Hi,
I'm on the verge (excuse the pun) of a 2nd van and new staff. I've had my first enquiry from a good speaking, but not that i've asked a Polish sounding chap, who has a few bits of kit himself, want wants more continued work.
Anyway i've still got to meet and see more hopefully.
My account just gave me a food for thought, he may be great and know his job. But some of your established and customers around the area i work are elderly and lets say English in there ways, and i don't want you to loose business by doing work for them once and the client not having you back because of the type of staff. This was only his take.
Any opinions on this. I can see his take, i'm not rasist at all in fact quite open minded.
Andrew
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But you will always have the "come over here and take our jobs" brigade, it's sad but couldn't you pick and choose which clients he does and you can pick up the ones you would think would be problematic
Glad to hear it, Andrew. To the xenophoebes I say "You kip if you want to. I prefer to stay awake."
My first job when I started, and I only opened for business a month ago, was a rush job for the customer who wanted land cleared because the property was going to auction. She made the justifiable assumption that she would realise a better price if people could see what they were buying. I needed the work and I needed a labourer, but quick!
An Hungarian was recommended to me. He landed in this country eight or nine years ago and lost his job, which I have on good authority was sheer exploitation anyway, a couple of years ago. This was his first opportunity since and I have to say he has got stuck in. Willing to work. Willing to learn. He knows I am a start up and can only offer part time at the moment but he's there if I call early, there if I call late, eight hours or more or just an hour or two in a day.
More specifically to your question though, his English is passable. He is very attentive and polite with the customers. Unless a customer were old enough for me to question whether they were sane or senile, I am not at all sure I would wish to be offering services to anybody so bigoted as to question his right to do the job. Gavin has it in a nutshell.
I think it would be a shame if a legitimate immigrant was classed as a second class citizen by an employer and/or their clients, not to mention illegal ?
If he passes all the legal 'right to work' checks for the UK, the only issue would be if he could not speak sufficient English to understand H&S. As an employer you have a legal obligation to ensure he works at no risk to himself, client or general public due to a lack of understanding of/speaking English ref H&S
It is something that comes up in SafeContractor accreditation (see guidance below) and is common in the Construction trade (and also in US for Hispanic landscape guys).
I'm an absolute stickler when it comes to using tools properly, wearing the correct clothing and prtotective outer gear for each task, making sure customers and their visitors plus, if near a boundary the public if it can't be marked off, are at a safe distance and stopping work to allow them to pass. To mention a small bit of the whole. I don't remember in this or my previous career having difficulties getting the point across due to language problems. Machismo and stupidity, perhaps. But that applies to a minority of British kids (and some who should be adults) as much as to any, again a minority, non-Brit worker.
Just took a flip through the document you linked. Some interesting stuff, true. But neither Gavin nor I are yet at a stage where we have to rely upon a lower tier for full involvement with the lowest level of staff. I can see the point but we're simply not htere yet. Added to which, I see the failures of our own education system and illiteracy among our own population as a far bigger risk to H&S than any immigrant I have met to date.
Besides, not every old person thinks like that anyway.
Thought I noticed a funny accent on your typing. Try turning the keyboard the right way up
Harry said:
Love it! And where'd you get that smiley?
The older bods have to in 2014 become more understanding and like one of you said there ain't that many in the 80-85 + brigade left that may have those dodgy thoughts.
I suppose what I don't want is, get a new job/client. New chap does job, then I'm not wanted back because of the chap. (Even if his attitude and work standard is superb!!!) cos u do get them....
has always been the case, which will continue, and this is about the last generation of them, I hope, that may be so xenophoebic.
Indeed you do. And stuff 'em say I. OK, lose one. But serve one under those constraints and your civilised customers are going to cold shoulder you.
Xenophoebes make an awful lot of noise. But my experience tells me they are and will be for very much longer a small minority. Hopefully for ever.
Sensible people watch and cut their cloth accordingly. That also applies when it comes to choosing suppliers for important works. Ignore election results. It seems thinking people don't bother to vote any more. Or maybe they are just in the minority of voters, but hold a lot more wealth.
What you are more likely to get is more work. People who appreciate your employee's good work, your openness in working with other people and cultures. As I said, I am new here. I am already getting that feedback. Customers wanting more. Customers talking with others who call to see what my business can do for them. OK, small scale so far, the company is new. But I expect no harm to come from my openness.
Have you thought about enquiring to your local horticultural college?
If I was expanding I would look there for the following reasons:
1. Trained staff with an interest in the business
2. Government backing with grants available for employees under 25
3. USP to your customers that you are keen on passing on your skills and the country needs apprentices.
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