Businesses and brands that are replacing service workers with technology are discovering that this strategy is creating as many problems as it’s solving. Robots (the broad term I’ll use to describe digital kiosks and various other mechanical systems) are diligent, and they don’t call in sick. They won’t cheat you. They won’t ask for a…
Ten years ago, I visited a college campus in Denver, stood in a high traffic area, and held up a sign saying, DO YOU DESERVE A JOB AFTER YOU GRADUATE? WHAT SALARY ARE YOU ENTITLED TO? At that time, employee entitlement was the biggest challenge among the business owners, leaders, and managers with…
Ask most people under 40 to define the America Dream and you’ll likely hear them mention owning their own business and/or being their own boss. If you dig deeper and ask why so many young people want to pursue entrepreneurship, surprisingly, the first response won’t always be about making more money; in fact, it seldom…
I’ve never wanted to own a donkey. My wife pleaded for one. To settle this argument, we reached a ‘compromised’ the way we typically do. In other words, we now have one, … er’ …make that four adorable miniature donkeys: two males and two females. Donkeys are the most misunderstood – and often the most…
If you try to recruit teenagers — and hire them — and onboard them — and train them — and manage them — and try to motive them the way you were recruited, hired, trained, etc. like you were recruited, hired, trained, etc, you’re going to find your breaking point in a hurry. There is a ton of promise and potential in this enigmatic Gen Z workforce. Make no mistake: they want to be successful in their jobs and they have a skill set that will astound you. And they are able to adapt to the rapid changes that are happening everyday in your business much quicker than you and your seasoned workers are able to adapt. But they will arrive with a different set of attitudes, values, and beliefs about this thing called ‘work’.
It’s not what you say about your culture, it’s what your employees say that determines your application flow. Today, workers are skeptical about false promises and claims made by employers. You need to leverage the positive feedback from your best workers if you want to attract the best and the brightest to your business.
The global health pandemic has completely upended the world of work. With social distancing restrictions and other health measures in place, many companies have either shifted to hybrid workplaces or completely transitioned to remote working models. Covid has forever changed the workplace culture, pushed digital skills to the forefront, and paved a clear path for…
Back in 2013 I posted a YouTube video explaining why millennials (teen and young adult workers) hated being paid by the hour. With more than 350K views and a lot of controversial comments, it became apparent that I had struck the nerve that often separates employers and employees. But business owners wanted more – they needed…
Your hiring process has always been a two-way street. While you’re evaluating candidates, they’re evaluating your culture. From the moment you contact candidates through the assessments, interviews, background checks, and job offer, you have an opportunity to demonstrate how your company values and treats its employees. To establish and/or maintain a reputation as a great…
Susan, a friend and client of mine who owns a large plumbing/HVAC company called this morning feeling exasperated. “We’re not getting any responses to the job ads we’ve been running for techs,” she said. “Those guys know that they can make more money sitting on their couch playing X-Box than they can if they return…