Just Another Sign Guy
New Member
I have had this discussion with multiple sign companies this last week...my advice is to hire the best employees that you can afford.
I have seen this odd patern where business owners hire ppl who have skills that are weaker than their own. When questioned on this & getting through the initial answers & down to the 'nitty gritty' I have heard some surprising 'truths', from biz owners who want to 'help' ppl with their biz & mould them into better ppl in society,to owners who want to use their biz to teach what tey have learned through the yrs, to biz owners who are simply 'afraid' or uncomfortable with having ppl on their staff who know more than they do...
NEWSFLASH! You are the owner, You are not replaceable, You are not going to lose your job. Hire the best employees that you can afford, ESPECIALLY in the areas that you are weaker in.
The other thing I have noticed for many years now as a consultant is business owners who want career minded people but they are not prepared to pay wages that are in line with career minded employees.
I understand the concern about not knowing what you are truly getting until they have worked for you for beyond the 'honeymoon' period & there are multiple ways to protect yourself fom that issue & still make the position attractive to the caliber of employee you are searching for, in most cases it has been my experience that..that is just another excuse ppl tell themselves/others/potential employees/etc to talk themselves out of the reality that to attract superstars you have to offer (and be prepared to pay) a compensation package that will not only attract them..but retain them. Just a sidenote this does not necessarily have to be a high dollar amount, in my experience that is just a part of the equation & based on the individual might not even be the key component.
The other trend I have noticed is business owners with limited technical business acumen who have built fairly successful operations in regards to sales volume who are forced to hire ppl with specialty skills to take them to the next level(or simply maintain what has been created) & they attempt to hire based on what they 'think' the position should pay..which very often is a false reality beeecause they do not put a personal value on that position & have no idea what that position is worth not only to their own business but in the competitive job market. The problem that arises is that you attract people who fill the position but are not the best at the position..i have seen this from receptionists (who often have more contact with clients than anyone else in a business) all the way up to senior management COO,CFO's,etc. We've all seen it .. The company with 'managers' that you wouldn't trust with a pair of roller-skates but for some reason you turn the reins of some area of your business over to these people (often awarding titles in lieu of financial benefits) which many business owners see no harm in not realizing the perception of their clients which is what truly matters.
The other trend I am seeing in this economy & I have witnessed it @ other times in my career for a variety of reasons..but more so now, is hiring ppl @ the top wage that you are prepared to pay or even doing so without realizing it by not periodically awarding increases in pay (raises/bonuses/profit sharing).
As business owners we often forget (or choose to forget) what is important to employees or even what employees expect..and good employees are worth keeping. The reality is that employees if they are continuously employed with your organization they expect increases in pay, it is good employee management to not only expect it but to anticipate it. It is my opinion that the best way to handle this issue is to discuss it @ the time of hire...for example 90 days probation period,followed by a 6 month performance reviewl & then annual performance reviews on your employment anniversary (just an example). And if you have employees continuously employed with your organization who are not deserving of an increase I would be seriously considering their v'ue to your company...i often times see very small companies 'managing' this topic on personal relationships/likeability,etc...and I often times hear myself counselling clients 'that we are lucky to do business with friendly peopl,that does not necessarily make them your friends'..you don't need to 'like' your employees (it makes working together easier) & you shouldt be hiring people to be your new 'potential friends', nor should you be retaining employees or basing their pay / bonuses / raises on their likeability...and the reality is that I see this VERY often.
in my experience it is better to award raises to those who are deserving before they ask for them,they are more appreciative & it eliminates awkwardness,etc. This is simply a cost of doing business which should be planned for, non-sales employees really don't care about slow sales,etc..nor can they usually do anything to correct it..many owners lose the ability to see things from an employees view & expect them to see & understand YOUR business from an owners perspective & that simply is an unrealistic expectation
there are many ppl out there who want to work, there rmany ppl out there who can be trained to be amazing assets to any business, and there are many veterabs for all aspects of any business who can become amazing members of your team..in my opinion it all comes down to having some very honest discussions .. With yourself & with your potential employees. About what you truly need & more importantly what you expect. Many owners forget that this is YOUR business, the reward for an employee is their paycheck & the benefits/compensation package you offer..they are not building equity, an asset that they may be able to sell in the future, etc..it seems many owners temporarily forget that..and the reality is that most of the employees who you encounter who can see the 'big picture' & consider things beyond their own 'job' will most likely become business owners themselves.
