Coming off the holiday brain fog, I find myself training a new hire. After a long search for some-one to take over sales for our company, I’m so happy to have Kelly Ross on board. I quickly realized, however, how unprepared I am to onboard a new employee — one with no prior knowledge of…
Competition for great employees is fierce. Coupled with high turnover rates in the industry, it can be discouraging to struggle with a revolving door of employees. Taking a look at what may be driving them away can help. “When a company is struggling, we often look to what we can do better for customers or…
You’ve nailed your marketing message and target audience; leads are pouring in and sales are great. But any time an employee gives their two weeks or you find yourself understaffed, you break into a cold sweat as positions go unfilled for weeks, even months. The problem may be twofold: You’re not looking in the right…
ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT COWORKERS/CULTURE BENEFITS
At the Pool | Spa | Patio Expo in November, I asked a very successful hot tub retailer what they still struggled with. This retailer seems to be doing everything right but said finding good employees is still incredibly difficult. I should have known. Long before I had this conversation at the show, we decided…
Rene Huston Patio Pleasures Pools & Spas owner/vice president of finance, sales and marketing Sun Prairie and Madison, Wisconsin Finding employees keeps me up most at night. It’s also what sometimes holds me back from growth ideas: not knowing if I’ll have the staff to support the idea(s). Over the past month, we have spent…
For Brian Quint of Seattle-based Aqua Quip, the regional labor pool has talent, high expectations and plenty of options. Washington state, after all, is home to global juggernauts like Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon, all of which are famous for generous benefits packages and employee-centric work cultures. But if Quint’s company sells hot tubs, swim spas,…
During my recent presentations and consultations with leaders and management teams, I’ve heard many comments about the current tight job market. Leaders complain about having job openings listed for a long time. And they frequently voice concerns that they have to quickly hire someone out of fear that they, their managers or their employees, will…
This issue of SpaRetailer is an actuary’s dream come true: Numbers, stats and percentages, presented to help in all areas of your business. If you ask any business owner about their biggest recurring expense, they’ll say employees and payroll. In his Harvard Business Review article, the late business guru and consultant Peter Drucker says: “Organizations…