The Worst Employee

As a business owner, I have always looked up to Donald Trump.  He is a very successful business man and I love his straight forward personality.  Recently I came across a short video he shared from his desk about the worst employee and boy could I relate!

Owning your own business isn't always easy.  There are many issues that one must deal with that are out of your control.  Employees, for instance, can be business owner’s biggest headache.  Yes, every business needs them to perform daily operations, but they can also be a downfall to your success.

Employees come in many different forms.  There are the ones that are so truly dedicated, that they will show up sick and you have to send them home just so they don't infect every other person in the building.  They are always on time, even early, and give 100% each and every day.  They are the backbone of your company and an important part of its growth.  These people are hard to find, so if you have one, hold on to them!  

Then you have those that are just there putting in their time, no goals, and just need that weekly paycheck.  They really don't contribute anything, but they show up and do only the job that is given to them, so you keep them around.  They have no desire to make any more money than what you hired them at and don't even bother asking for a raise.  If it happens that you have to fire them, you are really not out anything and business moves forward.  

Then you have the ones in the middle, you need them for the job they were hired for, but their attendance is terrible.  They possess a skill that contributes to daily operations, so you depend on them, but they don't seem to care if things run as usual or not.  It's almost as if they know that you need them, so they take advantage of you by pushing the limits of your sanity.  They know a few days off here and there aren't grounds for firing, but it hurts the company, and isn't their problem.  They know that replacing them may not be an easy task, so they continue to give maybe 75% knowing that they have some job security.  Being ten minutes late in the morning really isn't a big deal to them, but they fail to stay that extra ten minutes at the end of their shift to make up the time.  They fail to realize what this behavior shows to the other employees and the attitude others may then take due to their behavior. 

Being in the manufacturing industry is a challenge in itself.  The amount of qualified CNC machinist has dwindled substantially over the last decade.  There used to be an abundance of extremely qualified machinist for any given job.  Now, applicants are few to none, and the training they possess is mediocre at best. The United States seems to have lost its status as the leading Manufacturer.  I am hoping that this next generation will see the importance of bringing back the manufacturing of goods to the United States.