Two speakers at the recent Hardlines Conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., talked about talented employees—how to attract them and how to keep them.

Eric Palmer (shown here), vice-president and GM of the Sexton Group Ltd., titled his talk, “The Evolution of a Team.” He explained how he was “team member 22” when he joined the Winnipeg-based organization in 2016. He said that frequent “one-on-one” talks between managers and employees is one of the strengths of his organization.

But these aren’t always easy talks. “It’s hard to hear what you’re not doing well,” Palmer said. But he reiterated that the support and training at Sexton Group is extensive. And each employee there is encouraged to have a career plan, so they aren’t just filling roles for paycheques.

Well, here’s what not to do, Palmer cautioned. He quoted HR expert Perry Belcher, who said: “Nothing will kill a great employee faster than watching you tolerate a bad one.”

Alison Fletcher, owner of five Cookery stores in Toronto and Montreal, also spoke about talent and her own career path. She presented her “Ego Meter” career path, a screen on which bad experiences at firms were coloured in red. And she’s worked for a lot of corporations, including Maple Leaf Foods, Tim Hortons, the George Weston Co., and Burger King.

Fired from Burger King, she decided to go her own way. “I was 43 years old, I’m a woman, I’m in management. I realized I’m going to have to chase work.” But that was something she didn’t want to do anymore. Instead, she decided it was time to “do what I loved in a way that I loved to do it.”

“It was impossible for me to believe that the right decisions were being made by the people who ran the company. The people that are getting in at 8 a.m. to serve the bad coffee they’ve been given to sell—they’re going home exhausted.”

Both speakers touched on the same message. If you want better employees, if you want a better effort, you’re going to have to lead from the front. Bad employees are created by bad management. Tough lesson, but a necessary one.

About a hundred dealers and suppliers gathered three weeks ago at the Halifax Convention Centre to hear from HR experts on the challenges of finding and retaining workers. The conference was put on by the Atlantic Building Supply Dealers Association (ABSDA).

One session outlined the opportunities to hire new Canadians, including immigrants and refugees. The need to do more of this type of hiring is clear because Atlantic Canada has the highest ratio in Canada of workers in the retail home improvement industry who are age 55 and over.

Denis Melanson, ABSDA president, told attendees that salary is typically not the main reason why workers quit. “Money is typically number four or five on the list of why people leave,” he said, adding that employees are more likely to leave because of bad management. “Hey, they don’t like you. It’s rarely that fifty cents an hour.”

Another speaker, recruiter, author and former CBC broadcaster Pierre Battah (shown here), talked about what a leader needs to do to improve employee retention. “What have you learned over the past two years about retention?” he asked. Stressing the importance of an inclusive workplace, he remarked, “people need to feel ‘I belong here.’”

This month we hear from Zaida Fazlic, vice president of people, culture, and change management at Taiga Building Products, the national building materials wholesaler.

Zaida Fazlic is the HR lead at Taiga Building Products. She spoke in October at the 26th annual Hardlines Conference, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., where she talked about how her company develops good people.

“At Taiga all of our leadership team takes part in team building exercises. It’s a talent assessment tool. Some people are people-oriented, some are process-oriented, and some are results-oriented.”

Process-oriented people are interested in the rules. They are methodical, they are analytical, and they are safety oriented. Results-oriented people are interested in the “win,” achieving a successful outcome. They have a tendency only to look at the process when the results are negative. People-oriented people favour maintaining good relationships at all costs.

The different orientations are expressed in different communication styles. “Conflict can arrive,” Fazlic says, “when we communicate to people who have other styles in communication than we prefer.”

Regardless of the communication style you bring to the workplace, it’s important to moderate it—or at least self-monitor it, lest it derail your career, Fazlic said. “Margaret Thatcher [UK prime minister in the 1980s who earned the nickname, ‘The Iron Lady’] is a great example of a strength taken too far,” Fazlic said. She was ruthless and blunt, which worked at times. But she also humiliated her team members in public. Ultimately, she was brought down by her own political party.

So it’s important not to overdose on one particular communication style, whatever yours happens to be. In fact, Fazlic said, “It’s possible to borrow elements from different leadership styles and still be true to yourself.”

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

The dark winter season is here, and it can affect many people’s moods. Shorter days and colder weather are even harder for those who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or seasonal depression. Here are some important tips on how employers can help manage staff who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? It’s a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern. It usually appears in late fall and lasts throughout the winter months. Symptoms can include changes in appetite, feelings of depression, problems with sleep, and low energy.

How can I help employees manage SAD? Start by creating awareness. It’s important to maintain an environment where employees feel comfortable reaching out if they are struggling with their mental health. Employers can start by sending out informational emails (for remote staff) or putting up informational posters around the office. Training managers on how to recognize symptoms of SAD and offer support is another effective way to help employees during this time.

Educate employees on coping strategies. Some of the ways to help those experiencing SAD include the following:

• Stick to a sleep routine
• Eat a balanced and nutritious diet. Avoid too much takeout or junk food
• Create and follow a regular exercise routine as exercise helps with depression and anxiety
• Stay connected with family, friends, and co-workers

Connect employees to mental health resources. No matter what employees are struggling with, whether it’s seasonal depression or stress, it’s important to inform them about existing mental health resources. If your company offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), remind employees about its benefits and how they can access it.

