OPERATIONS
ny, this is simple to communicate but becomes more difficult as the business grows.
Once team members feel like they are part of the bigger picture, you can turn the discussion into their individual contribution. Where do they fit into the bigger scheme? This is where I like to introduce the concept of the internal customer. When we talk about the term cus- tomer, most of our employees think of someone located outside of our four walls. In sales, we are critically focused on the external customer. In operations, the focus shifts to an internal customer. The internal customer is the next person in line during a process. For example, the internal customer of the person who puts stock on the shelf is the order picker. The manner in which the shelf stocker performs their role has a direct impact on the picker’s abil- ity to complete their task to a high degree of efficiency. An interest in personal development occurs when employees know how their actions affect the whole.
In order to create a development program, we first need to determine the path. Many companies struggle at recruiting good employees, es- pecially in the warehouse, because they can’t sell the organization as a career opportunity.
A majority of the companies I’ve worked with prefer to develop their own people and promote from with- in. Good organizations have a de- fined progression for their employ- ees to advance in the organization. I would suggest that several have the opposite—a loose career path. Unfortunately, it is very hard to create a program based on a loose idea. It’s time to get it down on paper. As a leadership team, take the time to write out the steps that lead to progression in the company. Perhaps it goes something like this: warehouse, counter, inside sales
52 FEDA News & Views
Many companies have a challenge recruiting good employees, especially in the warehouse, because they can’t sell the organization as a career opportunity.
to outside sales. This is a basic framework. Then you can add in deviations required in your compa- ny, such as purchasing or branch management. Next, break down each functional area into compo- nents, such as will call counter, front counter or counter lead. The idea here is to take each of these individual jobs and define a set of skills associated with the function. This will help you develop a list of skills the employee must master in order to be eligible for a promotion to the next job in the progression. This step might take some time and a coordinated effort to complete but it will really help your younger managers get their arms around employee development. When you start to roll out the program to your employees, be sensitive to how it is communicated. Some could see the offer of educa- tion as a direct attack on their ability to do the job, while the manager thinks they are doing right by an employee by offering to help them develop their career. This conflict of perception can lead to a break- down in the program.
In order to avoid misunderstand- ings, present educational offerings from an employee-benefits per- spective. How will the opportunity advance their career? What specific needs does this offering address? Sometimes it helps to participate in the training with an employee,
especially if it is something off- site. Talk in terms of how “we” can benefit from this education. Who knows, you might learn something new. Finally, be willing to think outside the box. By offering many different educational opportunities, your team members will be far more likely to find something that fits. Employee development is a perpetual activity. Distributors do not have the luxury of the occasion- al dabble. Your employees want to improve. They want to be part of something greater. They want to be successful and have their talent rewarded. It is up to you to provide the opportunity. Remember, you only coast one way. Good luck.
About the Author
Jason Bader is the managing partner of The Distribution Team, a firm that specializes in helping distributors become more profit- able through strategic planning and operating efficiencies. The first 20 years of his career were spent working as a distribution executive. Today, he is a regular speaker at industry events and spends much of his time coaching individual distribution companies. For more information, call (503) 282-2333 or contact him by e-mail at Jason@
Distributionteam.com. Also visit The Distribution Team’s website at www.
thedistributionteam.com.
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