Make sure the employees play nice together and take care of their toys (tools). Dealing with all the non-surveying parts of a medium sized company can be annoying and I am fortunate that I am not having to do that as much as I have in the past. But I sure feel for people who do have to sometimes deal with these issues. I suppose it is definitely the benefit of being solo or a small shop.
I asked a tech about some revisions this morning and got a scorched earth reply. I don't have the responsibility to make personnel decisions but I thought to myself that that was an interesting way to quit - scorch the RPLS. It was a weirdly hostile response and definitely out of the blue.
I'm sure if you saw my face at the time I was probably pretty red and I could feel the tops of my ears burning. I decided the better thing to do was nothing as the email was sent to one of the owners and a supervisor too and I was pretty sure they would deal with it.
Well.... I just got the sweetest email following up on the first. I don't require an apology from someone if they were telling me how they really feel. The apology doesn't change how you feel, just keeps you from getting canned.
I understand I can come off as a smartass sometimes and perhaps my standards are high compared to their previous employer, but my signature on the plat means my standards need to be met.
I think we've agreed to continue in a professional relationship. I don't want the tech to be fired. I just need the work to get done without drama.
Vent complete.
Personnel problems have always been my LEAST favorite part of the job. I've had to rearrange crews because two, otherwise good employees, just plain have personality conflicts. All I ask is to do your job (what you are paid to do) and I'll handle the other stuff.
Andy
"I understand I can come off as a smartass sometimes and perhaps my standards are high compared to their previous employer, but my signature on the plat means my standards need to be met."
If you could condense that I've found my next tattoo.. I'll even give you credit if there's room...
> ....I asked a tech about some revisions this morning and got a scorched earth reply....
Just a thought ...but people get testy when standards appear -to them- to be arbitrary, as often happens when they are unwritten. Are your standards in written form?
>... I don't require an apology from someone if they were telling me how they really feel. The apology doesn't change how you feel...
I think that statement sums up everybody on any given day in any given circumstance. When in the work place, not much good comes from it IMHO.
I could rationalize with the well known fact that the holiday season is not exactly peaches & cream for a vast many people. Short fuses abound. If the guy is good at his job, give it some time.
I always (well, sometimes) will forgive, especially upon receipt of an apology... but I never will forget. And yes, I expect the same in return.
cheers
That's a f@^#*d up business model that is commonly used today - a person of responsible charge does not have the power to hire and fire as they see fit for the success of the task they are responsible for. Instead we have bureaucracies in companies, called Human Relations Departments, that handle these things, even though they are not responsible for the actual output of the group they assemble. I hear this kind of thing from my wife. Wayward employees get "written up" and verbal warnings, as if they are still a child, which may be true, but should have any place in a professional environment. Perform or hit the effin' bricks. That's a huge pet peeve of mine.
It's unconscionable to me.
I have been documenting policies and procedures since I started here in February but not everything is written. Some of it is basic drafting conventions and the crispness of a properly drafted plat. Sloppy drafting doesn't need a handbook to see that it is sloppy drafting. What we do have is a strong set of existing templates that already have everything set up.
I have input on hiring and I feel like I have some sway if termination were an issue. Shawn, it is a luxury to me not to have to deal with personnel issues. I am very happy with my employment, we have a great group of people and the work is quite invigorating. This was just an odd moment out.
that's cool, Andy. I understand that and I'm probably projecting my own experiences and observations on your circumstance and that's probably not entirely compatible.
I do find it very strange that big companies make profits. There are so many weird inefficiencies that leave me scratching my head.
There's about 30 people that work here, and I have the authority fire all but about 8 of them. I also have no jurisdiction over those 8.
> There's about 30 people that work here, and I have the authority fire all but about 8 of them. I also have no jurisdiction over those 8.
[sarcasm]same here[/sarcasm]
It depends on my mood & the weather which one of the 30 shows up for work each day though.
Andy is right, this thread makes me happy for my current solo situation.
You always did like to piss off the CAD techs Andy!
I can guarantee you that the standards Andy sets are well known when you do work for him. I never had a problem with that as he was the one that was signing off on the work and taking on the liability.
Cy
"Well, that's the way they always did it in Wichita Falls", even if it did violate minimum standards. LOL. I forgot about that one.
I was venting a little this morning. To follow up, I was told that a first and last warning was given. That's all I have to say about that.