Hands On TEAM BUILDER Rethink Retention
> For many employers, retention conver- sations start and end with salary. But for small businesses competing for talent, especially in industries where margins are tight and workloads are intense, culture can matter just as much as compensation. That’s the philosophy guiding Sahid
Nahim, founder of New Bloom Solutions and Pollen Talent, who has built a team culture around professional develop- ment, flexibility and intentional perks designed to help employees feel valued — and rested. Nahim, whose companies employ
seven people across both businesses, says many of his ideas came from reflecting on nearly two decades working in the floral industry, where the prevail- ing attitude often felt transactional. “The mindset was, ‘You’re lucky
to have a job. Here’s your paycheck,’” Nahim says. That experience shaped how he
wanted to lead his own businesses. “I promised myself that if I was ever going to be an employer, I was going to stop complaining and start doing,” he says.
Support Growth One of Nahim’s strategies is help- ing employees invest in themselves professionally. He offers to pay for indus-
try- and job-related courses or books and adds a bonus when employees can prove they applied what they learned. He sees the investment as benefiting
both employee and employer. “You’re also investing back into your business because they’re getting better at what they do, hopefully,” he says.
Make Rest Part of the Culture Nahim believes one of the most over- looked retention tools is encouraging employees to truly disconnect from work. At his companies, birthdays are mandatory days off. “You don’t have an option,” he says. He also provides vacation spending
cash ranging from $50 to $150, with one condition: Employees must spend the money on themselves, their families or an experience while away. He encour- ages employees to send photos of their splurge if they feel comfortable doing so. The goal is to incentivize employees
to take time off and combat burnout before it happens. “Time off is valuable,” he says. “Time
off is something that’s expected.” For two senior employees, Nahim
instituted unlimited vacation. He says the result has been the opposite of what some employers fear.
“They take very little time off,” he
says. “Sometimes they struggle and I have to push them.”
Small Gestures Add Up Nahim encourages business owners to think differently about budgets and retention. Instead of simply pocketing any payroll savings, he suggests rein- vesting small amounts into unexpected perks employees genuinely appreciate. Those perks might include football
tickets, gas cards, lunches or even cover- ing regular car washes. “You’ll see that they’ll think twice
leaving you for another job that pays slightly more,” Nahim says. “They’re like, ‘Who’s going to wash my car every two weeks? Who’s buying me lunch every Friday?’” The goal is to create the kind of envi-
ronment employees genuinely want to be part of — the kind he wished existed earlier in his own career. “I wanted to create a company and
an atmosphere that I would want to be at and be in,” he says.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists and the editor in chief for Floral Management.
10 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | July/August 2026 |
WWW.SAFNOW.ORG
SHUTTERSTOCK/VECTORMINE
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