I have seen this odd patern where business owners hire ppl who have skills that are weaker than their own. When questioned on this & getting through the initial answers & down to the 'nitty gritty' I have heard some surprising 'truths', from biz owners who want to 'help' ppl with their biz & mould them into better ppl in society,to owners who want to use their biz to teach what tey have learned through the yrs, to biz owners who are simply 'afraid' or uncomfortable with having ppl on their staff who know more than they do...
NEWSFLASH! You are the owner, You are not replaceable, You are not going to lose your job. Hire the best employees that you can afford, ESPECIALLY in the areas that you are weaker in.
The other thing I have noticed for many years now as a consultant is business owners who want career minded people but they are not prepared to pay wages that are in line with career minded employees.
I understand the concern about not knowing what you are truly getting until they have worked for you for beyond the 'honeymoon' period & there are multiple ways to protect yourself fom that issue & still make the position attractive to the caliber of employee you are searching for, in most cases it has been my experience that..that is just another excuse ppl tell themselves/others/potential employees/etc to talk themselves out of the reality that to attract superstars you have to offer (and be prepared to pay) a compensation package that will not only attract them..but retain them. Just a sidenote this does not necessarily have to be a high dollar amount, in my experience that is just a part of the equation & based on the individual might not even be the key component.
The other trend I have noticed is business owners with limited technical business acumen who have built fairly successful operations in regards to sales volume who are forced to hire ppl with specialty skills to take them to the next level(or simply maintain what has been created) & they attempt to hire based on what they 'think' the position should pay..which very often is a false reality beeecause they do not put a personal value on that position & have no idea what that position is worth not only to their own business but in the competitive job market. The problem that arises is that you attract people who fill the position but are not the best at the position..i have seen this from receptionists (who often have more contact with clients than anyone else in a business) all the way up to senior management COO,CFO's,etc. We've all seen it .. The company with 'managers' that you wouldn't trust with a pair of roller-skates but for some reason you turn the reins of some area of your business over to these people (often awarding titles in lieu of financial benefits) which many business owners see no harm in not realizing the perception of their clients which is what truly matters.
The other trend I am seeing in this economy & I have witnessed it @ other times in my career for a variety of reasons..but more so now, is hiring ppl @ the top wage that you are prepared to pay or even doing so without realizing it by not periodically awarding increases in pay (raises/bonuses/profit sharing).
As business owners we often forget (or choose to forget) what is important to employees or even what employees expect..and good employees are worth keeping. The reality is that employees if they are continuously employed with your organization they expect increases in pay, it is good employee management to not only expect it but to anticipate it. It is my opinion that the best way to handle this issue is to discuss it @ the time of hire...for example 90 days probation period,followed by a 6 month performance reviewl & then annual performance reviews on your employment anniversary (just an example). And if you have employees continuously employed with your organization who are not deserving of an increase I would be seriously considering their v'ue to your company...i often times see very small companies 'managing' this topic on personal relationships/likeability,etc...and I often times hear myself counselling clients 'that we are lucky to do business with friendly peopl,that does not necessarily make them your friends'..you don't need to 'like' your employees (it makes working together easier) & you shouldt be hiring people to be your new 'potential friends', nor should you be retaining employees or basing their pay / bonuses / raises on their likeability...and the reality is that I see this VERY often.
in my experience it is better to award raises to those who are deserving before they ask for them,they are more appreciative & it eliminates awkwardness,etc. This is simply a cost of doing business which should be planned for, non-sales employees really don't care about slow sales,etc..nor can they usually do anything to correct it..many owners lose the ability to see things from an employees view & expect them to see & understand YOUR business from an owners perspective & that simply is an unrealistic expectation
there are many ppl out there who want to work, there rmany ppl out there who can be trained to be amazing assets to any business, and there are many veterabs for all aspects of any business who can become amazing members of your team..in my opinion it all comes down to having some very honest discussions .. With yourself & with your potential employees. About what you truly need & more importantly what you expect. Many owners forget that this is YOUR business, the reward for an employee is their paycheck & the benefits/compensation package you offer..they are not building equity, an asset that they may be able to sell in the future, etc..it seems many owners temporarily forget that..and the reality is that most of the employees who you encounter who can see the 'big picture' & consider things beyond their own 'job' will most likely become business owners themselves.
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I totally agree!
. I'm pretty much at the point where i'm about to throw ALL stationary stuff that we offer now out the window. Too much work not enough money. Right now we're at the point where we are doing at 10,000 BC's per week. I have one designer designated just to logo/stationary design. When it comes to wraps, signs, banners - Me or another designer hop on that.
