I have started my business last year, we are building automatization PCB for various cases.
In January I had to hire my first employee because I could not handle the amount of PCB that I had to solder, and I need someone to take this part from me.
Introducing Mark, a friend of my brother from his childhood that is young and fresh in the work field and wanted to start a carrier in software as I did 10 years ago.
So, I have made Mark an offer, of N amount of money. (I will not specify this, because is classified by the contract, sorry about that but is 60% over the minimum wage of my country, to give some perspective).
During this time, Mark got from zero to great soldering skills, and all PCB looks amazing. He has to make only 2 each day (as the demand isn't that high at the moment).
That PCB has firmware, and the agreement was to mentor him in some basing programming skills, in order to start his career. First to solve some bugs, then if show potential, to implement new features that our clients need.
After 1 month of torture(for him apparently), I have discovered that nothing of what I have explained, or any of those courses that I paid, sticks to him. He come in March after 1 month of training saying that is really stressful and hard to do coding and he will stick to soldering.
Now, I have decided because that amount of money isn't something that you will be able to live luxury, so I was thinking that, when I order food for myself…to get two, in order to eat together and to spare some of his money.
I have always shown him the menu, and I can say there were great options for 5-6-8 euro, but I have the situation where he chooses some 10-15 euro dishes. I said ok, I will take this on me, let him be happy.
Two weeks ago, he came to me to do a renegotiation of his salary.
Now, I have read a lot of bad stories about “Bosses” and no respect and lots of lots of worst cases, and I said to offer him transparency and reasons, to not be a bad boss.
I explain to him that right now, the business isn't much profitable, as we don't have too many clients in this period of the years, basically, what the business made, I give to him as a salary. There isn't any profit and money for me. Even showing him the selling graphs and data.
So, because you choose to not learn, and any programming, you are doing only 2 PCBs a day, and then leaving after 3-5 hours of work, because you don't have anything to do, and because I hated when I was an employee to be prisoner because you have to hit the 8-hour mark.
Also, I point out that, even if you don't get more money, take into consideration that I pay for food each time, and this is from my own money. But, I give him some choices:
- We continue like this, with no changes
- Learn programing the basic stuff, for 1-2-3 months and I will give you a 50% raise after a test
- Find something else if this isn't what you like, no hard feelings.
After a few days, he came to me to say that he will start to find something else.
I said ok, no hard feelings, it was a pleasure to work together until now.
Then, this happened yesterday, he said that will continue to work this summer for me because he has some problems with his girlfriend and he cannot concentrate to learn new things and stuff which will be the case for a new job. After this, he said: “Can you not buy food, and give me the money instead?”
I was out of words, because that feature isn't stipulated in the contract, and is from my own money. I got a bit upset over this but I said no, and I will not order food anymore, as you don't appreciate it.
Am I doing the right thing? I am a bad boss? I really feel bad cause I cannot offer more, but the situation right now isn't that bight. Even with this In mind, I still feel bad about this…