Labour hire....and getting a set of helping hands

[****]

Its not yet the busy season and I am getting hammered.
I'm not sure that I want to go through the motions of employing a casual / part timer let alone someone full time at this stage because of all the implications, plus I might just be going through an abnormal busy period. I dont really want to subcontract someone for labour purposes just because they have an ABN.....theres a whole other thread on that and would like to attract as little attention from the ATO as possible even though all my books are correct and in order I just dont need the attention.
So. Labour hire companies might be the best bet. Has or does anyone else use them? If so what have been your experiences. If not why not?

I have some information to follow up from after I attended a local centrelink office today and I walked away fairly bemused. For one Centrelink hasn't changed in 17 years since I last visited one when it was the CES. Upon waiting in line to report to the front desk for more than 20mins to enquire about what sort of services centrelink offer a new business in regards to employing people I was looked at by the girl behind the desk with a look of "WTF???". It was like Barbara from Bank World. Even though she didn't say it she looked at the prospective employment seekers seated in the waiting area and then looked back at me as if to say "You want to employ THEM?! How many do you want Superman?". She did however roll her eyes - no joke - and said that I was better off talking to Fair Work Australia over the phone to establish what I need to do. Forgive my naivety but I thought that Centrelink was a good place to start, apparently not. Thats just where everything ends.

But I digress. Labour Hire companies anyone got thoughts? I'll ring a few tomorrow and see what the deal is.

[Bluey]

Never tried them. Don't get me started on offsiders. If you get a good one lock him up and never let him go. The idea of a temp hire is a good one though. It works in other industries can't see why it wouldn't for this one. Just how motivated they will be is another matter.

[happymowin]

but then you got the bugbear of someone knowing all your customers, and they can start their OWN mowing run off your back

guys from labor hire are hurting, they want work, and sometimes there is none.

personally, i would NEVER allow someone like that to see my business.

to THEM, 10 mows a week for $50 a mow, is all they need to survive.


your call, mate, but personally, i would prefer to save labor, and buy a walker.

150 a week, for 5 years; its there when you need it, in the shed when you dont, and it NEVER steals your clients.

otherwise, do the old A?B?C?D customer thing, get rid of your D's, get some more A's, get rid of your C's, end up with all A and B customers, who pay what youre worth.

no good if you put on an offsider, and dont make more money, cos of the costs etc.


and if an offsider put his hand into the blades to clear the mower, no one can tell me you wouldnt be in the biggest **** fight of your life, on top of trying to cope with your customers.


to me, an offsider is not worth it - THEY would have to pay ME for the privelege.

[chevron]

Try the local TAFE, horticulture certificate students are obliged to undertake work experience. Failing that some labour hire blokes are decent, some have no idea.

[****]

Well I have in the past worked for labour hire companies. I wasn't at rock bottom nor was I looking to steal the employers customers. Fair comment and not having a crack but alot of the blokes in labour hire companies bust their nuts to prove themselves so as they may get placement...Some are complete dog**** too that just want union sites, penalties and the easy life.
As for Lawn mowing...Without a word of a lie I have mown and will only mow 2 lawns this week. One of them is my own. I am getting so much ad hoc work for cleanups and basic landscaping its not funny. Eventually I'll have just a mowing round but at the moment the only responses in my neck of the woods from advertising is all based upon gardening and not lawn mowing......I am growing a bit weary of it and I would love to spend a whole day just chasing a lawn mower but the coins and notes are hiding amongst every garden. So with the phone ringing hot I now am pushing work back to almost 14 days from now but with someone to give a chop out I could hopefully get through them a bit quicker before it blows out any further.
The Tafe option sounds like a prospect. I'll talk to Work Fair tomorrow and see what is involved....They may also offer incentives to have someone on. Will also sound out the nearest labour hire mobs.
I have been in Management positions before and dealt with insubordinate, lazy, useless staff before. Being an employer might be a bit different but I dont tolerate people that dont even try or are just expecting an easy ride. I'm competitive by nature and will do all I can to do the best I can and anyone that is representing myself or my business needs to keep up or go home before lunchtime. I'm still fair though and willing to go easy on anyone that tries and does their best.

