Just about every company I’ve worked with over the past twenty years has a list of core values that is proudly displayed on a handsome plaque in their corporate headquarters and visible to all on their company website. But if you were to ask the custodian, a delivery driver, or the receptionist that works for…
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…
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’.
Attention parents! If your kid is still parked on the basement couch this late in the summer playing Fortnite and driving you crazy by whining they can’t find a job, it’s time to change the password on the Wi-Fi and kick ‘em to the curb with a tough-love boot. As the U.S. economy continues its remarkable rebound from the…
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…
What we call “labor” today bears little resemblance to its meaning of yesteryear. In fact, during the late 1800’s, one of our nation’s darkest labor periods at the height of the Industrial Revolution, the average American worked 12-hour days and often 7 days per week in order to eke out a basic living. Few other…
The irony of the subtitle of my new book FULLY STAFFED: The Definitive Guide to Finding and Keeping Great Employees in the Worst Labor Market Ever (releasing Monday, April 20th) is obvious. After all, if the COVID-19 pandemic has force millions to file for unemployment, could this STILL be considered ‘the worst labor market ever?’ The answer is a…
Using a low price loss leader item and training front line employees to upsell customers to a higher margin product is a practice that’s been around since Moses played goalie for the Egyptian soccer team. It’s also one of many such tactics that millennial and Gen Z-aged employees despise. Unless they’re being closely monitored by…