Throughout the pandemic, most provinces considered hardware stores an essential service. This led to some staff feeling uncomfortable and taking a leave of absence.
“We were trying to be as accommodating as possible and recognizing that everyone has different comfort levels of COVID,” said Jennifer Burgin, human resources manager at Slegg Building Materials, a chain of building centres on Vancouver Island. “We really did everything that we could do to protect our staff.”
Burgin points out that staff appreciation, like barbecues and team building events, had to be cancelled due to the public health situation. The pandemic has caused a shift in employment culture in society. Businesses are receiving fewer job applications, making it tough to fill empty positions. This wasn’t as much of a challenge before the pandemic.
“We just don’t see a lot of applications for positions,” Burgin said in a recent issue of HHIQ.
But being unconventional sometimes can lead to success. Slegg started posting videos on TikTok and YouTube about workplace culture and job opportunities at the company. “We’re trying to think outside of the box and try new things,” said Burgin.
“I’m just trying to look at it from a new perspective. What’s been done in the past doesn’t always work. You can try new things, but not all of them are going to work.”
