Addressing poor commitment in people

qualprod

Trusted Information Resource
Hello everyone.

I post this issue hoping someone can give some guidance in respect to best practices.

What could be the best method at trying to solve this issue?, this is the detail.
It happens In a manufacturing process (10 employees), ISO 9001 certified.

Most of them have the right competence (knowledge, experience)
Their work is good, no complaint, but......
Is a normal practice, at least in 5 of them, the absence to work 3 to 4 times a month.

When questioned the absence they answered, were tired, didnt get the bus on time , etc.
When they arrived late, they are returned at home, no payment, and when are absent twice a week, they are suspended
one day with no payment.
It seems the "no payment" is not a big issue for them.
I think they are happy with this practice, "not go to work once a week", "no payment is not a problem"

They have been offered to raise the salary if absences are not a custom, but there is not interest for this.
In surveys of human aspects, they dont propose nothing important, we can´t get anything good to be implemented
to improve this.
After giving the details, I wold like to hear your proposal for this,
Maybe from someone who have taken as a reference the Maslow pyramid or some other practice.
I know, a simple solution is to fire them up, but is not so easy, because is not easy to get other workers with that knowledge, and
this option is not our the idea, because their product is good.

What we try is, to "rescue" them, from that "state" and also at the same time to get benefits to the business.

I think this matter needs support form someone who have had experience in human relationships.


The point is, what practices can be proposed/applied to them before to start the firing.
Please give some insights.

Thanks
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
If there are rules but no consequences for breaking them, there are no rules. What happens to production when people are absent?
 

Johnny Quality

Quite Involved in Discussions
I'd consider a control chart of absences and a Pareto of absence reasons.

Also, is the manufacturing process pleasant or especially dirty? How do you define "late"? What happens to management if they are "late"? Their apathy for punctuality may be coming from the workplace or the environment.
 

optomist1

A Sea of Statistics
Super Moderator
this is likely part of the broader subject of employee motivation....from the hip:
1) attendance as part of the employee review, incentive process
2) start an employee attendance competition, review and award some company promotional items, etc? to the winner...something along these lines

Books and books have been written on this subject
 

L.Soad

Involved In Discussions
In all the companies i've worked for, this was not even a question,
1st time you get awarning,
2nd time you get another warning,
3rd time, no need to come back for a week,
4th time, no need to come back, you're fired.

For your case, i would say, try seaching for new employees, let the more experienced ones give them their knowledge, and then just say : «why would i keep paying you if i got a new employee that does the same job, and is at least present ?»

I can see the idea of indubioush is much more «gentle» and «positive». But why give more to people that «harm» the company ??

EDIT : Jim raised a good question: is it a problem for the company ? if yes, take actions
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
The first thing to consider, as I suggested earlier, is the impact of absenteeism. No harm, no foul. In other words, if the impact is negligible, leave well enough alone. On the other hand, if things get worse when people are absent, something needs to be done. Incentives and prizes and rewards for expected behaviors rarely have any salubrious effect. It has also never made sense to me to suspend people--days off without pay--when that "solution" creates the negative outcome that you're trying to avoid.

I've had success with using a sort of corrective action strategy:
  • Make sure that people understand how absenteeism hurts the business and places unnecessary burdens on coworkers and that meeting one's responsibilities is a condition of continuing employment.
  • When (for an individual) absenteeism becomes excessive, have the person explain (in writing, if possible) the reason(s) for excessive absence and what will be done to correct them. Offer help if necessary. The understanding should be that termination will result if the behavior continues.
  • Stick to your guns.
 

Watchcat

Trusted Information Resource
Have you considered asking them what you might do to motivate better attendance? Not especially optimistic that this will work, but I see a lot of people investing a lot of effort in trying to figure out what to do to motivate other people, and overlook what seems to me like an obvious first step. Also, if they can't think of anything, either, then maybe that's a sign that there is nothing to be done. At some point, you either accept the situation and stop wasting your own time worrying about it, or you search for new employees.
 

DonkeyKang

Starting to get Involved
They have been offered to raise the salary if absences are not a custome, but there is not interest for this.

Sounds like your people are apathetic. Did you specify what target they had to meet in order to receive a raise, in writing? A lot of times, employers say a lot of things but never actually follow through. Employees get frustrated. I'm not saying that's the case here, just trying to offer a different perspective.
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Leader
Admin
Sounds like your people are apathetic.
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.
 
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