain % range of profits or pick a figure or what works best? If it is a % of profits, then the value would change through the year. Should the business owner keep the employees aware of what the updated value is? It's a tough question as many of the folks here are just starting out so things are tight, I was able to put a substantial amount of my own money in so the company didn't have to borrow as much and doesn't have the big payments so each company will be different. Personally at the end of each month I put away 5% of new profits. I don't tell them how much is in the account unless they ask but I tell them how much each job is worth and they all know we are doing very, very well and they are excited, they even ask if they are allowed to wear company gear when they are not working, that is very high moral and free advertising.

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by picframer I pay my employees between $12.00 to $20.00 an hour Hell at that point I wouldn't care if you dropped the bonus too Originally Posted by picframer It's a tough question as many of the folks here are just starting out so things are tight, I was able to put a substantial amount of my own money in so the company didn't have to borrow as much and doesn't have the big payments so each company will be different. Personally at the end of each month I put away 5% of new profits. I don't tell them how much is in the account unless they ask but I tell them how much each job is worth and they all know we are doing very, very well and they are excited, they even ask if they are allowed to wear company gear when they are not working, that is very high moral and free advertising.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by tomustang

Hell at that point I wouldn't care if you dropped the bonus too

I do a lot of things for employees much the same way as I did at the security company I still own part of, we had 451 employees when I took an indefinate leave in January, our turn over rate is less than one percent. I did this mainly because it cost me about $3,200 to get an employee up to speed.

I guess in this business it is different, the learning curve is a few hours compared to four weeks but I do know that if one treats their employees very well, you will have an amazing team. A happy well paid employee will show it in the quality of their work, clients will see it and the word spreads, seen this many times over the years.

Next year I may offer ownership in the company, not very hard to do and if you want to see motivated employees, I have never seen a better way to do it, pay them a dividend at the end of the year based on profits, dividends are only taxed at a fraction of what employment income is and the company pays less tax also when you go this route.

Andy

[CHEESE2009]

If your sons friends had a different job in mind, I don't believe the company would be paying for their transportation.

So far, it benefits them already.

I wouldn't ask for money if I was getting a lift to & from work. That would be silly!

****

Then again, if these guys have leadership qualities & do a fantastic job working for you, you still don't have to pay them for transportation, but you could maybe give a small bonus during a holiday of some sort.

I wish you the best of luck!

[Fine Gardens Landscaping]

If they take a public transportation to some place very close to you then I'd pay them from pick-up time to drop off time.

Picking employees up at their house is pretty unusual and lucky for them if you're willing to do this. In that case I'd probability charge something for gas and pay them from the time they start the first job till the time they finish the last one.