Workamper No Shows


(Legitimate concerns from Debra, a campground owner)





Workamper no shows leave campgrounds in a bad pickle. Here's a letter I recently received:

Hello Colleen,

I was perusing your website looking for bad workcamper experiences but could not find one that dealt with a campground having a bad experience with a workcamper. Do you get many of them?

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We had someone who has been telling us they were coming here to work camp but she never showed up.

She never called me to let me know she was not coming or anything. We have had really good luck with our workcampers the past several years, but this was a first problem we have encountered. It makes you a little leery of trusting anyone.

I have contacted another person who was interested the same time as the gal we thought was coming and she is going to take the position, so we'll see.





Comments for Workamper No Shows

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Solving the Workers Who Don't Show Problem


We occasionally here from a campground owner who has had a bad experience -- including a no show -- but not often.

However, I do receive lots of emails from campground owners who have had last minute cancellations. And, the excuse the RVer gave sounded pretty flimsy.

Interestingly, most often when I hear from a campground owner that there was a problem with the RVer, I hear from the RVer that there was a problem with the employer. That's why, unlike some of the other publications, I do not publish campground names when RVers report their negative experiences.

I would love to have more information on the website with the campground owner's point of view. Anything from your personal dilemma of what you face when a work camper doesn't show up, to how you decide which RVers to hire, to what you'd like to see on resumes, to how you deal with taxes on the work-for-site part of things, to sharing some examples of how work campers really helped you or what they could have done differently that would have made a big improvement.... If you'd want to take some time and write up something, that would be very helpful. Most RVers have no real concept of what it is like to run a campground and some don't see the obvious.

As a reader of our website, you probably know that I often recommend RVers go to the campground first and meet with the owner/manager, before committing to work. One way to eliminate the workamper no show problem is to follow that same basic advice -- hire RVers who are already at your park and who have demonstrated the qualities you desire in your staff.
Do the Right Thing


Debra,

Regretfully, there are always some bad apples, but most workampers are reliable. We have had to change our plans with employers who hired us, BUT ALWAYS CALL AHEAD OF TIME to let them know any changes in our plans.

I think that there should be a website where employers can comment and name workampers who leave employers "out to dry," without good cause.

In one instance, we turned down a job for a better one, but since the rejected job was en route, we offered to work for 2-3 weeks until new couple arrived.

Let's not ruin a good thing. Treat employers right and they will be happy with the value that workampers offer.
Everyone Could Improve


I'm sure there are workkampers that are no shows (NOT acceptable). No excuses for that. Makes the majority which are good RVers look bad.

Some do have last minute emergencies, because of our age, but I would guess there are as many employers that do not live up to their end of the deal as there are no shows.

For us working WiFi is very important as we do most everything on line.

Happy Trails to all,
A happy workkamper

Common Courtesy Is Too Uncommon


I've been both employer and employee, so have seen both sides. As I state in the comment title, common courtesy is uncommon these days, particularly between employers and employees. I can't blame it on the youth as I have seen atrocious behavior in those old enough to be my parents. Folks for whom you'd assume courtesy was second nature, exhibiting no consideration for any but themselves.

Then again, I've seen employers who assume that "because I said so" was sufficient explanation to any employee for anything. We've all run into that type at least once in our working life. It is never a pleasant experience, is it?

"Do unto others, as you'd have them do unto you." Old fashioned, perhaps, but still the best way of handling all of your interpersonal relationships.

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