Looking for clues to a good employee
Working in a garden store retail setting is, most often, difficult physical and mental work. It requires that employees have skills to meet these demands of the job. We look for these answers in candidates for green garden gates. They are in this order of importance to us;
1. Does the candidate have retail experience?
Working on a retail floor setting is the most important qualifications for a candidate. The ability to deal with and keep positive with the hundreds of customers in the garden store setting is a skill only gained by experience. We don’t care as much about what kind of retail floor setting. We are looking for coping skills in this retail activity.
2. Does the candidate have the physical stamina for the job?
We can have the most sincere, enthusiastic, and motivated person as an employee, but if he or she is physically unable to handle the rigors of the workday hours, it will all break down and that struggle to just keep standing up will take over. So, we are interested in a candidates who are physically toned and fit as well as medically sound, who take care of themselves physically, and who have a work or free time history of outdoor activities. There is just no use in doing a “let’s give it a try” with a candidate who has a chronic history of back problems or severe arthritis for these normal hourly positions. It just will not work. However, we can work around these issues sometimes, by providing a very short hourly schedule for a candidate who has such superior skills that a custom work plan is advantageous.
3. Does the candidate have the knowledge and experience with gardening?
The basic skills and knowledge of gardening is, understandably, very important to us in our positions on the retail floor. It may be working at other garden stores or greenhouses, their home garden, work on a farm or belonging to a gardening club or group. We look first as to whether the work has been done in the local area or region and then, work done in another area of the country. Hours of hours of instruction and training can be eliminated with a candidate with these basic experience, knowledge and gardening skills
4. Is the job at green garden gates going to be too mundane or boring for the candidate?
We hate the term “overqualified” but there is real truth in it. Work in a garden store can be hours of pure joy followed by hours of watching cement set. The candidate may just be unable to dial down their advanced skills and be satisfied with just consolidating marigolds in the flat. Sure, it will work for a while. Sooner or later, their heads will explode; they will become unsatisfied and leave us. It is not anyone’s fault. The job just cannot fit their experience needs.
There are a few employees in a garden store who are way beyond the job description of their work; highly educated, executive work experience, financially secure. For a number of reasons, all they want to do is pick petunias and wait on customers. Perhaps they are just getting their feet wet entering the job market again, they are sick of all the big job pressure or maybe they just want to work in the outdoors and get in physical shape! Maybe they are just looking for “shelter from the storm” for a brief period of time.
They can be outstanding employees. But understand that there is going to be a short attention span for them. The secret is to tailor their job with their needs. Use them for the busy weeks only, allowing them to return year after year during those weeks, Use them on special projects that begin and end. Take advantage of this great skill and motivation but remember that they may not be comfortable with us each hour of each day of each year.
“After ten years owning and operating my own garden store, I decided to sell the place and work for another guy. It was the most frustrating job in my life. I remember my friends just smiling when I told them that I was going to work for someone else. Now I know what they mean.
You see, I knew how to do the jobs the right way, to save time and money. I had been there before and I had figured it out and it worked. But, working for the man (or lady), I just had to shut my mouth and do it the way the boss told me to do it. Gosh, it was tough. They say that hiring an employee who has his or her own business can be very very difficult. I believe it now.”
Paula Mathews
Former garden store owner
Utah
6. Does the candidate have a history of working with a group of other employees?
Some of the best employees just do not get along working as a “team”. They can perform so well on projects all alone, but they cannot be with others for the majority of the working day. There can be a place for these candidates. However, the employment in a garden store is mostly a group effort with fellow employees. Their work history can tell a lot. Were they assigned to keep the stockroom in order? Did they work in a garden store potting trees in the back lot?
5. Is the candidate reasonably financially stable?
Everything is just fine until that day the employee receives the first paycheck. Often, things change fast. He or she opens the envelope and lots of questions pop into the head; the cost of gas and wear on the car to get there, the baby sitting charges and the time away from the chores at home. Right then, there is an instant calculation and a decision will be made whether to continue or look for other work. There are clues about this financial stability in our interviews. Is their vehicle reliable or does it look like it will never make it out of the parking lot? Does their physical appearance and clothing give an indication that they are sacrificing to eat and keep a roof over their head? Do they talk in the interview about moving frequently or their stormy relationships with family, partner or friends? Do they bring small children to the interview because there is no place for the kids to go? Is our paycheck to them the only source of income? (If this is the case, it will not work)
Of course, these questions cannot be asked in an interview, but by simple observation and allowing the candidate to talk about themselves, a pattern can be seen in this financial picture of the person.
