Why This Disgusting Job Has One of the Highest Retention Rates

Posted on by John Bishop

Yes, that Roto-Rooter! (I promise, this relates to hiring)

Recently, I had this company fix a clogged sewer line. Luckily, the problem was small, but the repair people reminded me of a valuable lesson.

While their machine was working, I asked the two Roto Rooter employees: “So, how long have you worked for the company?” Their answer floored me. One of the remote employees had worked for them for 18 years, and the other for 12. They were intelligent, professional, and capable individuals who had spent years making their living unclogging drains.

Most people would not want their jobs. Yet, these two men were proud to be working for their company. I asked: “What makes this company so special?” During our conversation over the next 10 – 15 minutes, this is what I learned:

  • The General Manager is honest, capable, employee focused and fair.
  • The company gives them the tools and the training they need to be successful.
  • The company communicates effectively and includes them in the company functions.
  • The pay and benefits are good.
  • The company keeps their service vans and equipment in good shape.
  • The company cares about them and respects their efforts.

I called the General Manager to congratulate him for having a work environment that the remote employees were proud of. We talked for several minutes and then, I asked, “where do you get your new employees?” Without hesitation he said: “Almost 100% are referrals from our current employees.”

Unclogging drains is a dirty, smelly job with long hours and difficult weather situations. But Roto-Rooter in St Louis retains good people because they focus on doing the right things. They treat their employees with respect. The net result – a growing, profitable company with low turnover, an engaged workforce and good customer service.

Today’s employees are saying: “Validate me as a person or lose me as an employee.” Do you have a turnover problem?

Carry These 21 Leadership Characteristics in Your Pocket at All Times

Posted on by John Bishop

If you started your company today, would you hire everyone currently on your payroll?

Your hiring managers and supervisors are the gatekeepers to your company’s future. So, how can you give them the “keys” to be successful  — focus, ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement?

One way to help is getting everyone on the same page.   

For example: developing a list of three to five overall employee characteristics you need to fulfill your Mission Statement. Then, those characteristics are in front of every hiring manager for every interview and are included on the interview evaluation form.  Do your candidates match the characteristics you need to reach your goals?

21 Sample employee characteristics (choose 3 – 5)

IntegrityReliable PersistencePassionateAmbitious
Team playerSelf-starterLeaderIndependentInstills trust
HappyFocusedInspires othersProblem solverFlexible
Effective communicatorPositive attitudeSeeks improvementResults orientedStrong work ethic
Achieves goals

The idea above came from the CEO of a remarkably successful construction company. Once the company had established its five characteristics, he had the list laminated and carries it in his pocket every day.  When visiting the company’s branches around the US, he talks with the managers about this list, which is always at hand.

Carry These 21 Leadership Characteristics in Your Pocket at All Times

Posted on by John Bishop

If you started your company today, would you hire everyone currently on your payroll?

Your hiring managers and supervisors are the gatekeepers to your company’s future. So, how can you give them the “keys” to be successful  — focus, ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement?

One way to help is getting everyone on the same page.   

For example: developing a list of three to five overall employee characteristics you need to fulfill your Mission Statement. Then, those characteristics are in front of every hiring manager for every interview and are included on the interview evaluation form.  Do your candidates match the characteristics you need to reach your goals?

21 Sample employee characteristics (choose 3 – 5)

IntegrityReliable PersistencePassionateAmbitious
Team playerSelf-starterLeaderIndependentInstills trust
HappyFocusedInspires othersProblem solverFlexible
Effective communicatorPositive attitudeSeeks improvementResults orientedStrong work ethic
Achieves goals

The idea above came from the CEO of a remarkably successful construction company. Once the company had established its five characteristics, he had the list laminated and carries it in his pocket every day.  When visiting the company’s branches around the US, he talks with the managers about this list, which is always at hand.