[Bgs]

I can’t find the thread sorry but there was one a while ago from Magoo I think, who used one and received a $400 tool allowance so could be worth asking about that when you call.

Personally I think it could work I have had full time and part time employees without success, I like the idea of paying one amount to a hire company who look after tax and super and if they don’t work out ask them to send you a new one.

[BobC]

Aido, interesting topic. Like you I'm inundated with work right now.

A lot of gardening work and clean ups and a high percentage of them are coming on board for regular mowing and garden maintenance.

I'd like to remain a sole operator but .................. I would need to be very sure of the implications and pitfalls that could arise by employing an offsiser.

[AJD Mowing]

Labor Hire is expensive because you have their profit built in not to mention some of the clowns they send out I saw a lot of it in the Building trade. A lot of backpackers use labor hire companies most of them are partying at night and half asleep in the day. Labor Hire companies don't realy care if they have the right man for the job they just want people sent to jobs so they make money. My experience with employees is find people who are married with kids cz they have responsibility in their life and when you find a good reliable worker look after him/her but generally speaking 1 employee = 1 headache

[Stump]

Pretty sure there are some government sponsored refugee work programs lol.
There are some clips on youtube regarding what to look for in a mowing employee. One particular employer doesnt employ anyone who's parents were not in a similar field or level of physicality in their work.
I have to agree that I think parents have a huge influence on someones work ethic. My parents were workaholics, and so are my brother and I. My wifes family were dole bludgers, and all of my wifes siblings are too.
Lookup Lawncaremillionaire on youtube Aido. I have enjoyed watching almost all of his 230 odd clips about our business.

[Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden]

I used guys from neato a couple of times they carried on some garbage about if you employ them for x amount of hours for 4 weeks a grand fro goverment if for 6 weeks 2 grand and 6 months some other figure my reply was yeah just need them for two days and there paid next to nothing unless there worth more.

[Fred's mowing]

Dunno Aido, They might cost more than u think.
Im guessing u wont get anyone for less than $40/hr, proly higher.
I think it would be very hard making any reasonable profit if thats the case, considering other overheads.
We will be advertising again for an employee very shortly.
Part time casual, leading to full time casual quickly if I can find the right one.
Will be interesting to hear what the labor hire mobs want?
Good luck!
Cheers Fred.

[Scooby Steve]

I have used workers from labour hire places before. Really it depends on who they send some are shocking to be honest while others are absolutely brilliant. Can work out to be expensive though so work the extra you pay them into your prices. You are charged more for Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays etc and there is a min of 3 hours with most of them. They also add in a travel allowance.

[Redlandsguy]

Expence would be the biggest arguement against using a labour hire company. I don't know exactly what they charge for blue collar workers but I know that a clerical worker who ends up with $25 pay is charged out at $40 an hour. Given these sorts of rates you could be up for $30 - 40 an hour which you would need to charge out at $50 - 60 to earn some profit from them and if you quote by the job and they are not enthusiastic workers then that profit could dissapear as well. Makes it hardly worth the effort. Bettor to use a subbie on temporary jobs I would think. It is a different situation to using a subbie on a permanant basis and I think that the ATO would not look at you for that, especially if you have invoices on hand etc.

[BeetleJuice]

The only one’s that work out is having someone on who’s getting gov assistance and working for cash on the side,but these days it’s too risky.

You’d be better off working on your own and controlling your own work load .

[happymowin]

yep, labour hire is only good for the hire company and the hired woker, not for YOU.

i compliment you Aido, on being one of the "good ones" from a hire co.

any other "good ones" are smart enough to rob you, or get trained up for free, and start in opposition to you.

not everyone has morals these days.

imagine what the bad ones could do to you?