6. Does that candidate have a secure home life?
Losing a trained and motivated employee in the middle of the busy spring is difficult for a garden store. Often, it is because of problems at home. There are clues to these problems also. Does he or she have a husband, wife or partner that has moved from job to job, city to city, to find meaningful work? Does someone in the family have a physical or mental condition that requires care? Do the parents of the candidate need extra care? Are the grand kids calling grandma or grandpa to be closer to them?
Many of these questions can be answered just by listening in the interviews. When a choice has to be made to alleviate these home life issues, the work at the garden store will be far down the list.
Many of the attributes for a great manager are also very important for an effective and valuable employee. Those attributes are contained in the posts #73 and #74
__________________________________________________________
Expectations and Job Descriptions for our employees
Each of our employees, no matter what position they have with our company, is presented with a list of general expectations we have for them at green garden gates.
They sign the document at the beginning of their work at our stores and those expectations are reviewed seasonally.
Now we turn to the actual job descriptions for our employees in their respective positions. Before they are hired with us, they review in detail the job tasks and sign the documents so there is no question about their work with our company. We begin with the positions in the order of the most responsibility
______________________________________________________
The Store Manager
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Floor Manager
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The section leaders
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Employee "Guides"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bedding Plant Section Geographical Area
The section leader is responsible for the care, maintenance and sales of all plants and products as well as displays, display upkeep, and overall appearance of these areas.
Working in a garden store retail setting is, most often, difficult physical and mental work. It requires that employees have skills to meet these demands of the job. We look for these answers in candidates for green garden gates. They are in this order of importance to us;
1. Does the candidate have retail experience?
Working on a retail floor setting is the most important qualifications for a candidate. The ability to deal with and keep positive with the hundreds of customers in the garden store setting is a skill only gained by experience. We don’t care as much about what kind of retail floor setting. We are looking for coping skills in this retail activity.
2. Does the candidate have the physical stamina for the job?
We can have the most sincere, enthusiastic, and motivated person as an employee, but if he or she is physically unable to handle the rigors of the workday hours, it will all break down and that struggle to just keep standing up will take over. So, we are interested in a candidates who are physically toned and fit as well as medically sound, who take care of themselves physically, and who have a work or free time history of outdoor activities. There is just no use in doing a “let’s give it a try” with a candidate who has a chronic history of back problems or severe arthritis for these normal hourly positions. It just will not work. However, we can work around these issues sometimes, by providing a very short hourly schedule for a candidate who has such superior skills that a custom work plan is advantageous.
3. Does the candidate have the knowledge and experience with gardening?
The basic skills and knowledge of gardening is, understandably, very important to us in our positions on the retail floor. It may be working at other garden stores or greenhouses, their home garden, work on a farm or belonging to a gardening club or group. We look first as to whether the work has been done in the local area or region and then, work done in another area of the country. Hours of hours of instruction and training can be eliminated with a candidate with these basic experience, knowledge and gardening skills
4. Is the job at green garden gates going to be too mundane or boring for the candidate?
We hate the term “overqualified” but there is real truth in it. Work in a garden store can be hours of pure joy followed by hours of watching cement set. The candidate may just be unable to dial down their advanced skills and be satisfied with just consolidating marigolds in the flat. Sure, it will work for a while. Sooner or later, their heads will explode; they will become unsatisfied and leave us. It is not anyone’s fault. The job just cannot fit their experience needs.
There are a few employees in a garden store who are way beyond the job description of their work; highly educated, executive work experience, financially secure. For a number of reasons, all they want to do is pick petunias and wait on customers. Perhaps they are just getting their feet wet entering the job market again, they are sick of all the big job pressure or maybe they just want to work in the outdoors and get in physical shape! Maybe they are just looking for “shelter from the storm” for a brief period of time.
They can be outstanding employees. But understand that there is going to be a short attention span for them. The secret is to tailor their job with their needs. Use them for the busy weeks only, allowing them to return year after year during those weeks, Use them on special projects that begin and end. Take advantage of this great skill and motivation but remember that they may not be comfortable with us each hour of each day of each year.
