Life lesson = pissed off wife

[wdfifteen]

I admit, I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. So there's that ...

Vic hired our grandson and a friend to do some work around the place. I was working on something else, hauling stuff on the golf cart when I saw the three of them walking across the driveway all in a line, with the friend at the end, head down, tapping away on his phone. So I asked Vic:

"Are we paying him?"
"Huh?"
"Are we paying him?" pointing to the kid.
"Sure!"
"Then tell him to get off the f*ching phone!!"

It didn't go over well. She's pissed that I was rude to the Grandson's friend. I think I was doing him a favor by teaching him an important life lesson and not firing his ass.

[Cajundaddy]

Well, phone kid probably won't be back. We have all probably said chit that turned out to not be helpful while working with young lads who have very limited work experience. He will remember it and probably will learn from it. Wifey probably still won't be happy and such is life.

[Dixie]

Help me clear up an ambiguity. You cranked at her that the kid was on his phone, or you injected yourself into her deal with the kids by fussing at them? The first would ruffle me a bit. The second would indeed tick me off. After all, I'd never dream of showing up at a man's job to holler at his workers.

[craigster59]

Get used to the young hires with their nose buried in their phones. It's the new normal.

[The Synergizer]

I work in a company where people don't see or acknowledge you. Their eyes are glued to their phone.. "Just walk on by,,,"

[Crowbob]

I’ll try.

No one injected themselves into her deal.

A man did not show up at a woman’s job to holler at anybody.

The man and the woman live there and are paying for a job to be done.

However, if they were being paid for the job rather than by the hour, the kid being on the phone is excusable.

[David Inc.]

Also if he was just walking from one place to another it's fine--for kids now any idle moment is immediately filled up with their phone.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

However, if they were being paid for the job rather than by the hour, the kid being on the phone is excusable.

Well... no.

Someone walking around my property with a phone in his face, getting paid to do a job, trips over something, falls down and breaks his face. In this litigious society, that is MY fault for leaving a bump in the sidewalk or something. And in this case it wasn't an idle moment, he wasn't on a break, it wasn't his free time. He was supposed to be working.

Hell, if the kid was here for a social visit, and he tripped while walking and staring at his phone, his parents might sue me.

Wife is pissed that I yelled from 30 feet away instead of going over and gently suggesting that he pay attention. 'Cause it may have hurt his feelings.

[fastfredracing]

No wonder why kids don't want to work anymore !!

[speeder]

You could take a class called, “using tact and picking one’s battles” at the local community college. It’s never too late.

You made a mountain out of a molehill. The kid’s behavior was slightly wrong so you showed him how to really be wrong.

[gacook]

We're right in the middle of the "soft men making hard times" circle...be kind to the young lad so you don't hurt his feelings.

Honestly, there's something to be said about balance. There's a time for yelling and a time for compassion. Compassion applied sternly is an even better art form.

Tell him when you're paying him, you expect his focus to be on the task at hand. If he can't handle that, sever the business relationship. Even if he doesn't learn the lesson, maybe one or both of the other boys will.

[cockerpunk]

why exactly would checking your phone while walking from one part of a job, to another, be an issue?

like i can see being on the phone instead of working being an issue, but who the **** cares if he checks and fires off a message or two while simply walking from one job location, to another?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

why exactly would checking your phone while walking from one part of a job, to another, be an issue?

Because he’s a pissed-off dude looking for a reason.

[speeder]

When I over react to a minor annoyance, (and it happens), it’s always a symptom of being already pissed-off in general. It’s called being spring-loaded.

Figure out a way to chill out. Meditation, swim laps, whatever.

[David]

We pay $50+/hr for machinists to goof off on their phone

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

I’ll try.
No one injected themselves into her deal.
.

Well, someone injected himself. Why are you answering for WD?

[Eric Hahl]

Originally Posted by Dixie

Well, someone injected himself. Why are you answering for WD?

No, they didn't. He yelled at a crappy employee to get off the phone. Nothing wrong with that. Really tire of hearing happy wife, happy life. It goes both ways.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

why exactly would checking your phone while walking from one part of a job, to another, be an issue?

Why is walking while playing with your phone an issue?

Do I really have to spell that out to you?

Maybe I'm old fashioned.
I've never worked in an environment where there was not a clear distinction between work time and personal time, and also a clear distinction between the work place and the break space. I've worked on farms, an aluminum foundry, a restaurant, car repair shops, scientific lab - never has it been acceptable to focus on anything but your work environment when you are working, and only acceptable to take personal time in the work space in a designated area.
To me, futching with your phone when you are working is equivalent to watching TV while putting a car on a lift. I guess in the 21st Century it is acceptable.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Why is walking while playing with your phone an issue?

Do I really have to spell that out to you?

Maybe I'm old fashioned.
I've never worked in an environment where there was not a clear distinction between work time and personal time, and also a clear distinction between the work place and the break space. I've worked on farms, an aluminum foundry, a restaurant, car repair shops, scientific lab - never has it been acceptable to focus on anything but your work environment when you are working, and only acceptable to take personal time in the work space in a designated area.
To me, futching with your phone when you are working is equivalent to watching TV while putting a car on a lift. I guess in the 21st Century it is acceptable.

yeah you are old fashioned and this effects nothing, he isnt taking personal time, he is checking his phone while walking across the yard. and your desire to control how a kid walks across your yard is not healthy. when/if what he does effects his work output, then maybe you get a say. until then, its just micro management.

this is why micro-mangers get a bad rep.

[KFC911]

I talk regularly wif my bud who's been pissing off a redhead for over 30 years now ... all the time! This is what I usually tell him:





.....and that's it... EVER !

This morning I told him to work "red headed huzzy" into his "mornin' honeys" and see if that helped any