Speaker, author, and business consultant Jamie Notter will present “Create a Culture to Attract Top Talent” at the Kick-Off Breakfast during SAF Palm Springs 2018, SAF’s 134th Annual Convention in Rancho Mirage, California, Sept. 12-15.
No matter if you have one employee or 100, you need your staff is filled with quality hires. You want to attract and keep employees who are reliable, hard-working, prompt and willing to grow with your business.
But do you know what employees are really looking for, both as new hires and motivated team members? Speaker, author, and business consultant Jamie Notter does, and — psst…”workplace culture” plays a big part. He’ll present “Create a Culture to Attract Top Talent” at the Kick-Off Breakfast during SAF Palm Springs 2018, SAF’s 134th Annual Convention in Rancho Mirage, California, Sept. 12-15.
Notter doesn’t promise to have a crystal ball to see inside every employee’s head, but his 20-plus years of experience researching trends provides a rare amount of insight into the inner workings of workplaces.
What does Notter see as part of the conundrum facing today’s employers, floral and otherwise? Two words: workplace culture.
What is Workplace Culture? Workplace culture isn’t just what time the weekly ping pong match happens or what kind of local microbrews are stocked in the company fridge. It’s about what you provide employees on a bigger level. What colors their perception of you as an employer, to themselves as well as in how they describe their work to others.
For the growing workforce of millennials, culture often has more to offer than even the biggest paycheck.
Notter has spoken a great deal about the importance of workplace culture and all that it can provide employees. His book, When Millennials Take Over, delves into the issues facing not only those who are looking to hire the newest generation of worker, but also those in that group who want to work.
Watch this 3-minute video of Notter talking about how millennials are looking for a job with meaning:
What Employment Challenges do Today’s Florists Face?
All businesses, not just the floral industry, are tasked with attracting, and maybe more importantly, retaining quality talent. When asked what unique challenges florists face, as well as their particular strengths in today’s market, Notter had a lot to say.
“Based on some initial data collection from SAF members about workplace culture, we noticed the scores were particularly futurist (as opposed to traditional) in areas like inclusion, specifically related to the parts of workplace culture that reflect the power of individual employees to take action and make a difference,” Notter said. “Survey respondents noted a strong sense of acceptance, autonomy ownership, and creativity. These kinds of elements are particularly important to millennials, who grew up with much more power to shape their own world when they were growing up.”
How Can Florists Compete with Workplace Perks from “the Other Guys”?
Florists aren’t going to be able to compete with Silicon Valley-level perks, but what can they take away from other industry moves?
“The good news is, you don’t have to keep up with the Silicon Valley Joneses, so to speak,” Notter said. “Perks are great, but our research around employee engagement shows that creating an environment that enables your employees to be successful (both for them personally as well as for the organization) is a huge driver of engagement.”
The details come down to that special culture that only the most creative of industries, like floral design, can provide.
“Creating a strong culture that makes sense to your employees will do more than beer in the fridge,” he added. “And that means you can get lessons from any industry. Case studies of amazing cultures from our last book included a software company, a small nonprofit, a healthcare company, and a regional bank. They provide interesting examples of new approaches to transparency, hierarchy, and decision-making.”
Want to learn more? Be there in person at SAF Palm Springs 2018 when Notter dives deep into the results from the SAF survey of owners and employees, revealing how your peers define their workplace cultures and details processes and behaviors that turn culture into a tangible tool.
Notter is among the 58 expert speakers presenting at SAF Palm Springs 2018. Learn more and register now at safnow.org/annual-convention. Early-bird registration ends Aug. 17 and saves you $205.
![“It’s been so exciting to watch [the Next Gen Florists Facebook page] grow each day,” said Nicole Palazzo of City Line Florist in Trumbull, Connecticut.](https://safnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NextGen_FB-150x150.jpg)