“After ten years owning and operating my own garden store, I decided to sell the place and work for another guy. It was the most frustrating job in my life. I remember my friends just smiling when I told them that I was going to work for someone else. Now I know what they mean.
You see, I knew how to do the jobs the right way, to save time and money. I had been there before and I had figured it out and it worked. But, working for the man (or lady), I just had to shut my mouth and do it the way the boss told me to do it. Gosh, it was tough. They say that hiring an employee who has his or her own business can be very very difficult. I believe it now.”
Paula Mathews
Former garden store owner
Utah
6. Does the candidate have a history of working with a group of other employees?
Some of the best employees just do not get along working as a “team”. They can perform so well on projects all alone, but they cannot be with others for the majority of the working day. There can be a place for these candidates. However, the employment in a garden store is mostly a group effort with fellow employees. Their work history can tell a lot. Were they assigned to keep the stockroom in order? Did they work in a garden store potting trees in the back lot?
5. Is the candidate reasonably financially stable?
Everything is just fine until that day the employee receives the first paycheck. Often, things change fast. He or she opens the envelope and lots of questions pop into the head; the cost of gas and wear on the car to get there, the baby sitting charges and the time away from the chores at home. Right then, there is an instant calculation and a decision will be made whether to continue or look for other work. There are clues about this financial stability in our interviews. Is their vehicle reliable or does it look like it will never make it out of the parking lot? Does their physical appearance and clothing give an indication that they are sacrificing to eat and keep a roof over their head? Do they talk in the interview about moving frequently or their stormy relationships with family, partner or friends? Do they bring small children to the interview because there is no place for the kids to go? Is our paycheck to them the only source of income? (If this is the case, it will not work)
Of course, these questions cannot be asked in an interview, but by simple observation and allowing the candidate to talk about themselves, a pattern can be seen in this financial picture of the person.
6. Does that candidate have a secure home life?
Losing a trained and motivated employee in the middle of the busy spring is difficult for a garden store. Often, it is because of problems at home. There are clues to these problems also. Does he or she have a husband, wife or partner that has moved from job to job, city to city, to find meaningful work? Does someone in the family have a physical or mental condition that requires care? Do the parents of the candidate need extra care? Are the grand kids calling grandma or grandpa to be closer to them?
Many of these questions can be answered just by listening in the interviews. When a choice has to be made to alleviate these home life issues, the work at the garden store will be far down the list.
Many of the attributes for a great manager are also very important for an effective and valuable employee. Those attributes are contained in the posts #73 and #74
__________________________________________________________
Expectations and Job Descriptions for our employees
Each of our employees, no matter what position they have with our company, is presented with a list of general expectations we have for them at green garden gates.
They sign the document at the beginning of their work at our stores and those expectations are reviewed seasonally.
Now we turn to the actual job descriptions for our employees in their respective positions. Before they are hired with us, they review in detail the job tasks and sign the documents so there is no question about their work with our company. We begin with the positions in the order of the most responsibility
______________________________________________________
The Store Manager
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Floor Manager
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The section leaders
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Employee "Guides"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section Employee's Checklists
We use checklists for each area of employee position at green garden gates. They are developed by careful observation of even the smallest tasks that need attention in these sections. We are flexible as to how each section leader uses the checklists. Some require a daily check-off of the tasks. Others simple ask the employees to refer to the checklists to keep a pattern of consistency. New hires are asked to watch the checklists closely until their work routine is established.
The following is a typical checklist for the carryout/support section of our store.
Geography of the Section
Each section is in essence, a little company, a little store, standing by itself. It has its own expenses and income and its own supervisory people who manage that section. The sections have geographical boundaries that are specifically spelled out and are the primary responsibility of the employees working in that area.
We are clear that all areas of the store are each and everyone’s job, regardless of the area assigned but particular attention is to be for his or her assigned area. Here is the description of one section of a garden center in
The Bedding Plant Section Geographical Area
The two covered houses
The tables outside in the bedding plant display area
The walkways
The outside area between the walkways and the building walls
The dogleg area
The center bed
The west half of the Spirea bed
The temporary tables
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