Interesting article in The News

Tinman

http://www.achrnews.com/articles/131003-are-smoking-and-tattoos-too-taboo-for-the-job-site

I'm curious what others think of this, both employers and employees?

I, personally, don't like giving up time to an employee for smoking or cell phone use. It's hard enough being profitable without giving up valuable man hours.

I'm OK with tattoos as long as its not anything remotely hateful. I have tattoos myself, mostly Irish stuff.

Rich_49

The cell phone thing annoys the hell out of me . I even hate it when mine rings when I'm on the job . tattoos are a way of life now . My son works for john also and is literally covered from head to toe , best guy under 35 you could have employed and after the initial shock mot many don't love him working in their house .

Smoking is a topic that's touchy , Luckily our guys don't abuse it and get a perfectly acceptable amount of work done between cigarettes ,what I mean by that is our guys get done in 5 hours what takes most an entire day , and it looks like mechanics did it .

jonny88

A happy employee is a good employee.If a smoker needs a cigarette let him have it.Counter productive to stop him.Cell phones are another issue.I cant imagine how much time companies loose while their staff are on Facebook etc.Leave the phone in the truck.Tattoos are so common now its a given.When it get to the facial tattoos I think its a step to far.Nothing wrong with a celtic tattoo.........

Tinman

That's actually a partial "agree" : ). I'm still on the fence with smoking.

Jamie Hall

jonny88 said:

A happy employee is a good employee.If a smoker needs a cigarette let him have it.Counter productive to stop him.Cell phones are another issue.I cant imagine how much time companies loose while their staff are on Facebook etc.Leave the phone in the truck.Tattoos are so common now its a given.When it get to the facial tattoos I think its a step to far.Nothing wrong with a celtic tattoo.........

I'm right with you there -- and looking at it from the customer's side. If you or your emplyees give me value for money, it doesn't matter to be about tattoos or cigarettes or whisky. I do ask that you don't smoke in the house (I don't, myself -- I step outside), and that you turn up sober -- and that's about it.

Tim McElwain

As an instructor it frequently happens that I look out at my class and four or five of them are on their cellphone in the middle of my teaching very rude. They also should not be on cell phone in the customers house unless job related.

Smoking will soon kill them so try having a smoking clinic. Some folks need a smoke every half hour and that is on customer and business owner time. Kick the habit and be more productive and live longer.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I teach at the union hall and this subject came up. The biggest complaint from all the contractors is cell phone use and texting.

As for smoking that is a problem too. I smoke myself so am biased. Most of our work is commercial, schools, hospitals and college's you can't smoke on their property anyhow.

Tinman

My opinion is biased too. I don't smoke and I have no idea how I avoided that.

JUGHNE

Tattoos are pretty well accepted in the construction trades.
However I believe younger people should think a little for the future if someday they want a major occupation shift.

My wife, daughter, daughter-in-law and one son all work in the medical field. At all 4 different places of employment no tattoos are allowed to be visible on the job. No piercings other than ears and both ears must display the same hardware. No single ear statements. There is no texting, private phone use and no smoking on the campus at all.

And just an example of how things change: the son has a degree in writing, but is now a phlebotomist at Chicago Uni Hospital. And now is just enrolling in Mortician school at the age of 31. So the for next occupation he will require that very serious appearance we are all familiar with for those occasions.
(By the way he is an excellent plumber also, we walked the basement of his apartment building and lamented about FHA replacing the steam system.) So at 30 years you may want to change the course of your future.

He also enjoys most of Dan's articles.