Results 21 to 29 of 29
-
01-31-2007, 01:41 AM #21Originally Posted by Anonymous
1.Consider the pay.... most feel, minus the gun they tackle more stress than a police officer and have to handle more tasks, many of those tasks are because the officer can't do it. When you consider the difference in pay it hardly seems fair. Do whatever you can to get the biggest pay raise you can for your people!
2. Flex Shifts - if you have the option to adjust schedules without admin interference, work with the schedule. Some people like 8 hr shifts, some 10, some 12. There are all types of schedules. Monthly rotations, two month rotation. Many county agencies love the 12 hr shift rotation with every other weekend off. But some people do not like 12 hrs and would prefer 8 hours, make a position that rotates 8 hour shifts.
3. Change the uniforms - why do you need to wear all that garb? Is it comfortable?.......no. Do most people want to wear it? Do people see you all day? let them wear what they want within reason. Buy polo shirts, wear jeans. Make their lives easier.
4. Pay or give comp time for training
5. Give them their time off when they ask for it. They are entitled to their vacation time too. Make sure they get a break or a lunch.
6. Most hate being forced to work OT. Do whatever you have to so it is all volunteer.
The dispatchers deserve more respect than many agencies give them.
Just some ideas. And remember you shouldn't have to kiss anyone's azz to work because you do your fair share too.
-
01-31-2007, 03:11 AM #22
Thanks for the response to my questions about moral. I appreciate it but, I have no control over pay, my people were all just given between 10 and 15 % raises. That was a big factor and we are getting more and better applicants because of it but the people there just don't seem to care that they got the raise.
On the subject of leave time. In the past year only 2 people had been denied leave time and it was only 1 day each. I have worked for them and had to do my job also to make sure that they got the time off.
They no longer have to wear uniforms at all. They are provided for the ones that want them but they are also allowed to wear jeans anytime they want. Even with their uniform shirt (Polo shirts)
As far as shifts go. We work four ten hour shifts off. (Except for a couple of them that have hardships with child care and they are allowed to work 5, eight hour shifts. We are on permanent shifts but our days off rotate every 2 months giving everyone a chance to have weekends off. (Work weekends for 2 months - get them off for 2 months) We even manipulate the shifts to give everyone the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays off every other year. I can not change the shifts without admin. approval.
No one is forced to work OT it is voluntary only. We also have part time people that fill in on vacancies and for leave time.
At my dept. any time a dispatcher does anything work related, including training, they are given comp time. Even for some volunteer work they do such as committes.
I do agree that everyone in the communications division does more work than the officers and have more stress than the officers. I have had Capts tell me that he can't do their job and even if he could he wouldn't do their job for his pay.
I try to recognize as many as possible for a job well done. Today we presented a letter to the committie to nominate 1 dispatcher for Employee fo the Month and another for a letter of recognition for all of his hard work.
I have asked all of the dispatchers that when they have a particularly difficult call and one of their co-workers handles something especially well to let a supervisor so we can recognize them but so far, not 1 has bothered. We mostly find them when making recordings for court or for an investigator.
I tried to boost moral by building a wall of honor for them. I took and printed pictures of everyone in the center. Bought frames and made collages with the pics. I presented them with an engraved plaque of A Dispatchers Prayer that is hanging on the wall also. A friend is making a scrap book of pictures also. This is being done with my money but they don't really need to know that.
I have almost decided that they are miserable and won't be happy until everyone around them are too. Actually, it's not all of them. We have the 2 or 3 trouble makers that make everyone dread coming to work. Some part timers ever refuse to work with them.
I guess being nice is not the way to handle them. It's time to sit them down and explain a few facts of life to them and if htey don't like it, maybe it's time to do more interviews.
Sorry, the whole situation gets me down at times too.
Thanks for letting me vent here and any more suggestions would be appreciated.
-
01-31-2007, 05:48 AM #23
Morale
Just a couple things if I could add.
Some of the things you are doing (pictures/colleges) are nice, but be very careful to make sure everyone is represented only once, or at least an equal number of times - if not, you'll be accused of favortism. I don't think you have to use your own money to win your employees over. Have a 'pot luck' night or something, don't foot the bill yourself - just like during the holidays when free food comes in, no one cares where it came from, but they all want their share.
