How do you motivate a minimum wage employee?

[Jeremy]

I've recently taken a new career path at a building service contractor as a supervisor at a college campus account. The custodial staff is in my opinion grossly under paid and it's a year before they get a raise and then it's a whopping $0.25 on the hour. Terrible pay and high expectations, especialy with classes resuming next week. I could use some pointers on keeping these employees happy, motivated and continuing thier employment.

I have purposed some "small unit leadership" positions to my direct supervisor in an attempt to squeeze a few pennies from the company for the best employees. That said, I don't know how it will be recieved by upper management. I think an opportunity for a pay increase and some sort of "career path" would be recieved well by the crew.

So far bringing in better supplies like Micro Fiber towels and a little carpet spotter has helped. Letting them see me work as just as hard or harder than they do has gained some ground as well. Giving them support in the way of dropping off paper products, and supplies, etc. on demand has helped as well. Treating them with respect and expressing appreciation in general is helping to a degree too. I know that for the most part the crew has been rode hard and put up wet for the last couple of weeks and we've made a lot of progress toward correcting the deficiencies the account manager and I identified when I took the position.

As a thank you for thier efforts I brought in Subway for everyone last night. Seemed like a homerun. However, a few have a bad case of the "not my job" or "not for this kind of money" or laziness and no amount of free lunch will fix it. If things don't change in the attitude department I'm going to have to get rid of them. That said, I believe paperwork is for lazy supervisors and I'd prefer to fix them as opposed to firing them if possible. Any and all suggestions to help with improving retention/lowering turnover and adjusting the attitudes of the underpaid are welcome.

 

[Desk Jockey]

That's awesome Jeremy, just be careful not to become their friend.

You can't buy their respect with more pay or with food. I'd suggest you evaluate them all individually with the account manager, separate those that are good workers and those that might be projects but definitely identify those that are not rowing the boat.

It just takes one rebel rouser to upset the others. One guy that says "they can't make us do that!" or "I won't do that". Work is hard enough without one or two guys pushing the other way.

Burn those guys, get them out, they are polluting your labor pool! They can't be corrected no matter what you give them or do for them. Get them out as fast as you can!!! They will just waste your time and energy and just make life miserable for all. Once they have been cleared out have a meeting with those that are left. Tell them what you want and what you expect from them.

Be fair but again you are not their friend, you'll listen to their issues and try to help them with problems but you expect productive work from them in return. It's human nature, people will only work as hard as you force them to. Set expectations and then enforce them!

Anyone that can't handle that, should start looking for their next job.


Congrats, I think you found a good position for yourself!

 

[SMRBAP]

Your work is cut out for you.

99.999% of people work for money - because it is work and not fun. You never here anyone say - I can't wait to get up at 6 AM for fun on Monday. Money is what motivates people to work. Not that that is the whole reason, but I'm just cutting to the chase.

I'd suggest asking the powers that be to create an incentive program - one that incorporates monetary compensation (bonuses) for attendance, meeting timelines, quality of work, no customer complaints, etc etc. However - that is typically what the higher paid manager is for. Hire 10 mules at minimum wage, one person who makes good money - and it's that persons responsibility to pick up the slack, fix the boo boos, and kiss the butts of upset customers so as to not lose them - but it's worth designing a draft and submitting it and asking.

The only way to get good people and keep them in the blue collar world is to pay them, and have a ladder on the ready for them to climb financially imo.

Otherwise you might start looking for "new to the USA" arrivals - that consider what their US dollar paycheck converts to in peso's and see it as a step up.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yea there is not much of a carrot with minimum wage BUT everyone needs a job and those that are not worthy of the job need to be squarely kicked to the curb.

Get an old smart phone, a broken one and set it on the ground, smash it with a hammer....tell them you see them texting or talking and theirs will be next.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Be a good listener, go out in their work environment and talk to people. Show appreciation and point out specific things they do you really like.
More then anything people want someone to pay attention to them and feel like you care.

I keep a list every week to remind me to go out and talk to every employee, doesn't seem like it on the internet but in real life i am a great listener with employees and customers.

 

[Steamin McFadden]

If the pay sucks, the only thing to will motivate them is fun. Find a way to make the job fun. and make them feel appreciated.

