our design/build operation is small - me and my four employees. we used to plow snow but i dropped it this year and we shut the office down and i laid the guys off in the middle of november.
as i see it, this is the biggest challenge a company that shuts down for the winter faces: how do you develop a competent, comitted staff when you can't offer YEAR ROUND WORK?
i am a firm believer that you cannot have an outstanding company without outstanding, committed, career minded people (not everyone on the crew - but you MUST have one or two)
how can a business owner offset the down time and ensure that key people come back? i pay very well for our area during the season, and my guys file for unemployment at layoff - but i have lost a couple really good people becuase it's so hard to stay afloat financially in the winter with only unemploym. income.
i know one contractor who pays his forman 800 bucks a week during the season. the foreman makes 350 on unemployment in the off season, and the biz owner pays him the difference in cash to ensure that he'll be there next year. that sounds like an expensive way to make sure the guy comes back....
what are some of your ideas on the subject? it's been driving me crazy for a mighty long time.
thanks
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