Your Hiring Brand

Posted on by John Bishop

Some real-world examples of situations that are negatively affecting your Hiring Brand:

  • Manager turnover. A Midwest company hired a new Director of Human Resources whose LinkedIn profile shows six jobs in ten years.  How would you react to new policies or ideas if you thought the new person would stay only one-two years?
  • Abusive personality. A manufacturing company hired a new COO who quickly gained the reputation as “the screamer.”  Employees started voting with their feet, and turnover became a serious problem.
  • Ineffective management. A large retail store had an employee that management called “the bitcher” because he never said anything good about the company. Recently, he received his 10-year pin during one of their daily employee meetings.
  • Theft. An 800-person distribution company found that $60,000 had been stolen from their largest branch in an important market. The branch manager, who had major contacts in that marketplace, was the chief suspect. Three months after the discovery, the Regional VP had not even investigated or discussed the theft with the manager.

Today’s employees are tech savvy and impatient with the status quo. They respect people — not their title. If management does not effectively deal with performance issues, they can expect to be trashed on social media. That will have a lasting effect on your Hiring Brand.

How are you protecting your Hiring Brand?

Your Hiring Brand

Posted on by John Bishop

Some real-world examples of situations that are negatively affecting your Hiring Brand:

  • Manager turnover. A Midwest company hired a new Director of Human Resources whose LinkedIn profile shows six jobs in ten years.  How would you react to new policies or ideas if you thought the new person would stay only one-two years?
  • Abusive personality. A manufacturing company hired a new COO who quickly gained the reputation as “the screamer.”  Employees started voting with their feet, and turnover became a serious problem.
  • Ineffective management. A large retail store had an employee that management called “the bitcher” because he never said anything good about the company. Recently, he received his 10-year pin during one of their daily employee meetings.
  • Theft. An 800-person distribution company found that $60,000 had been stolen from their largest branch in an important market. The branch manager, who had major contacts in that marketplace, was the chief suspect. Three months after the discovery, the Regional VP had not even investigated or discussed the theft with the manager.

Today’s employees are tech savvy and impatient with the status quo. They respect people — not their title. If management does not effectively deal with performance issues, they can expect to be trashed on social media. That will have a lasting effect on your Hiring Brand.

How are you protecting your Hiring Brand?

Do You Really Know Who You Are Interviewing?

Posted on by John Bishop

I’m old enough to remember when resumes were virtually 100% accurate and gave the hiring manager valuable insight on a person’s qualifications. Not anymore. Consider these facts:

  • Fake college diploma and transcript is a $1 Billion industry. (Source: the FBI)
  • 41% of all interviews are decided on appearance alone. (Source: Investor’s Business Daily)
  • 71% of all resumes contain fictitious information. (Source: SHRM)  
  • Candidate can search – “Best answers to interview questions.”  (Results: Amazon – 96 books…. Google – 13.2 million hits)
  • Candidates have multiple resumes – each targeted to a specific job, company, or industry.
  • Resumes can be written by professionals who excel in making the person look like a sure fit to the open position.

Right now, the hiring process favors the candidate, and the pressure is on the hiring managers to upgrade their skills. Make hiring your competitive advantage.

Do You Really Know Who You Are Interviewing?

Posted on by John Bishop

I’m old enough to remember when resumes were virtually 100% accurate and gave the hiring manager valuable insight on a person’s qualifications. Not anymore. Consider these facts:

  • Fake college diploma and transcript is a $1 Billion industry. (Source: the FBI)
  • 41% of all interviews are decided on appearance alone. (Source: Investor’s Business Daily)
  • 71% of all resumes contain fictitious information. (Source: SHRM)  
  • Candidate can search – “Best answers to interview questions.”  (Results: Amazon – 96 books…. Google – 13.2 million hits)
  • Candidates have multiple resumes – each targeted to a specific job, company, or industry.
  • Resumes can be written by professionals who excel in making the person look like a sure fit to the open position.

Right now, the hiring process favors the candidate, and the pressure is on the hiring managers to upgrade their skills. Make hiring your competitive advantage.