 

[Foothills Phil]

Make sure that you have your expectations written out. Have small $ awards each week for those who hit their mark. The rule to hire slow and fire fast is an absolute one. You will be tested by the staff. Be clear with what you want. Meet with each individually. If they dont perform they have to go. Your good and average performers wont follow you if you let the couple bad ones stay. You are in your honeymoon period and will only have a small window to get the respect of your team.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I've recently taken a new career path at a building service contractor as a supervisor at a college campus account.

if a private collage , there might be hope...but not much at min wage
if a state university, your screwed , cause it's a "government job" with a union .
You'll get dumped on from both ends ...from your bosses on one end and lazy fcks that want something for nothing on the other


..L.T.A.

 

[Jeremy]

LOL Meat its a private college. Thank goodness. Thanks for the replies gents!

 

[thecleaningdude]

I think it's next to impossible to motivate a minimum wage employee.

One option, if at all possible, would be to set up some sort of work schedule, daily tasks, etc. and once the list is complete (and verified by you) then you'd let the person go home. So maybe instead of 8 hours they are only working 6 or 7. But then again, they are on the clock, so that might not even work. However, if you could somehow make that an option they would at least have an opportunity to theoretically make more money and not be stuck for a solid 8.

Also, as others have said, you need to chop anybody and everybody that isn't towing the line. Because at the end of the day you'll be the one upper management will come down on if there is a problem.

Speaking of upper management, what tips have they given you to motivate a staff of minimum wage workers?

 

[Goomer]

Uphill battle.
Regardless of what you do, they will be snapped back into reality every time they stare at their paycheck.

Pride and respect are important to a minimum/low wage worker.
Try your best to never listen, speak, or treat them as a minimum wage employee. They will be very hyper-sensitive to this.
Once a low wage employee looses respect for you, it's all over.

 

[FLYERMAN]

I agree sort the wheat from the chaff. The good people you have are being worn down as much by the bad people as by the bad pay.

 

[FredC]

I'll spare you the f'n manifesto I could write on this.............most of which would be of little help

What demographics are you working with here? Are these kids working through college? People returning from or going to their second job? ....?

 

[Lonny]

Yeah. Soooo, I have never paid my janitorial staff minimum wage. Idaho and Indiana have the same minimum. It's not a living wage, so you are going to be dealing with people who are in a transition state. They will stay until their transition is done, then they will be gone if they are worth a crap. Turnover is the name of the game unless there is a financial reason to stay cleaning work over any other job out there. Perks WILL keep them happier while they are there. My $0.02.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Wow, Jeremy. You have earned some respect on this board. All good, well thought answers on this thread instead of feeding you to the hogs as usually happens here with sincere questions. And speaking of respect I'll reluctantly give Shane the prize for best post in a thread with lot's of great candidates:

Be a good listener, go out in their work environment and talk to people. Show appreciation and point out specific things they do you really like.
More then anything people want someone to pay attention to them and feel like you care.

I keep a list every week to remind me to go out and talk to every employee, doesn't seem like it on the internet but in real life i am a great listener with employees and customers.

People respond to Sincere Recognition, Respect and Appreciation. And the funny thing for most of us is we don't do enough of this Public Recognition with our employees even though it is FREE. Weird, huh?

Steve

PS I like the points about rewarding efficiency. One idea is to split your workers up into teams and then make your Efficiency Bonus based upon Group Efficiency and then the "reward" (if there is one) is split among the entire group once a month. Heck, we even ran a QuickTIP on this Employee Efficiency Bonus concept a few weeks ago. Do this and NOW you will have some "Positive Peer Pressure" from others in each group which is exactly what you want! That way they chew each other out instead of you having to be the bad guy all the time!

NOTE: Any time you substantially change how you compensate your employees you should have your company attorney sign off on it.

Oh, and I also agree on getting rid of the losers with an attitude. "Black holes" are not just found in outer space.

 

[ruff]

Which may bring us to a secondary question (question, not a put down):
In the long term, how do you reconcile working for a company whose treatment (compensation wise) you do not agree with and your values and sense of fairness?

 

[Jeremy]

The company actually pays me a decent salary & I have a wife and 3 children to support. Route Techs are paid a little over minimum wage (minimum wage is $7.25 we start at $8.00 an hour). That said, I don't see a big difference in the two wages & i do feel the staff is under paid. However, the fact remains that they accepted the position and my job is to ensure they are productive, efficient and maintaining the customer's standard. I'm trying to reconcile the financial reward with the effort the position requires and coming to the conclusion that people are working harder than they are being compensated for. My challlenge is to be able to prevent some of the turover and the growing pains that come with constant re-training.

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

[FB7777]

At that pay scale, I don't see how its possible to prevent rampant turnover.

