Figuring out a worker thing

[vu]

Somebody just posted that one of the best workers he ever had was a seamstress fresh from college.  Who is not exactly a professional "upholsterer". Now after we have a seamstress we can do 2 things - 1. Hire an upholsterer who will finish everything else, and will stay away from sewing - honestly guys, professional seamstress is few times faster that an upholsterer who does everything, and you can not be perfect in everything, that said, a professional upholsterer is not really that fast in anything that he does, since he has to do it all, and is not specialized in any particular operation. So we can expect that after fast sewing there will be a delay in upholstery part, and thus we are going to pay high dollar for highly professional upholsterer and mediocre speed. Or 2. We can break all our operations in bunch of similar tasks and get fresh untrained labor for each task. It will be easy to teach just one task plus this worker will not leave you since he do not know the whole process. Also unqualified labor can be paid very little at training and will require almost twice less pay then one of us professional dudes dreams of getting. I just thought of that and I know this is how it is done on regular furniture factories, but I just did not apply it to my business before.

[gene]

Women, it is almost always women, (I am not being sexist here), who were taught to sew by their moms and grandmas are the best sewers around. They have been sewing all their lives.

I contacted my bank about using their payroll services if I hire part time workers. I must be too small for them - they won't return my calls or emails. LOL

Hire someone with intelligence, motivation, and integrity. If they have the first two and not the third, they will get you every time. You can always teach skills.

We just had a furniture / interior design company announce that they are closing after 144 years in business. I can't help but believe that it is going to get worse.

Gene

[vu]

Hire someone with intelligence, motivation, and integrity. If they have the first two and not the third, they will get you every time. You can always teach skills.

I was thinking more of a fast worker quality to be a number one objective, I have a worker who is intelligent, motivated and who have integrity - I can trust him with anything, but one thing he lacks is speed - when he works I can not make money even if I pay him $6/hour (dining seat takes longer then an hour). So, I am shooting for a fast monkey here, and company organization should prevent him from being in position to take advantage of the company. Good reply though I agree with everything you said.

[bobbin]

I am a veteran of the garment manufacturing business.  Garment factories are structured precisely as you propose to structure your's, Vu.  Be careful what you wish for...

I offer the following caveat:  sure, you can hire a rank beginner to learn one operation, but it's not nearly as simple as you imagine.  As your new hire gains speed they will also get sloppy... with predictable results a little bit farther "down the line".  Repairs and fixes are time consuming and costly.  Remember, you will have to pay the speedy "newbie" to correct those oversights.  Boredom will set in pretty quickly.  With boredom comes mistakes... and the desire to find a job that is more "fun".   Supervision will be required to head off disasters "at the pass"... who is going to be responsible for the oversight/how will that position be compensated?  Bored employees soon look for greener pastures. 

I'm not saying your idea won't work, I'm simply sharing some experience; much of it learned "the hard way".  Good luck. 

(I agree with you, Gene.  I had all 3 of the basic characteristics when I took my first sewing job.  I had a basic knowledge of how to put together a garment.  But I knew nothing!  My patient first boss taught me skills and I will forever be in her stead.  "You have 2 choices:  you can let the work rule you or you can rule the work".  I have never forgotten that.)

[sofadoc]

I once had a seamstress working for me. She was the best pure sewer I ever saw. The problem was that she was dyslexic. She would sew pillow panels together back-to-back, instead of face-to-face. She would rip the seam out, and put it back together WRONG again......and again...... and again.
When she announced that she was moving on, I did nothing to dissuade her. I lost too much time standing over her.

[Peppy]

break all our operations in bunch of similar tasks and get fresh untrained labor for each task.

We sort of do this. We're more of a cut/sew shop than strictly upholstery and so there's a lot of overlap. Not to say we're 'untrained' but the shop has departments, so to speak. We have an upholstery/cushion sewer and boat sewer and 'foreman' sewer. A strictly furniture upholsterer, Me- pattern maker/installer/upholsterer of anything not furniture, and the boss- work booker/bill collector/check signer.

It isn't organized this way to keep people stupid though. More like division of labour allows you to get better at your one task. Indeed, if I made patterns for the sewers not knowing a thing about sewing or how the boat tops are built I would make some pretty crappy patterns. Or if I was running around booking work and chasing invoices I wouldn't have time to install product (and be home at 4:00 anyway) or answer pattern questions.

I don't know how you one man band types do it. My hat goes off to you. Really, I mean it. It's 3 jobs in one. There's been lots of talk on here about making more money on your own. Well, I value my free time with my family more than more money. Working for someone has many advantages, off the top of my head; weekends off, my phone (almost) never rings due to work (indeed there isn't a peppy in the phone book!), when one of us screws up we're still paid come friday, I'm paid EVERY friday, to name but a few. It'll be a sad day when I have to buy the business....