How Benjamin Franklin Can Improve Your Recruiting Efforts

Posted on by John Bishop

Is your company or an individual manager’s reputation killing your recruiting efforts? 

Potential candidates search the Internet and social media to learn what current and past employees are saying about the company?

If you want to enhance the company’s reputation, maybe Ben Franklin can help.  He asked himself two questions that shaped his view for day’s activities.

  • In the Morning — What good will I do today?
  • In the Evening — What good did I do today?

Judging from his personal success, and his efforts to help others, I would say this daily activity was successful.  Would managers look at their day’s activities differently if they asked themselves Ben Franklin’s two questions?

  • Would they look at hiring, motivating, and developing their team members differently? 
  • Would they look for more creative ways to resolve employee issues? 
  • Would they get valuable input from employees whose opinions had not valued before? 
  • Would they ask more questions and make fewer demanding statements?  
  • Would they foster a “we” workplace environment rather than a top down, I’m-the-boss attitude?  
  • Would your employees be more respected for what they are “bringing to the table”?

These two questions can have a profound effect on employee selection, engagement, retention, and motivation.  Workplace acceptance and validation can have a positive impact on the company, the employee and their family, and the community.

We have the power to change the world – one person and one day at a time.

How Benjamin Franklin Can Improve Your Recruiting Efforts

Posted on by John Bishop

Is your company or an individual manager’s reputation killing your recruiting efforts? 

Potential candidates search the Internet and social media to learn what current and past employees are saying about the company?

If you want to enhance the company’s reputation, maybe Ben Franklin can help.  He asked himself two questions that shaped his view for day’s activities.

  • In the Morning — What good will I do today?
  • In the Evening — What good did I do today?

Judging from his personal success, and his efforts to help others, I would say this daily activity was successful.  Would managers look at their day’s activities differently if they asked themselves Ben Franklin’s two questions?

  • Would they look at hiring, motivating, and developing their team members differently? 
  • Would they look for more creative ways to resolve employee issues? 
  • Would they get valuable input from employees whose opinions had not valued before? 
  • Would they ask more questions and make fewer demanding statements?  
  • Would they foster a “we” workplace environment rather than a top down, I’m-the-boss attitude?  
  • Would your employees be more respected for what they are “bringing to the table”?

These two questions can have a profound effect on employee selection, engagement, retention, and motivation.  Workplace acceptance and validation can have a positive impact on the company, the employee and their family, and the community.

We have the power to change the world – one person and one day at a time.

Hiring is the Front door to Your Future Success

Posted on by John Bishop

Today’s employees want to be validated for what they bring to the company. They want to learn and grow professionally, want more life-work balance, and a manager they can respect.  

Importantly, they want to know they are making a difference and contributing to something larger than themselves.

Employees are far more open about their needs and will turn off  or turnover if those needs are not meant. To meet these challenges, CEOs must look at the HR function differently. A supportive role is no longer acceptable. HR must have a seat where the strategic decisions are made.

HR is a supporting role if:

  • Your website identifies the key executives without including the head of HR.
  • Remote branches are “doing their own thing.”
  • HR is blamed for an increase in the employee turnover rate.
  • HR reports to the accounting or legal department.
  • Managers say, “we would have hired better if HR had gotten us better candidates.”
  • HR is not involved on the front-end of the company’s strategic decisions.
  • An executive drops a resume in HR’s desk and says “can you get the paperwork going? We just hired him/her, and they start in two weeks.”

If you answer “yes” to four or more, your company is at a significant disadvantage. One way to gain a competitive advantage is by splitting the HR department.

  • Vice President – People and Culture – this includes the recruiting, leadership and talent development and onboarding. This is an executive level position with the person reports directly to the President/CEO.
  • Human Resources – Administration – reports to the CFO and includes the important support functions like benefits, payroll, compliance, etc.

Hiring is the front door to your future success.  Make sure it is working properly for today’s business environment.

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