lazy laborers
@SIMPLYD (90717)
Philippines
November 27, 2011 7:26pm CST
We were having some renovations on our kitchen the past few weeks. We expected that it be finished at about 2 weeks. We hired 3 skilled laborers and were paid daily.
Unluckily, we hired lazy ones. They would sometimes ask for an advance payment and would be absent the next day, without informing us. This way went on and until now, they are here working but this will be the last day. 
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Usually , It’s my senile father-in-law and frail mother-in-law just in the house to supervise them. My husband would tell them what to do before he leaves for his job. So we would tell them not to berate them when they absent from their work and report the next day.
We fear that if they will be berated they might get angry and harm them, just like in the news. What do you think guys, are we right in doing that? 
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Usually , It’s my senile father-in-law and frail mother-in-law just in the house to supervise them. My husband would tell them what to do before he leaves for his job. So we would tell them not to berate them when they absent from their work and report the next day.
We fear that if they will be berated they might get angry and harm them, just like in the news. What do you think guys, are we right in doing that? 1 person likes this
6 responses
@shanemae (1025)
• Philippines
1 Dec 11
it's just right Simplyd.
we also had a similar worker who has that attitude.
my mom was mad because of that slow progress in her plans.
what she did is minus the salary of the worker.
what's worst is that she hired another worker to replace that lazy worker.
when the original worker came back my mom politely gave the sum of money the worker should have and thank him.
i think the worker was upset but that deserves him because he would not lose the job if he only did well.
so i think you should do that too Simplyd.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
5 Dec 11
Well, it's already finished. Some electrical things will still be done. We will be hiring an electrician next weekend. Only then, can we hire helpers to generally clean the whole kitchen . It's dusty specially on the top of those kitchen shelves.
so how is the construction going now?
@changjiangzhibin89 (17242)
• China
28 Nov 11
I reckon they worked in several families, sometimes they had too many things to take care of at the same time,so they had to work in order of importance and urgency.This was why they were absent suddenly.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
28 Nov 11
Actually, they have lots of excuses, that my MIL said, she doesn't listen anymore because she knows that they are lying.
Like one time , the laboerer who worked alone because it's just finishing of the painting , went home early at 2:30 when they should be going home at 5pm. He said it's the birthday of his unlce. What? Is he the President of the Philippines, that his presence is a must. And to think that they are so poor, do they have to celebrate it that much?
And to think that they are paid daily!
And to think that they are paid daily!@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
1 Dec 11
No. That's the mistake that my brother-in-law did for that job.
He said next time, he will have a job contracted.
@changjiangzhibin89 (17242)
• China
29 Nov 11
Oh, I see.He loafed on the job.Didn't you contract for that job?
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
28 Nov 11
you did the right thing these guys were just taking advantage of your family
@ravisivan (14082)
• India
28 Nov 11
I always entrust work on contract basis or on piece rate basis -- if so many pieces are done I will pay so many rupees--in fact I work based on that -- I get paid based on number of pages written by me. good day.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
28 Nov 11
Yes, we did tell them, that next time it will be on contractual basis. That way, they will assure that they can have the work done faster.
Yesterday , i told the laborer that we expected them last Saturday because they advanced money last Friday. I told them that brother-in-law who is financing the renovation is already angry with them. He kept silent.
Yesterday , i told the laborer that we expected them last Saturday because they advanced money last Friday. I told them that brother-in-law who is financing the renovation is already angry with them. He kept silent. @ravisivan (14082)
• India
28 Nov 11
You are correct. When people are paid per day their performance is less. Instead if the work is entrusted on a contract basis -- this much for this much work-- they will complete quickly.
When labourers do not turn up there is no point in scolding them. Especially old people are staying alone in the house and there are instances of such people being harmed. good day.
You always post discussions in a bunch. Why?
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
28 Nov 11
That's true. We are after the safety of our parents-in-law, who are in the house to supervise them.
I always allot a time for making discussions. I would do it offline, then just copy & paste it here, simultaneously in 3 windows. It's faster that way.
I always allot a time for making discussions. I would do it offline, then just copy & paste it here, simultaneously in 3 windows. It's faster that way. 
@sophiecheer (931)
• Philippines
1 Dec 11
It is always irritating to have unproductive employees, especially if you are in a tight schedule.
In your case, I suggest you reprimand your hired help and tell them that you would replace them if they won't mend their ways. You need not worry about them getting back at you by hurting your parents, just as long as you communicate with them in a professional manner. Appeal to their better nature and they may realize the urgency of the job being assigned to them.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
1 Dec 11
yes, we did reprimand them when we are at the house. But we did it in a nice manner, that they won't get much hurt by it.
And since we have done that, we deemed it proper to tell the parents-in-law not to reprimand them anymore, specially when we are not at home. That way, it would be taken lightly by the lazy workers.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
2 Dec 11
Yeah, we told each other at home that we will never ever get them again.
But guess what, the last laborer who worked alone on the last job , went back the next day, to ask money in advance again for any job that there might be again. MIL declined.
The nerve of that man. So, i asked my MIL whether he let him in and it's a good thing, she didn't. She just talked with him , her on the porch and the laborer outside of the gate, with all the dogs ready to bite him. 
We told her never ever to let him in when they are alone in the house.
The nerve of that man. So, i asked my MIL whether he let him in and it's a good thing, she didn't. She just talked with him , her on the porch and the laborer outside of the gate, with all the dogs ready to bite him.
We told her never ever to let him in when they are alone in the house.@sophiecheer (931)
• Philippines
2 Dec 11
Oh, okay. Then just make a note to never hire them back. That is a tough lesson indeed on your part but at least next time, you know better.
You might just have to live with their laziness for a while, though.
@seriousnuts (508)
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
You are right. I agree that they shouldn't berate these lazy laborers. It might only be harmful to them especially that there are three of them in your house. You just have to keep a mental note to never hire them the next time you'll be having a renovation. I really dislike lazy workers because they don't do their job well and they love to slack off. I've seen workers of my landlady when she had her building renovated. They were supposed to paint the outside walls, but instead of painting diligently, I saw them texting during work hours. You know, not just a single and short text. One hand is holding a brush, while the other is holding a cellphone. What a slacker! They were exploiting the landlady by slacking off because they were being paid hourly.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
That's the problem with those laborers being paid by hourly or daily mode. They do things to elongate their work , so they can still have additional days to be paid.
We plan to have the next works , on a contract basis. We will be looking for skilled laborers who are only from our place.
Those laborers are from a barrio a bit far from our place. They would usually come mid morning with the excuse that there was no public transport yet to the city. 
We plan to have the next works , on a contract basis. We will be looking for skilled laborers who are only from our place.
Those laborers are from a barrio a bit far from our place. They would usually come mid morning with the excuse that there was no public transport yet to the city. 