Your company's philosophy is that janitors are of little value long term and easily replaced

Impossible to change that culture IMO

If I was you, I'd only focus on my long term prospects, how I can keep their costs down to prove my value to effect MY raises

Team building is a nice concept, but you aren't controlling the compensation , it aint your bar b que.

If it was , I could give you a few ideas on how to reward quality employees with bonuses, gifts and perks for jobs well done

Minimum wage Johnny's with a mop are a dime a dozen, very little leverage with employees if they can flip burgers for similar or better wages

 

[Shane Deubell]

Not everyone has been born with the great gifts/opportunities we have, some people are happy to have a job, period.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Not everyone has been born with the great gifts/opportunities we have, some people are happy to have a job, period.

donno about yours or Jerm's area, but in the $8 to $9 pr hour bracket, one can find a job pretty easy here in any number of fields .
'bout the only requirement needed is to pass a drug test and not have a criminal record

I agree with Fred.
it'll be a tough row to hoe with no monetary incentives or chance for advancement.

Does the school provide health care bennies for the janitorial staff as part of compen$ation Jerm?
Or do they make them pay the lion's share of it?
(if they even offer it and they keep them at "part time" status)


.L.T.A.

 

[ruff]

And Larry, being shy by nature, forgot to mention his large collection of 'motivational' tools.

Take it away Larry

 

[Dolly Llama]

And Larry, being shy by nature, forgot to mention his large collection of 'motivational' tools.

Take it away Larry

honestly , Ofer, I'm pretty good at "reading" people and knowing what buttons to push to get the most out of them .
"one size" don't fit all, but treating them with respect and value goes a long way with most.
Letting them see that the "boss" isn't too good to do grunt work helps too

But I don't know how to "keep" good people without paying them a livable wage or giving them the opportunity to advance to such


Jerm's got his work cut out for him, that's for sure


..L.T.A.

 

[Vivers]

Simply by offering incentives and promoting higher in the company. Always thanking and telling them the good things that they've done

 

[FB7777]

Not everyone has been born with the great gifts/opportunities we have, some people are happy to have a job, period.

I agree

And I've worked with and seen plenty of public schools and college custodial departments

As described by Jeremy , it sound like the typical scenario.

My advice is for his own benefit and personal compensation

After all, a system that admittedly doesn't pay it's entry level custodians well probably doesn't sufficiently value the supervisor either

 

[steve frasier]

convince management to pay them more

it is hard to do but get rid of the people with the bad attitudes

have a weekly meeting to recognize the good that they do and maybe have a wall of fame with some type of monthly reward

lead by example, work harder then they do, never ask them to do something you wouldn't do

be the first one there and the last one to leave

be positive no matter what the situation

 

[Shane Deubell]

Not sure about jeremy's specific situation either, i know for us cleaners are retired,student, pay down debt, disabled. Not the low life's some of you guy's are picturing, more like your kid while going to college or grandfather who is bored and looking for something to do, although we do pay more.

Can't even remember the last time a white 30 year old ish male even applied for a cleaner job to be honest. If they did the first thing out my mouth would be can you pass a background check/drug test. Even though technically you cannot hold it against them .

 

[Willy P]

That's a situation ripe for a union to step in. When employees get treated like the residue from the lawn chocolate on the sole of upper management's shoes, you're fighting an uphill battle.

 

[Able 1]

if a private collage , there might be hope...but not much at min wage
if a state university, your screwed , cause it's a "government job" with a union .
You'll get dumped on from both ends ...from your bosses on one end and lazy fcks that want something for nothing on the other


..L.T.A.

I see your point with the union, BUT I really don't think there is any government job that the people work for minimum wage.. Mostly just over paid LAZY foockers!!

 

[joey895]

If they did the first thing out my mouth would be can you pass a background check/drug test. Even though technically you cannot hold it against them .

Just curious, what do you mean technically you cannot hold it against them?



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[billyeadon]

Jeremy,
This is the never ending problem with custodial work. Seeing that these jobs will never be high paying there has to be something besides money to motivate them. Somehow you need to instill in them that the work they perform is important. Lets face it we are all in the cleaning business and it is not a glamorous biz. But we have to see the bigger picture.

The best book ever written specifically about employees in the janitorial biz is dream Manager [I by Matthew Kelly. Jeremy this is based on a large company right down the road from you in Cincy. If you make it through that one read The 3 Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni and the last one Drive by Dan Pink.

no magic answers but plenty of thought provoking ideas. Seeing that you are looking for ways to help you are halfway there.