Don't be afraid to jump in and relieve (if you can and are available) fellow workers need to respect the fact that you haven't crossed over to the 'dark side' and are no longer one of 'them'. Answer some calls, relieve on the radio, be part of the Team, but also be a leader. Our best Department head was one who wore 'a badge' but also wanted to learn the dispatcher job. He worked all positions a couple times a week for a few hours. That gained him so much respect - therefore no one could really say he didn't understand. (Plus the road units had to be good for a few hours that day!!)
I feel when you put a majority of women in a room, and lock them up for hours at a time, you are going to have issues. I currently live in another state, and have worked in Florida in a large department, and in my state in smaller departments. It doesn't matter if 20 dispatchers are in a room, or 2, for some reason, there is a level of friction/issues. I don't know if it's the nature of the business or what exactly, but when I read about other departments and what they're going thru, we have the same issues, and/or had the same issues, just with different names and faces.
The times I was in a supervisory position, I always had to remember that today I was in a supervisory position, but tomorrow, all things could change and I could be sitting right next to them working a call together and not be in charge of anything. Remember not to distance yourself. Don't let the position go to your head. You're still a dispatcher, just now you have a little more responsibility. Just like someone working radio is no different from someone working phones...tomorrow the 2 could have opposite assignments, and so could you.
I wish you the best! Should you ever find the answer to why dispatcher environments are the way they are, you need to tell the rest of the APCO world...we'd all like the answer! It would be like finding the Holy Grail!
-
02-01-2007, 02:52 AM #24
thanks for your response. I finally decided that maybe I was trying too hard. I brought the "trouble makers in and explained that their behavior is not acceptable and would not be tolerated any longer. I was very surprised that they actually had good attitudes (1 in denial but with a good attitude. She knows that I had personally witnessed and been the object of her back stabbing so I guess it just made her feel better to deny) I let them all know that I won't tolerate the back stabbing any longer from anyone, no matter who that may be. I may be typing until my fingers are bloody but when I hear it, I'm writting it. It's too bad that I have to take such a heavy approach but there is no other resolution to their behavior. I estimate that I will only have to write a few letters before they get the idea. I know that I can't stop it all together but it will be stopped while I am at work. I refuse to go in to that kind of hostile attitude and I won't allow any of the others to either, if I can help it.
Your suggestion that I relieve them for breaks is a good one. I have been doing it and working shifts for them to take leave since I was promoted. Instead of appreciating it, they expect it. I even had one go to my supervisor to complain that I would not cancel my plans, on my day off and it was Christmas Eve too, to work her shift. I had already explained that I had to work another shift that day to fill a vacancy. I can't win with some of these people and I refuse to bang my head against the wall anymore to please them. The only thing I get from it is a bigger headache!
Thanks again.
-
02-01-2007, 09:54 AM #25
Good for you! By no means did I think you should kiss their azz. Working to together is total different, and it only takes a few but as long as you are consistant and fair the respect you gain will go a long way. I wish you the best of luck, but it sounds like you are doing fine.
-
02-01-2007, 02:35 PM #26
For the supervisor from the panhandle sounds like you are top notch in your field. As for your agency and the people that work for you sounds like they have it better than most agencies down here. Cant tell you when the last time I had a full weekend off, and thats with 6 yrs under my belt. Keep up the good work and tell your people to appreciate what they have and stop complaining.
-
02-02-2007, 02:27 AM #27
Thanks to all of you for letting me vent and for your suggestions. I am so humbled by your kind words. All along I have felt that my people had it much better than they realized but you have all verified it to me and for that I am so grateful. No matter what, I plan to keep trying to make things better for them. They may not appreciate it but I will know that I am doing what is right. I won't be kissing any AZZ to do it either.
Thanks again and if any of you plan to move to the Panhandle, give me a post here and we'll talk, I have openings like everyone else.
-
10-09-2007, 10:55 PM #28Originally Posted by Anonymous
-
11-07-2007, 04:38 AM #29
Re: Becoming a Dispatcher
Originally Posted by newbie
AS IS THE ADMINISTRATION UPSTAIRS
DON'T GO TO PASCO SO THEY PAY CRAP
TARPON IS OK IF THEY LIKE YOU IF NOT YOU'LL BE GONE IN A MINUTE
PINELLAS IS THINKING ABOUT SENDING THEIR CALL CENTER OVERSEAS GO FIGURE THAT ONE.
ST PETE BEACH IS CRAP PAY WELL BUT CRAP FOR SUPERVISORS
Bookmarks