I won't condone it, but working alone is my normal day-to-day way. This is my 17th year in business
Over time I have hired help, from degenerates, to world class climbers, to board certified master arborists. One thing rings consistent across the board- Though I very much enjoy the company of others, I take a substantial pay cut almost every time.
Now, my system is truly set up to work solo, and I find a lot of peace and enjoyment, but this is me. As MD says 'there may be a reason for this' and I have mine. Basically, a deep fear of another man getting hurt on my jobsite. Granted, the ANSI safety manual says on page one that each individual is responsible for their own safety, but in reality, if someone gets hurt on my jobsite, it is my fault.
So, just those two things alone send my stress level up. Then there's all the other employee issues, which of course we could go on and on. But at the root of it all, when I'm in the tree, I usually just need men to stay out of the zone. If I yell 'CLEAR' between cuts and I watch casual, almost slow-motion action, and I'm waiting, every second is painful. When I have to say something, given the distance from crown to ground, you almost are forced to yell to be heard clearly. Yelling instructions, especially the obvious, stresses me and the tone comes through, and not in a warm and fuzzy way.
Also, I generally have to turn off my ear-protective music muffs to stay connected and in communication with the guy. Music during my work is one of the great benefits I personally enjoy, without which the work becomes more like, ...... work.
Freedom is another big one. I go out in the morning, sometimes at sunrise, sometimes at 10:00. Usually when I get done reading threads on arboristsite. I work until I'm done working, whenever that is. Even though I'm a full-time arborist, lifestyle plays into it a lot.
My firewood guys make this reasonably possible on larger jobs, basically I don't have to handle heavy wood. Big limbs get cut up into 16"s until its small diameter brush, and they move the wood out and I deal with the remaining brush. I have two log arches, so I can move thousand pound limbs by myself with it, a 6" Bandit & 4WD truck that I can generally get right into the core of the mess. I hire help when there's a distance to be covered, or I'm near electrical. If I needed to be aerially rescued, even a most experienced ground guy can still only dial a phone. I would have to have a climber experienced in aerial rescue to rescue me aerially, and there is always someone around to dial 911. I work in a densely populated area, someone is always watching the treeguy work.
Since it is my business, my safety and my life, I see this as my personal decision. There are no laws requiring me to have employees to do tree care:greenchainsaw:, so I'll make those choices job-to-job.
I'm a production-oriented aerial technician, not a personnel manager, not a caterer, a counselor, a loan officer, nor an accommodator to all the wants and needs of another person. I hire for that person to accommodate MY needs.
I am likely a much better employee than a boss. Boss is not my strong point. I could manage and direct others well, I feel, but only if it were not for my own company.