In the scrap metal business, managers are only as good as their employees. In the past, employers could count on their employees to stay loyal to the business for the lifetime of their career. In today’s business environment, employees are under more pressure than ever to market their skills to the highest bidder. Despite claims that inflation is stable, a larger portion of employee’s discretionary income goes towards paying gasoline, health care, and food than in previous years. Knowing that employees face increased financial pressure, the cost of losing an employee is something that scrap metal businesses have to deal with on a daily basis. Think about these facts:
- It may take a new employee 1-2 years to reach the productivity of an existing employee.
- The cost of hiring a new employee includes advertising, interviewing, screening, and hiring.
In the past, an employee’s major objective in finding a company to work for was to insure his financial security. In today’s work environment, an employee typically leaves a company because of a lack of clarity regarding earning potential, career development, and expectations of the job he is hired to perform. The cost of turnover in a company is more than just a financial figure. It is time, energy, and a loss of productivity.
Managers within a company are a direct reflection of employee retention rate. That is why managers within an organization not only must be qualified but management training is extremely important.
Many companies who hire managers promote their managers from their sales force. Think about the qualities of a great salesperson. Now think about the qualities of a good manager. They are vastly different. The skill sets that allow a salesperson to achieve high results are not necessarily the same skills as an effective manager. This means giving managers quality training is of the utmost importance.
Every manager has his own style, strengths and weaknesses, but employee expectations are changing. A manager cannot reach his employees unless he finds out what motivates them today, tomorrow, and in the future. If a manager fails to motivate them to reach their personal goals, he is in danger of de-motivating his employees and/or losing them to another organization. This will impact team morale and overall output.
I have interviewed countless employees from all facets of business from the high-level executive to the hourly employee. I have analyzed their interview responses and have written Managing from the Other Side of the Desk. This presentation focuses on four key points:
- Successful managers and their characteristics
- Molding the company’s future
- Understanding team expectations
- Achieving maximum results from the team
I hope you join my webinar, Managing from the Other Side of the Desk on July 17 at 3 pm.
Jason Linkes is the district manager – Great Lakes District for AMG Resources. The webinar, Managing from the Other Side of the Desk, is free to ISRI members. Members can submit questions in advance by emailing webinar@isri.org.