Addressing poor commitment in people

L.Soad

Involved In Discussions
#11
The context that nobody is realizing here is that we are talking about blue collar workers in Mexico. The employer-employee dynamics in Latin American countries is, to an extent, very different from what most people know in the USA. Pride in workmanship, emotional ties to the organization they work for, career advancement aspirations, etc.... are very different. For many blue collar workers in Mexico and most of Latin America, a job is a job is a job...Any 10 cents more per hour is more than enough to quit a job for "greener pastures" elsewhere. Anyone trying to analyze this scenario based on US-based paradigms will not understand it.
I kinda understood that Qualprod was not from Western Europe/North America. Maybe our answers are too «westernized» and aren't helping him, but there is not 50 choices:

1- Having people not coming to work 3 or 4 times a month is not a really imortant problem = continue buisness as usual
2- There is a problem, and workforce is easy to change. Then say goodbye to the troublemakers and recruit new workers
3- There is a problem, and workforce is hard to change. Then you have to work on why they wont come, and either reward those who come regularly, or the ones that make progress. (see messages above)

Maybe you should have an HR indicator for absenteeism. -EDIT: you should also see that as something to point out when you work on the context of the organization and also on the intersted parties and their exectations.-

@qualprod the «missing the bus» excuse might seem a really «childish» excuse for us, but do these workers come from a village where ther is only 1 bus ride per day ? if so, missing the bus seem an ok excuse, if its not 1 time per week.
 
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Candi1024

Quite Involved in Discussions
#12
The context that nobody is realizing here is that we are talking about blue collar workers in Mexico. The employer-employee dynamics in Latin American countries is, to an extent, very different from what most people know in the USA. Pride in workmanship, emotional ties to the organization they work for, career advancement aspirations, etc.... are very different. For many blue collar workers in Mexico and most of Latin America, a job is a job is a job...Any 10 cents more per hour is more than enough to quit a job for "greener pastures" elsewhere. Anyone trying to analyze this scenario based on US-based paradigms will not understand it.

I agree that is a large factor in what is being described here. Maybe, you give them more vacation days that must be planned, so that at least you can forsee the employee shortage before it happens. Then of course raise the penalty for missing days unplanned.

We have a plant in Mexico where we very often lose employees during the apple picking season since they make so much more in that job. What worked for us is instituting 12 hours days on a rotating shift. Of course there were complaints at first, but this allowed employees to take that second job without risking losing their first job. The turnover is much lower now.
 

Bev D

Heretical Statistician
Staff member
Super Moderator
#13
There's an old joke in Maine about a person who opened a self service laundromat. They made enough money to support their lifestyle and the work they did was easy. Then someone came in and asked them to do their laundry for them - and they'd pay them handsomely for it. for a moment the person considered it thinking that they could make way more money. BUT then the'd have to work harder - not just sit behind the counter and watch TV or talk to Customers. And then what would happen if the service caught on? even more work! they quickly told the Customer no. You see there are some people (and this isn't meant to be judgmental at all.) who only want to make enough money to get by. they like their free time, they don't want to work too hard - and the work they do isn't inspirational or even particularly meaningful to them. it' s just a way to get by. and there are plenty of those jobs to go around. you can't motivate this segment of the population to work harder or to care more about your job. There's nothing wrong with them - they are simply not the people you want or need. move on.
 

Candi1024

Quite Involved in Discussions
#14
I kinda understood that Qualprod was not from Western Europe/North America. Maybe our answers are too «westernized» and aren't helping him, but there is not 50 choices:

1- Having people not coming to work 3 or 4 times a month is not a really imortant problem = continue buisness as usual
2- There is a problem, and workforce is easy to change. Then say goodbye to the troublemakers and recruit new workers
3- There is a problem, and workforce is hard to change. Then you have to work on why they wont come, and either reward those who come regularly, or the ones that make progress. (see messages above)

Maybe you should have an HR indicator for absenteeism. -EDIT: you should also see that as something to point out when you work on the context of the organization and also on the intersted parties and their exectations.-

@qualprod the «missing the bus» excuse might seem a really «childish» excuse for us, but do these workers come from a village where ther is only 1 bus ride per day ? if so, missing the bus seem an ok excuse, if its not 1 time per week.
And if they miss the bus and they show up late, they are sent home..... If it really has a negative effect on your business, then I wouldn't do this.

