In the U.S. we’re experiencing labor shortages across many sectors, including flooring, and it’s not just a shortage of installers anymore. It’s every position, including salespeople. Following are some strategies I give my coaching clients when it comes to finding new talent in this difficult environment.
Recognize your competition
You’re no longer just competing with other dealers for workers. You’re competing with every other business that has put out a “We’re Hiring” sign. And because government programs incentivize people not to work, you’re also competing with not working at all. In this environment you have to out-compete these other options. You have to be creative and aggressive.
It’s a marketing problem
Workers can be very, very choosy right now, so you have to shift your approach to hiring. You need to think of it not as a “hiring” problem but as a marketing problem. You’ve got to “out-market” your competition. “Help Wanted” messages are useless because everybody is saying that. Better messaging is key.
In previous columns I’ve said that every prospective client has an unspoken question on their mind: “Why should I buy from you versus every competitive option available to me, including doing nothing?” The dealer whose messaging answers this question most effectively wins. Every prospective hire has the same unspoken question: “Why should I go to work for you versus every competitive option available to me, including not working at all?”
Let’s look at some ways you can answer this critical question more effectively than your competition:
Salary
Many employers try to figure out the least they can pay someone and still get them to work for them. Right now you need to do a 180 on that thinking and offer the most you can reasonably afford to pay your new hire. Look at your salary budget and find creative ways to maximize rather than minimize it.
Fringe benefits
Besides their salary, what about your business is attractive to a prospective employee? What makes it a better place to work than, say, Walmart, Home Depot, a restaurant or a grocery store?
Here are some ideas:
- A steady, predictable work schedule. In all the jobs I mentioned above, work schedules are often unpredictable, with days and hours varying from week to week. This is a huge source of frustration for employees. You can offer an alternative.
- An exciting career path. You need to paint a bright picture of what their career will look like over the next five to 10 years by joining your team.
- Allowing remote work at least one or two days a week. (For bookkeeping, scheduling, answering phones, etc.)
- A positive, empowering work environment.
- Membership to a local health club.
- Matching 401K.
- Free-lunch Fridays.
- $75 monthly stipend toward their mobile phone bill.
Jim Armstrong is the founder and president of Flooring Success Systems, a company that provides flooring dealers with marketing services and coaching to help them attract quality customers, close more sales, get higher margins and work the hours they choose. For more information, visit FlooringSuccessSystems.com.
