As tough as the lumber situation has been over the last year or so for many companies, the number one concern for almost every pallet company is labor. Where do I find employees? How do I keep them? How do I compete against rising wages and benefits?
This issue of the Pallet Enterprise has two articles focusing on employees and human resources. An article covering two pallet companies and what they have done to ensure proper training for new hires is a must read. Both companies share key insights on how they get to know employees and ensure that they understand the key things they need to know to do a good job in the pallet industry.
Another article is a second column in a two-part series on the importance of respect and how treating employees right can prevent the revolving door syndrome. This installment focuses on the roll of managers and how you can identify if your supervisors are the reason that many employees are leaving. Bad managers lead to disgruntled employees. You can’t afford that in this competitive labor environment.
Finally, this letter includes some highlights from the Work as Worship Conference that I attended last year. The conference focused on how Christians can make a difference in the world through their work. The Enterprise has already run a few articles based on information presented at the conference. The “Work as Worship” events are produced by RightNow Media, which offers a variety of educational resources for Christian business leaders. You can find out more at https://www.rightnowmedia.org/
Even if you are not a person of faith, many of the principles covered in the Right Now Media videos and resources are helpful to build a more collaborative and caring work environment. Companies that treat people right are more likely to keep them for the long run.
Chris Brooks, a pastor from Detroit, spoke on how companies can impact their communities for the better. He said, “People are actually the solution, not the problem.”
As a minority himself, Brooks shared that God has called humanity to produce work to bless others. Many companies in the pallet industry are in parts of cities or in local communities where they can be change agents for positive good. You may be hiring people who would otherwise struggle to find work. Or you may be an employer in an area that is somewhat economically distressed. Brooks stressed, “Any sector that we have not focused on is an area we have already surrendered over to the enemy.” By this he meant that we can’t just throw up our hands and say that something or someone is a lost cause.
Brooks added, “What our communities need most is Christian economic development.” He pointed to the importance of faith because people need a force stronger than themselves to change. In the same way, companies need a mission that goes beyond just making a profit although you can’t accomplish much unless you do make a profit.
So, what is your reputation in the local community? Do you have one? Or are you pretty much invisible to the business world around you? Companies with limited goals and vision tend to be the ones that go unnoticed.
What is one thing that you want all customers, employees and neighbors to say about your business? Your reputation is everything. Why do so few companies put effort in making theirs better?
The danger is if you ask, you might not like what you hear. Developing strong culture goes hand-in-hand with growing strong people. Good employees don’t happen by accident. What are you doing to create vision, train up your staff and impact your community and customers?
