January 2020 - 56

MANAGEMENT
for entry level positions, even
where the minimum wage rate is
much lower. Employers that do
not or cannot increase rates to
keep pace with local market rates
are finding it harder to hire and
retain workers.
4. Offer continuous learning.
Employee development should
be a continuous process and,
with multiple options for
online learning management
systems (LMSs), mobile-friendly
platforms, and YouTube video
training, it's easier than ever
before to educate employees.
If conducted properly, training
becomes an asset, not a cost.
Consider offering opportunities
for employees to receive training
on nontraditional work topics,
such as financial planning and
health and wellness topics.
Keep employees involved in
industry trends and changes. The
more immersed they are in the
business, the more likely they
are to commit.
5. Bolster employee
communication and recognition.
Think in terms of fun contests,
rewards and department or company-wide
recognition, along with frequent, fluid and less formal
communication and feedback. Ensure that managers
have exceptional listening skills, patience and the
ability to encourage others and show appreciation.
Adopt a practice of celebrating employee life events,
such as having/adopting a child, buying a house, or
getting married.
6. Improve onboarding. Create organizational
commitment from day one. Roll out the red carpet for
new hires! Consider showing videos of current workers
sharing information and telling real stories about the
garden center, arranging a scavenger hunt for new hires
to get information about the organization, or providing
a welcome kit to new hires.
Assign a mentor to newly hired employees and
arrange for them to have lunch with managers
the first day, so they feel valued. Initiate people
immediately upon hire by means of unique,
interesting, and state-of-the-art orientation.
7. Treat your employees like business partners. Promote
entrepreneurial vision by allowing employees to make
decisions that impact the business. Younger employees
gravitate toward positions that give them flexibility,
freedom and control over their lives. They want to
make decisions on their own and control the outcome
of a situation. Control is often what brings satisfaction
in work. This is why so many people start their own
businesses or become free agents!
56 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | JANUARY 2020
8. Consider innovative, meaningful benefits. Student
loan repayment programs, pet-friendly perks (pet
insurance, " paw-ternity " leave and pet bereavement
leave), paid days off for volunteering in the
community, enhanced bereavement leave benefits,
and paid parental leave or family leave for eldercare
are gaining popularity.
9. Adopt a PTO policy. If you want to attract and retain
talent in today's market, a paid time off (PTO) policy
can help. PTO policies combine sick and vacation
time and provide employees with flexibility to
manage their time off without having to justify their
whereabouts. When transitioning to a PTO policy,
ensure that the amount of time off is consistent with
market rates and that the program complies with any
applicable mandated paid sick leave requirements.
10. Remove ineffective managers. They come in all shapes
and sizes - those who are unwilling or unable to hold
people accountable, those who don't promote the
company's core values, and those who avoid engaging
with and developing employees, to name a few.
Remember, good employees leave bad bosses, not
good companies. You can create the greatest garden
center in the world, but if one of your employees ends
up working for a bad manager, the employee will be
gone faster than you can say " leadership training. " If
you have managers who are unable to effectively lead
and develop their direct reports, train and educate
them. If managers are unwilling to make necessary
changes, then you must!
January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2020
