Managing Hourly-Wage Employees.
Managing Hourly-Wage Employees – how to effectively manage and lead hourly or minimum wage employees. This can be a challenge for those of us who transition from a corporate or professional environment and are faced with hiring and managing hourly-wage employees.
On this episode, David Begin and Henry Lopez – both experienced entrepreneurs – explore this topic, share their own challenges, and some practical tips and advice on how to do it better.
More about Henry Lopez and David Begin:
David Begin has over 30 years of broad business experience, including successful careers in the information technology industry, sales, sales training, public sector, and business ownership. He is the former managing partner of Wild Blue Car Wash (a highly successful exterior express car wash with three locations in Colorado which he sold in 2019), co-owner of iTopIt (a self-serve frozen desserts restaurant in Colorado Springs which he sold in 2021), and the founder of Carwash OS, a consulting firm focused helping people launch and operate successful carwash businesses.
Henry Lopez is a serial entrepreneur, small business coach, and host of The How of Business podcast, with over 35 years of diverse business experience, including successful careers in information technology, sales, sales training, real estate, and business ownership. He is currently the co-founder of Levante Business Group (helping you start, run and grow a small business), co-founder of iTopIt (a self-serve frozen desserts restaurant in Colorado Springs he sold in 2021), former co-owner of Wild Blue Car Wash (an exterior-express car wash in Colorado he sold in 2019), co-founder of L3 Destinations (a Travel Consulting business co-founded with his wife), and a minority partner of Office Evolution of Plantation, Florida (a coworking and shared office space franchise business).
Free Download: 5 Ways to Engage Hourly-Wage Employees
“5 Ways To Engage Hourly-Wage Employees” offers practical tips for small business owners on recruiting and retaining hourly-wage employees. It emphasizes the importance of selling the job to potential hires, investing in employee training and development, understanding what typically motivates hourly-wage workers, and the need for effective leadership. This guide underscores the significance of a positive work environment, good communication, providing the right resources, opportunities for advancement, and a small business culture of recognition and reward. It also highlights the necessity for small business owners to shift their mindset to effectively manage and retain an hourly-wage workforce, stressing the ongoing nature of the recruiting process and the importance of embracing positive engagement strategies to create a productive and rewarding business culture.
Managing Hourly-Wage Employees:
- How do I manage hourly wage employees? How do I motivate hourly-wage employees? How do I keep my minimum wage employees engaged?
- How is managing hourly-wage employees different and perhaps more challenging when you transition from the corporate world of salaried professionals?
- This is not to imply that one type of worker is better than the other. There are simply different challenges, and when we transition from a corporate career, we may not have this experience.
- Typically, in a corporate or professional environment, employees may be focused on:
- Focused on career and professional advancement
- Usually more self-directed
- Big Egos and bigger demands
- The typical makeup and challenges of hourly-wage employees include:
- Typically Blue Collar versus White Collar
- Younger (Millennials and younger
- Temporary/Transitional
- Shot-term Focus
- Not typically a “career” position
- Tend to avoid “confrontation” – for example, may just quit instead of giving notice.
- Issues with showing up for work on time.
- Personal issues or drama that impact their performance and availability.
- What motivates an hourly-wage employees and how is it different that salaried or white-collar employees:
- Meets their immediate and short-term needs.
- Fair and Accurate Pay
- Time off/Flexibility
- Purpose
- They feel like you have invested in them.
- How to attract hourly-wage employees?
- Why should they want to join our team (sell them).
- McDonald’s Example:
“Working at a McDonald’s restaurant gives you an opportunity to build a successful future while offering a number of perks and the flexibility to meet your goals. Both McDonald’s and its franchisees each offer their employees a variety of development opportunities ranging from world class training programs to high school completion courses and higher education tuition assistance.”
- How to on-board them?
- Solid Training Program
- Give them the tools, training and coaching to help them succeed.
- Make them feel welcome and part of the team.
- How to Coach/Lead and Retain Hourly-Wage Staff:
- Understand that they are not usually career employees
- Positive & Fun Work Environment
- Accurate/Timely Pay
- Good Communication – and include communicating how they communicate (text?)
- Work Schedule Flexibility
- The Right Resources & Training
- Good Managers/Supervisors
- Don’t undermine your Managers/Supervisors
- Public Praise, Private Coaching
- Opportunities – real opportunities for advancement and skills development
- “Advancement” can simply mean additional responsibilities.
- Reward & Recognition
- Bonus Program?
Resources:
Free Download: 5 Ways to Engage Hourly-Wage Employees
Other Related Episodes:
http://www.thehowofbusiness.com/all-episodes/hiring-episodes/
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