Originally Posted by Angry Jew Cat

Good. Forcing employees to sign an agreement that they won't go into business for themselves after being in your employee is fucking retarded. That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard. Greed talking at it's finest.

You give a guy a Christmas bonus, he works an entire year for you til next Christmas, then expects a Christmas bonus, and you get fucking bitchy? No shit the guy expects a Christmas bonus. You're a prick OP.

People get jobs, they gain job experience in a field and they work to better their lives as people. Your employees are not your fucking slaves. If they learn the business as an employee of yours, GOOD. You're not gonna see an apprentice carpenter work with a guy for 4-5 years, learn the trade, then stick around without a decent offer. And you sure as fuck can't legally bind him to never work for himself as a carpenter ever. As people gain experience and skill they expect more for their efforts. Why work for you when someone will pay them more, or they have the applicable skill set to get into business for themselves. You don't necessarily need to be giving them constant raises, but give them some small performance incentives and encouragement to succeed.

I'd say it's your attitude that needs to change some if you want to attract and KEEP good employees, because employees can smell that greedy prick scent on employers. Employees will sit there all day and pick you apart good employer or not, and if there is something fishy eventually they'll catch on.Especially if your employee is good, and they know they are good. The second they feel any hint of exploitation on their part, they're lost. If not now, as soon as they possibly can get out.

The whole Christmas bonus thing still makes me laugh because I know guys entirely like that. I've worked for guys like that before, and I can stereotype you as an employer right off the get go. I could be wrong, but I that one says alot because I've actually been in that exact situation. People just don't like working for guys like that. The kind of employer who makes them feel like their work isn't worth shit, or that they're a burden on the employer's back, or that they're being done a favor by being giving a job. That might fly in a employer's market where employees are desperate, but as long as there's better opportunities elsewhere, the employee isn't gonna take it long.

I'd say just get used to being a revolving door for employees. It can't be that bad. Plenty of businesses who rotate staff constantly that still make plenty of money. I'm not trying to say you're wrong in anyway or that you're running your business wrong OP, but I'm telling you the exact impression that you gave me of yourself as an employer and what the employee viewpoint is like. Maybe considering splitting the work up into more segregated areas of work at lower pay. So know one person knows too too much, and can't run with your entire business plan. Make sure you never let your employees hear you saying shit like this.