If missing the bus is one of the more common issues, maybe you can provide your own transportation??
 

L.Soad

Involved In Discussions
#15
And if they miss the bus and they show up late, they are sent home..... If it really has a negative effect on your business, then I wouldn't do this.

If missing the bus is one of the more common issues, maybe you can provide your own transportation??
I can understand also that when there is no penalty for being late, they will come late vertytime, or whenever they feel like working.
The more i read Qualprod's first message, the more i'm thinking indubioush's solution is the best. half time employees, with maybe 2 or 3 more workers to have the same output.
 

Mike S.

Happy to be Alive
Trusted Information Resource
#17
Even here in the US, I recently spoke with a manufacturing plant manager who said every day 15% of their employees are absent. They have a point system (late/absent = penalty points) and many people "earn" enough points to get fired, so turnover is high as well.

But a look around the plant at the kind of work, and working conditions, and hearing about various management practices they employ, makes me understand. They are reaping what they sow as a company.
 

qualprod

Trusted Information Resource
#18
Even here in the US, I recently spoke with a manufacturing plant manager who said every day 15% of their employees are absent. They have a point system (late/absent = penalty points) and many people "earn" enough points to get fired, so turnover is high as well.

But a look around the plant at the kind of work, and working conditions, and hearing about various management practices they employ, makes me understand. They are reaping what they sow as a company.
Thanks to all of you who spent time in reading my post.
Very important recommendations were given, I´ll take some of them to be put in practice.
trying to answer to most most of coments, I´ll give a general explanation.
1- To met production targets, is not a big issue, when absenteeism happens , people apply over time or work on weekend, although
when we are required more production, we start to have problems.
2-To use a pareto, it may be good idea, to fight against the 20%.
3- To give special incentives, it may cause envy to the rest of people, so at his time is not convenient.
4- Part time employees, is good idea, to hire 3 or 4 new people, to be trained and have that option.
5-We have not arrived at the point to give them a last opportunity before the firing, but good proposal, as well.
6-We have not given a deep talk about impact caused by absenteeism (awareness) nor have used written compromises and agreements, also good idea.
7- In surveys , regarding their special needs, we got nothing special (to increase raising, to increase bonus), this is not recommended
because, will cause envy in employees around them, (other processes, 50 additional employees).
8- The way this problem is addressed, it may be different if it happens and USA or Mexico, this case is in north of Mexico. Is well known the big difference in economical, social, and other aspects, between our countries.
9-Is true, maybe is not convenient to send them back home when they arrive late (30 or 40 minutes ) and not having production, because is what we are fighting against of.
10-Yes. absenteeism because of the bus is not a real excuse,
11- Really to get a bus specially for them is not worth it, because not all the time happens with all the people. (all people absent the same day)
The real situation is, we were living in good confort, not to worry to hire new employees, no training, they work very well when come to work, absenteeism at the end of last year really was not a big deal, so we could survive, but now , we are getting new contracts, recent ISO certification, more customers and, now we can not continue living with this, that ´s the reason I´m coming here for ideas, because we will start to "tight the nuts" from now.

Sorry , I´m not native in english, even though, we are neighbors, hope is well explained.

Thanks again.
 

Mike S.

Happy to be Alive
Trusted Information Resource
#19
Well if it is too culturally ingrained to fix, or otherwise there are no practical fixes, predict/estimate the absenteeism based on available data and hire additional people to compensate. If there are a few days you have "too many" people as a result, put the extras to work on maintenance, process improvements, problem solving, cross training/learning new things, etc.
 
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