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Why should anyone work for you?

April 21, 2011 by Harry Friedman

The nightmare of finding people to work on the selling floor continues. It seems like it's been a problem forever. But the last 25 to 30 years it's been getting worse. Today it's a mind blower.

I was chatting with a client today about managers' and district managers' compensation. For years I've helped clients jump on the productivity-based pay bandwagon, as I have a strong belief that retail is a "choice" business. Everyday salespeople have a choice of how they choose to behave with each customer that comes into their store. They can do the minimum and virtually point to the requested merchandise, or they can go the extra mile and actually develop a relationship in which customers want to come in and shop again. I simply want to pay for the later.

But even if you are on a productivity-based pay program and your staff has the opportunity to enjoy increased pay for increased productivity, it isn't enough anymore. Times have changed and it's time to re-think the environment and benefits your employees receive.

A few months ago I had the pleasure of doing a sales seminar in Northern California. Our client is a world-beater manufacturer of bicycles, and the participants were salespeople from stores throughout the U.S. I must admit I was a little excited as I own one of their bicycles and just flat out love to ride. From the moment I arrived at their headquarters my mind and heart started to race.

Their lobby is a quasi museum of past accomplishments, prototypes and just enough history to give you an idea of how innovative they are. I'll spare you the details of the grand tour but there were a few highlights worth sharing. First, the company encourages you to ride to work. They have a locker room for men and one for women that will each accommodate 50 people. They have an entire fleet of bicycles in all the current models for employees to ride, and maintain a staff of mechanics, just in case you need one. You can pick up a helmet and shoes and off you go. At lunchtime, there's a two-hour bike ride ­­­– and the amazement continues. Guess what? People love working there.

I often read about the top U.S. companies to work for and the unique things they do to attract and retain employees. I sometimes fantasize that if my company were as big as the ones they mention, I too would be like them. I know that many years ago I was able to create a work environment that was world class.

I would close the office to go bowling or play miniature golf. I would BBQ in the parking lot behind the office. And I was generous. I bought employees cars, pianos, clothing, and any number of things to show my appreciation. Then it stopped. Times got tougher and the cutbacks began.

As I write this I'm reminded of a well-known retailer who is a client of ours. They have 35 stores and offer no discounts to employees on the very merchandise they sell. Hmmm.

With my conversation today I had an epiphany. I might have cut back a lot in my company, but many of the retailers I know were never in the game of making their company a place that people really wanted to work at to begin with. So, here's the deal. Beyond the pay, beyond the wonderful merchandise you sell, why should I work for you? WIIFM – what's in it for me?

As we were talking about pay I suggested he rethink the perks he gives. Give random days off. Buy little things staff members might enjoy. Give an extra week of vacation for top producers. Get thinking and start making it a joy to work for your company. It's not just about money today; it's also about lifestyle. Theirs.

Treat your folks like you really value them and you'll find you don't have to keep replacing them so often. We have a form we've used in one of our courses called the Employees Value Assessment Form. The exercise is simple. Write down what you think employees value in their work environment, then ask them and see how you stack up. You'll soon start to get a picture of whether you've created a company they enjoy working for.

So all in all it was a good day. Helped a terrific customer, had a couple of ideas on how to be a better employer myself, and thought about my next bike ride.

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