It’s not the money.
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This is the message training consultant Bill Hoopes gave golf course and sports turf managers, as well as lawn and landscape professionals, when he explained what he’s found that leads to discontent workers. Hoopes spoke during a session at the Ohio Turfgrass Conference and Show, held Dec. 5 - 7 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Hoopes, founder of Delaware, Ohio-based Grass Roots Training, has been working in the lawn-service industry for almost 25 years as a manager at The Scotts Co. and then at Barefoot Grass, spending much of that time in the training department. Any time employees left the company, he called each one to have a candid conversation about why they left. Contrary to what employees tell their bosses when they quit, the real reason has nothing to do with pay.
Money can lure people to a job, but it’s not the factor that causes them to quit, Hoopes says.
“Money and benefits buy me in, but I only keep the job because it feels good,” he says, describing the attitude of employees he’s interviewed.
Hoopes says these are the real reasons that usually lead to turnover:
1. Lack of training/tools. “Just because I put information in front of somebody doesn’t mean they got it,” he says.
2. Unfair treatment. Some employees felt as though they weren’t treated as well as others.
3. Poor candidate/job match. The wrong person is sometimes hired for the job, or the employee’s skill set isn’t matched with the right job.
4. Lack of positive leadership model. The employee sees the boss take off early or disobey the rules of the company.
5. Task orientation. When the employer is more focused on the task than the person, employees get the message that people are unimportant.
6. Lack of control/flexibility. “People want to be taught, not told,” Hoopes says. As hard as it may be, you have to trust your employees.
7. Dishonest management. “If you lie to people, they’ll find out.”
8. Cultural mismatch. People like to be around people who are like them. Employees who don’t feel like they fit in likely won’t stick around.
9. Unrealistic expectations. When employees are asked to perform a task that’s beyond their skill sets, they feel they’re just being set up to fail.
10. No feedback or recognition. If not given the chance to hone in and share their thoughts, employees feel as if they’re not important to the company. And if they never get recognition for their job, they feel that their efforts are going unnoticed.
After introducing these job deal-breakers, Hoopes gave 10 suggestions for management to turn around these habits and become a desired workplace destination:
1. Improve candidate/job match. Match the employee with the values of the company. Word will spread that employees like working at the company.
2. Use training to teach success. Commit the space, time and resources to ensure employees are retaining the training they receive. The learning process never stops.
3. Build in magnets. Maximize individual control, trust the employees and give them assignments that match their skill sets.
4. Learn to inspire the team. Celebrate positive behavior, set a good example and use weekly meetings to encourage buy-in.
5. Treat people as individuals. Identify challenges in the workplace, and be sure to have one-on-one time with employees each week to get their feedback.
6. React to performance daily. Let employees know they’re appreciated.
7. Be consistently fair. Don’t play favorites.
8. Be 100-percent honest.
9. Set a positive leadership example. Never let people see you down. Employers shouldn’t show employees when they’re frustrated or upset.
10. Balance concern for people and tasks. Teach marathon thinking, which will help ensure all tasks are completed. On the other hand, help the employees by providing all the tools they’ll need for a successful day.
Hoopes says some employers ask why they should worry about quitters, and this is where money does play a role.
“You can’t afford preventable turnover,” he says.
