Prodealers talk retention, hiring and company culture
Prodealers of varying sizes discussed employee retention, recruitment, and company culture this morning at the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association’s 2023 Spring Meeting & Legislative Conference.
A meeting of the NLBMDA’s Manufacturers & Services Council opened today’s conference here at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Capitol Hill.
Moderated by Allison Ward, NLBMDA senior membership and operations associate, with questions fielded from a room full of council representatives, navigating the current labor climate quickly became the focus of the meeting.
A labor shortage, a declining skilled labor pool, and competitive wages from other businesses, including fast food restaurants, have resulted in today’s dealers facing job market challenges. Why take a rigorous starting job at a yard when you can stand around and make fries for a similar wage.
Company culture is key to attracting and retaining employees while providing an enjoyable workplace. And this includes allowing employees flexibility, and allowing them to take care of personal and family matters outside of their careers.
Scott Engquist, president of Engquist Lumber Co. in Harcourt, Iowa, said his company has employees that are cross-trained.
“When our CDL driver might have a doctor’s appointment, we have a salesperson who has a CDL license and can deliver the load,” Engquist said. “Our employees are cross-trained so they can back each other up. You have to be flexible.”
In Bonner Springs, Kansas, Vesta Lee Lumber remains “lenient” regarding its employees’ schedules compared to a competing employer.
“I think we pay a fair wage and we are more lenient than another employer might be,” said Jim Bishop, owner of Vesta Lee Lumber and chairman of the NLBMDA. “We work with their schedule.”
In addition to full-time staff, Vesta Lee Lumber employs about 15 part-time high school employees. But Vesta Lee has a secret weapon when it comes to recruiting.
Bishop's son is a basketball coach at the local high school and helps put the word on the street that there are jobs to be had at Vesta Lee.
The topic of attracting more women to the industry was also brought up by council members.
Kodiak Building Partners CEO Steve Swinney noted that 15% of his company's workforce, which includes approximately 6,000 employees at more than 100 locations, are women. Ths compares to the industry average of 11%. And we're not talking bookkeepers.
Swinney noted that two of Kodiak's companies have female presidents with other women positioned in key leadership and management roles throughout the organization.
Kodiak recently presented Linda Hawkins, president of AO Door in Dallas, Texas, with the company's Chairman Award.
"It's evidence that we should always be looking for talented people everywhere, whether they are men or women," Swinney said.
When it comes to meeting the needs of its employees, the Highlands Ranch, Colorado-based company has formed a new partnership with Marketplace Chaplains based in Plano, Texas.
Through the program, chaplains visit Kodiak locations to discuss concerns employees might have including tough situations outside of work. The program is open to all employees as well as family members.
Swinney noted that when Kodiak was founded 11 years ago, he knew and could speak with just about all of the company's employees at three locations. But the growth of Kodiak over the past decade has made that impossible for Swinney.
"Dealing with mental health and the problems that your employees have while giving them the right resources is huge," Swinney said.
The CEO also noted that taking care of your employees and showing you genuinely care for them helps to create an engaged work environment.
"Because of the way you treat them, they want to go the extra mile," Swinney said.