Peninsula is an HR and Health and Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.

A proactive mentoring program is the latest initiative by the Building Supply Industry Association of British Columbia (BSIABC).

Thomas Foreman, BSIABC president, sees improving mentoring opportunities as something of a mission. “I see the development of people in our industry lacking,” he says. “I wanted my board and members to see the incredible benefit of mentoring.”

Foreman turned to Dr. Carson Pue, an executive mentor, author, and speaker based in B.C. They spent the past year developing and working out the course details. Prue focuses on several aspects of mentoring that will enhance the workspace, including:

• identifying potential leaders within your team
• establishing the groundwork for a succession-planning process for owners
• communicating to the mentors themselves the satisfaction that comes from contributing to the development of capable individuals

Not only is an established mentoring program good for existing employees, but it makes a company more attractive to new hires. “It’s something that makes your business stand out from others,” Pue says in his introduction to the training program.

Prue’s course for BSIABC will focus on formal training, with a set series of course modules and testing to guide potential mentors. The course materials outline core mentoring skills and provide the fundamentals for effective mentorship.

Topics covered include the expectations a mentee might have, such as adhering to regular times to meet, which validates the mentee’s role and the mentoring process in general. Pue notes, for example, that mentoring meetings can be postponed, but never cancelled. This formal approach ensures that mentees feel valued and stay invested in the program.

Ideally, a mentee will bring their goals and hopes and share them in a supportive environment. Besides aspirational goals, the process can help a mentee deal with real-life scenarios—such as team members they don’t get along with. Ultimately, says Pue, the process will be valuable to both mentor and mentee.

“I think the role of being a mirror to one another is something that is very important in our development and our growth.”

We asked Bernie Owens, president and CEO of TIMBER MART, to share his recollections of some people who have been formative in his career. Here is his reply.

When I think of the most influential mentors that I’ve had throughout my life and career thus far, several people come to mind. They’ve influenced me both personally and professionally and are, in part, responsible for who I am today.

My father, Mike Owens, was a wonderful man with a strong work ethic and great attention to detail. Not only do I believe that he’s passed on those qualities to me, but he also taught me to play bridge at a young age, which helped me develop my strategic thinking and memory skills early on. He also taught me to be patient and measured in my approach to work so that I would always have a good work-life balance.

As I got older and went into the workforce, I met Claude Morin, who was a partner at Morin Brothers Building Supplies in Nepean, Ontario. The business was a start-up at the time, and I learned just how much grit and hard work it takes to start and run a business. I saw the business grow from a jobsite trailer where a few staff would refurbish trucks and create price lists for products to a larger distribution location with indoor storage and a massive supply yard. I also learned from Claude the importance of balancing available working capital and accounts receivables.

Claude was an extroverted individual and his demeanour inspired me to overcome my introverted nature and be more outgoing.

Lastly, and most importantly in my role as president and CEO of TIMBER MART, I value the high-calibre leadership team I work alongside. I learn from them every day as they are top tier in  their own areas of expertise. They likely don’t recognize the positive influence they have on me, but they inspire me daily to do better for our members and provide them with the programs, tools, and support they need to be successful independent entrepreneurs.

(This personal account of inspiring people who served as mentors for people in the industry is part of a larger story in the latest edition of our print publication, Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly (HHIQ). It has recently been mailed to 11,000 dealers and managers across the country. Click here to learn more and subscribe! HHIQ is free to dealers!)

Martina Pileggi is senior director of human resources for the Hillman Group Canada, a fastener producer for the hardware, automotive, plumbing, and electrical markets.

Are we coming out of COVID yet? That’s the big question everyone is facing as companies move to restore some sense of normalcy to their staffing practices. As HR lead at Hillman Group Canada, Martina Pileggi is confronting this issue head on. She sees people getting back to the workplace, but in new ways informed by the experience of almost three years under pandemic restrictions.

She admits that the uncertainty about what’s coming next makes her job interesting—to say the least. “People are learning to re-engage with work. My read is that we are normalizing it. It’s just part of the fabric of day-to-day life, right?”

Hillman is using a hybrid model that was introduced last year, with people coming in three days and staying home two days. Aside from must-attend meetings, staff can choose their days. This system, Pileggi says, “worked very well for us, for our culture. In fact, we are seeing more people being in the office versus not being in the office.” Hillman has set its capacity at the office at about 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

September was very busy for the company with customers welcomed back into the office for the first time. Sales and operations teams started getting together as well. Hillman encourages employees to wear masks—but the company encourages an inclusive environment that respects individual choices.

Overall, Pileggi feels the worst is over and it’s reflected in her own demeanour. “It all feels really good… and more sort of normalized. I think we’re all less tense—I’m less tense—because you can actually come in and do work. I feel like I’m finally doing HR work.”

Pileggi says people can actually have fun again.

“Finally, after two years, I’m not living in COVID land. You know, I’m actually focused on learning and development and recruiting and culture—and finally doing my job.”

