I think there's a happy medium depending what you're doing. In the climate here I would absolutely expect an employee to run a truck or piece of equipment without AC, it's not a big deal plenty do it, including me. No AC in my dump and it doesn't work on my mini and I couldn't care to fix it as it's not a priority. But that's a whole lot different from running old junk equipment without the basics. I wouldn't expect a driver to drive my dump as is all day, without a air seat for example.
But people also need to look after stuff if you expect to run nice stuff. I'm kinda getting a test run of employees now, and I don't like it. It's my dads dump but i'm basically looking after the driver. No complaints about the truck, well shouldn't be it's a 2015 automatic it's a nice truck to drive. But doesn't look after it. Smoked in it without ever asking (only been my family that's drove it before him and none of us can stand the smell of smoke), wasn't doing pre-trips physically pre-trip or the paperwork, basically just getting in turning the key and going, carelessly backs over things, didn't know what the wait to start light was (I wanted to strangle him for that), and on and on. Now this isn't some 20 year old, this guy is around 70 and until a few years ago ran his own truck for 10+ years, so you shouldn't have to tell him much. This is in addition to the fact that every second day at least, he goes to the wrong place at least once. I told my dad already, I would have fired him 2 or 3 times over, but it's not my truck so his decision other then the fact that i've had enough with his mistakes costing me money and it won't happen anymore.
I'm on sites a decent amount with my brothers guys too and I don't bother saying much anymore. He seems to think it's the best that's out there, which for concrete probably isn't far off. The worst he threatened one guy was if the oil in his crew truck got below safe again he wouldn't be driving it anymore.
It is pretty common and I don't get it. How can people treat things like ****? I mean if it's a $100 drill it's a lot different then a $30k truck or skidsteer, etc but if they abuse one chances are they abuse everything.
I don't think I will ever go beyond 1 employee. Once things are back in swing if there is a fair amount of work i'm going to try and find someone who can run my CTL and dump truck, maybe even semi-retired who only wants to work a bit. I don't care if someone is a bit slow. But I absolutely will not put up with anyone abusing my stuff.