Recently, Alexa Lott (Director of People's Success and Talent Optimization Coach), and I got together to discuss the #1 issue in labor today: retention. And more importantly, what we can do to help it.
Please watch the video below, listen to the latest episode of the QSR Nation Podcast, or continue reading to learn more about how we can help you.
In a survey of our retailers in October of 2021, 78% of our respondents indicated that labor was their #1 issue... and it hasn't gotten better. This isn't a new problem that we're facing. Labor has always been a major issue, but the COVID-19 pandemic has presented new challenges. A lot of people left foodservice and retail jobs during COVID, and they haven’t come back.
People's Success and Labor Support
One of our 10 levels of support at PFSbrands is People Success. Most people do not know that we have resources, and a whole team, available to actually help you recruit employees. We have six full-time Human Resource (People's Success) employee owners at PFSbrands who are dedicated to helping those within our company, and yours, to be more successful in work and life. This level of support is available to our wholesaler and retailer partners, so that you can hire the right people and get them in the right position at your business.
We like to say, "Get the right people on the bus." If there are any Jim Collins fans out there, then you've heard him talk about how you get the right people on the bus and then get them in the right seat. So many people just want to have a body. While I understand the importance of having a body show up to work, it's more important to get the right people onboard. Then, you have to follow up with career development to help them improve their career path - ultimately setting them up for success. A lot of you might have minimal to zero human resources support in your organization right now, so that is where we want to step in and help.
The Hiring Process And Beyond
We have certain assessments that everybody takes prior to coming onboard here at PFSbrands. These particular assessments not only help us initially hire the right people, but ongoing, we continue to use these assessments and talk to our people through what we call a "GRITT Session" every 90 days. We actually sit down with every single individual throughout all of our companies and go through our Strength Finders, Kolby Indexes, and other assessors to make sure that we know how we work best with other people. Getting the right person onboard is just the first step.
Beyond that, we do our best to help our people grow. Ultimately, you may want to put someone in a different role than the role he/she started in. If you have someone who is a good cultural fit for your company, do what you can to get that person in the right seat. It's not uncommon for people to move around here. Right now, it's very important that we do everything we can to keep our people with us. Sometimes that means trying to figure out ways to offer different benefits. In some cases, that might mean more pay. But, it is a proven statistic that people typically do not leave a job for more pay. They usually leave because of a leader. Because of that, we put a strong focus on leadership team training and prioritize sitting down with every employee at least every 90 days to ensure they are on a path for success.
We encourage open discussion. If someone is not happy, it would be much better to know that before they turn in their resignation. Those are things that you need to develop a trust and respect for within your organization in order to allow people to come to you with those types of issues.
To Retailers Who Are Short Staffed...
First, I encourage you to reach out to our People Success team. They have an abundance of tools to help you.
Next, be a recruiter. Everybody needs to be recruiting within your company. Our team does a great job of "building a bench." No different than a good sports team, we always have a bench of players to pull from, if need be. We are constantly recruiting, even when we don't have open positions, because the worst position you can be in is one where you don't have anybody to reach out to when you do have an opening.
Lastly, improve your company culture and make it a place where people enjoy coming to work. I recognize that this is not easy. You will not get there overnight, but you need to continuously strive towards making your place of work the best it can be.
How Do You Find A-Players?
Tap into your internal resources and talk to your current employees. You are doing yourself a disservice by not doing so. Good people know good people. Most of the people that you want to hire are probably already employed. It doesn't matter what type of position you're recruiting for, be prepared and always carry a business card and a recruiting card. In the retail world especially, it is so easy to find good people.
For example, if you visit a convenience store and notice a great employee behind the counter, recruit them on the spot by handing them your card. There is an abundance of opportunity to recruit A-players in retail, but they aren't going to find you with a "help wanted" sign.
Recruiting people on this way will also help stop the revolving door. When you find good people and make an effort to recruit them, then continue to make the effort to keep them, they are going to stay. That's how you bring an A-player onto your team.
How Do I Motivate The Employees I Have Right Now?
First and foremost, set expectations. Then, communicate with your employees: let them know what drives the company and how they personally contribute. People want to have a bigger purpose. Give them visibility, offer them communication, show their importance, and explain how they are affecting the company. Finally, give recognition and rewards when applicable. People enjoy praise, being seen, and feeling heard. These are really simple things that you can do, but that people don't do. Again, it is not easy and it takes time, but it is very much worth it.
We Are Here To Help
We have the resources and the bandwidth, not only to help internally but externally as well. We have six people here and multiple assessment tools that help us understand who we're talking to, how to communicate, and how to motivate. You have our People Success team, my vision, and our dedicated employee owners to help bring you success. We're in this together.
Keep looking forward,
