Merry Christmas, happy holiday to all of you!

I’m posting today, because I’m struggling, mentally with my business, and I guess, I’m looking for any helpful advise to help guide me in the right direction.

For Christmas this year, I gave my full time guys each 1000$ dollar bonuses, which I paid the taxes out of my own pocket on. And I didn’t even receive a thank you.

I know I shouldn’t let something as small as a phrase get to me this much, but it’s been 4 days now and I’ve never felt so under appreciated. This on top of burn out and everything else has me wondering what is the point.

A little about the business:

I run a small landscape business in the Midwest. I have 2 full time guys, and we get 2 visa seasonal workers in the summer.

Back in 2021 I started a small addition, flipping houses, to my business. I started it with the idea of trying to give the guys money through the winter. This way they had a sufficient income year around, instead of relying on unemployment. I went in not expecting to make much profit as these guys had a little construction experience. I also feel if my guys work hard in the summer, they can take it a little easier in the winters.

The guys make 25 dollars an hour. Which is the same as the mechanics and welders with 5 plus years of experience in our small town. I feel it’s a good wage. On top of that, I started, giving them 200$ a month as a healthcare stipend, and 40 hours pto. I appreciate my workers and have tried to make their lives easier as I could. I was going to try and start a 401k match program this year also.

This last year, the guys have given me 65% effort at best. They Do not complete tasks properly or in a proper time frame. I have to be there watching everything they do, to insure I don’t get a call back (callbacks went up by at least 10x this year.)

Monday, 3 days after they received bonus. I sent them to fix a yard ( I was sick with flu). I told them to make sure everything is 100% as we had been back to this yard 2x already. I get a call from my contractor saying the guys just finished up. But there was 2 spots, they just slopped together. I had to call my guys and have the conversation of “you know what is expected of you” I didn’t raise my voice or put them under the bus. I just told them, i will not pay them to go back again if their work is not up to our standard.

This constant pressure of them not performing, over the last couple years has turned me to working upwards of 4k hours a year.

The guys, don’t prioritize what I tell them. They don’t do things how I tell them. And if I’m not right there holding their hands, nothing gets done.

I have thought about, finishing this house and laying them off till may with out telling them till the day we are done with the house. ( I don’t think I could do it, I would feel like shit about it, but it takes the edge off for a couple seconds thinking about it.)

Back in nov. of 2020 one of these guys was having a bad day, and told me to do something myself after I told them to. I told him to get off my job site. The guy couldn’t find another job and had no money for Christmas that year, I felt bad and gave him 300$ to buy his kids gifts and hired him back.

I’m sorry for taking time out of your day on Christmas. And also, I know I sort of ramble.

I just can’t fathom why someone, would not have the common decency to say thank you. I gave the bonuses to brighten up there holidays, and I don’t feel they worked hard enough to deserve them.

This along with everything else just has me so overwhelmed. I wasn’t even able to enjoy watching my kids open there gifts. I appreciate anybody that takes the time to read this and help me in the right direction.

Thank you! Happy holidays to all of you!