I think the best thing a one man band could do is look for a seamstress (or seamstER I guess if they exist) like Gene says. One whos been at the machine for years but knows nothing about upholstery. Then mold them to your will (or at least your way of doing things). I'm doing that to one as we speak. One year in so far and doing great. A thousand times better than any we've tried who knew something about upholstery/boat tops. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, they have all sorts of bad tricks and will get pissy when you tell them they screwed up.

Then with a sewer you'll need another upholsterer. I realize I'm not ten a penny, but the only way to find a guy like me is to try them out. The boss tells about the 100s of 'units' he's had over the years. Some to stupid to sweep the floor, some went out on their own. Some stayed for 2 weeks some for 10 years. Even the best screw up now and again (I bet you guys do too) but if you rule your kingdom like an evil tyrant the peasants will revolt and take any scraps they can get. At the least you need to be a benevolent dictator. Bestowing occasional gifts from your gilded throne, and sometimes letting the plebs work above their level. You won't get any improvement if you only let them pick staples. You get grunts. You want craftsmen right?

[sofadoc]

I think the best thing a one man band could do is look for a seamstress (or seamstER I guess if they exist) like Gene says. One whos been at the machine for years but knows nothing about upholstery. Then mold them to your will (or at least your way of doing things).

That never worked for me. The only sewers that I ever had could only sew what was cut out and laid before them. I had to work twice as hard just to stay ahead of them.
Plus, with bad arches in my feet, I cherish the time spent behind a sewing machine.
It's the only time that I can be productive while sitting down.
For me, it's worked out better just to have an unskilled helper to strip the furniture down.
Anyway, if I had a seamstress, I'd need another tacker. Then, I would lose my "One man band" liscense. :D

[Peppy]

>>>That never worked for me. The only sewers that I ever had could only sew what was cut out and laid before them. I had to work twice as hard just to stay ahead of them.

A yes, the sewer as welder. I have one of them. She has her jobs and does them great. The hand holding hurts though. It's true you'd need a cut/sewer. Much like we need patern maker/installer. Wow then, plus boss that makes 5 jobs! One man band pshaw! You guys are like, ah, what, a fivetet?

[kc]

geesh, I feel like a an alien here! I was taught to sew by my mother(not on her machine, which I wasn't allowed to touch), taught myself to strip a dinning room seat and ended up being apprenticed to the most talented upholsterer ever! Started hand stitching horsedrawn carriage seats, cutting patterns, then to upholster them with hideem trim, spit tacking, then diamond tufting, spring tying,  car seats and then one day, "hey, we are going to PA and YOU need to do these boat seats while we're gone". HHmm. So, 15 years later, I can strip, pattern, sew and upholster better than those that taught me. (well, they are just sick of upholstery and tire kickers at this point) Anyone looking for help in warmer climes than the NE?(still can't do boat tops that great but looking to refine skills)Girls rock!!!!

[Mojo]

You spit tacks and was sewing carriage seats ? Good Golly Miss Molly, how old are you ?........LOL...

You sound as old as Darren and Mike. :)

All kidding aside, what kind of shop did you start out in ?

Yes, I agree, girls rock..............till you get under their skin and PO one. " hell hath no fury like a woman scorned ". :)

Chris

[gene]

Hey vu,

One thought regarding your good, but slow worker, is to put him on piece meal status.

I do this with preparing furniture for reupholstery. (Taking off all the fabric, staples, glueing any wood that needs glued, cleaning exposed wood, etc.) I figured how much time it takes me, and then I figured how much I will pay per hour, and then I pay for each piece of furniture.

For example, (I'll make up some numbers here), let's say a 3 seat cushion sofa takes me 4 hours to prepare. I want to pay $10.00 per hour. That would be $40.00 to prepare that sofa.

If the guy does it in 3 hours, he is paid $40.00. If he does it in 4 hours, he gets paid $40.00. If he does it in 5 hours, he gets paid $40.00.

The benefit to me is that I know how much it will cost me to have someone prep the furniture. The benefit to my worker is that they can work fast or slow, whatever they want to do, they just have to do it correctly.

Just a thought.

Gene

Gene

[ThrowMeAPillow]

the most efficient upholstery shop I ever was a part of was Fred Sisto &Associates in Albany, NY in the 1980's
the Shop did woodwork (one man) refinishing (three guys one finishing two stripping and sanding)) draperies and top treatments (two women) The office which was three people (sales, coordinating flow inside and receptionist~ She called us downstairs once to move a Camel Foot Sofa! ha)

then there was the Upholstery shop
One stripper who could outside a little
1 cutter
1 sewing machine operator and
3 Upholsterers

it was all the cutter could to to keep up with the upholsterers; it was all the sewer could do.  It was all the stripper could do.

the work flow/productivity was great!
I miss those people and those days.  We should have gotten along together better.