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

Every manager and HR professional has probably already had that tough conversation with an employee about poor performance. Whether it’s about an employee not hitting their targets or about their behaviour, it’s essential to carefully plan out how you’re going to have that conversation. Otherwise, the wrong things may be said or done.

Below are three HR-approved ways to help get an employee back on track and lead them to success.

Identify the problem. When you notice an employee is underperforming, the first step is to sit down with them and have an informal conversation to find out if they have a reason for their underperformance. Some employees feel hesitant to talk to their manager if they are going through a challenging time because they think it might affect their future with the company. Encourage open communication by having an open-door policy.

Create a realistic improvement plan. In some cases, the employee may not know what they need to improve on. Creating a realistic improvement plan includes establishing goals that need to be achieved by a certain date. This will provide a clear roadmap for the employee. Once they have a clear understanding on how to improve, then the employer can have regular check-ins to see the employee’s progress.

Provide resources and training. When talking to the employee, try to think about the current resources and training you offer. Are they sufficient or do they need more? Make sure to ask what they need so you can support them in any way that you can. If they need additional resources and training, take that into consideration.

Offer rewards to recognize achievement. Awards are a great way to recognize great achievement within the workplace. Providing incentives to all employees to meet certain targets or expectations is a great way to encourage great performance.

Peninsula is an HR and Health and Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.

The Home Depot has an entire webpage devoted to details of the company that have nothing to do with sales per square foot, inventory turns, or product specials.

Nevertheless, the facts are presented with as much precision and emphasis as the details of an annual report.

Did you know that 90 percent of Home Depot store managers started out as hourly workers? Or that its Home Depot Foundation has contributed more than $400 million to veterans’ causes in the U.S.? (And here, the company has directed more than $50 million in recent years toward preventing homelessness among Canadian youth.)

Welcome to the world of environment, sustainability, and governance. ESG is the newest way for companies to provide measurement and benchmarks for their performance—metrics that go beyond profits and return on shareholder investment.

But, in fact, ESG is another way to enhance the profile, and presumably the value, of a company. It can be used to polish a business’s reputation to attract better hires, foster supportive workplaces that allow employees to flourish, and, yes, pay off in greater peace of mind for owners—and enhanced share value for publicly traded companies.

Plus it’s the right thing to do.

At Home Depot, its ESG efforts are built around what it calls three “fundamental pillars”: focusing on its people, operating sustainably, and strengthening communities.

Home Depot’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leads the company’s diversity reporting, which includes gender, ethnicity, and pay equity data for its workforce. Numerous initiatives have been designed to increase the diversity of its workforce, promote inclusion, amplify support for diverse suppliers, and enrich the communities the stores serve. The assessments will help the company benchmark its DEI and responsible forestry programs.

In an open letter to stakeholders in Home Depot’s 2022 ESG Report, president and CEO Ted Dekker reinforced that message. “Our focus on people centres around continuously striving to create a work environment that is inclusive, engaging, and rewarding to associates.”

Those policy goals take into account Home Depot’s vendors as well. “Our commitment to diversity also extends to our supplier relationships,” Dekker says in the letter. “In 2021, we increased our spend with diverse suppliers to $3.3 billion and have announced a goal to achieve $5 billion in direct annual spend with diverse suppliers by 2025.”

Home Depot continues to focus on a sustainable forestry initiative as well. The practice dates back more than 25 years and reflects the company’s recognition that responsible forest management is essential to protecting the health of the world’s ecosystems. It issued its first Wood Purchasing Policy in 1999, working with suppliers to understand and practise sustainable forestry throughout the world. The aim: to aid the protection of endangered forests and to support efforts to preserve timber for future generations.

Companies of all sizes, whether public or privately owned, should look hard at the range of issues that comprise the business’s goals concerning employee well-being, management support, and environmental impacts. It’s good for business—and it’s the right thing to do in today’s business climate.

People have historically found their careers move through different paths and sectors. But during COVID the movement between industries has never seemed so profound. Unfortunately, the number of people who choose to migrate to a career in retail—or even just apply for a job there—are up only slightly.

A new study by CBC shows that Canadians are moving between careers at a great rate. And no wonder: it’s a buyers’ market out there. Last month’s unemployment rate, at just 4.9 percent, was the lowest it’s been in more than 50 years. While retail is seeing a slight increase in workers, other sectors are attracting people in the double digits as people leave service industries such as restaurants, cleaning, and hospitality in general.

The study, based on StatCan employment records, indicates that professional, technical, and scientific services have seen a 19.5 percent jump in workers. Finance, insurance, and real estate are up collectively by almost 15 percent. The construction industry has seen a 6.5 percent increase in its workforce.

The study also examined salaries, comparing wage rates from the first quarter of 2019 to Q1 2022. Employment levels in wholesale and retail trade were up slightly at four percent, even though wages in this sector have grown 12 percent during COVID. Manufacturing was up only 0.7 percent, even as wages grew by six percent.

The sectors suffering the biggest drain include hospitality and food services, down 14.2 percent, and agriculture, down 10.7 percent.