Page 26 - I-Plants Magazine - Falliday issue high res Nov 3 2021 edit

5. Throughout your training, emphasize the importance of of disrespect.) Yet your employees may need to ask

working safely. Have one of the trainees demonstrate how questions in order to understand and work safely. So you
to lift a box safely. Review safe driving techniques; ladder may need to be the one to ask the questions to test their
safety; and any safety issues specific to a jobsite such as understanding, or let them know that it’s okay for them
using a scissors lift. Most accidents happen during the to ask you anything they wish and you won’t take it as
holidays when people are inexperienced, rushed, stressed being disrespectful.
and exhausted. Stress safety at every opportunity.
10. Whenever possible, keep your full-time, year-round

6. Make your training hands-on. Most of the people you will horticulture technicians on their primary job and out
be hiring are action-oriented people who will learn best by of holiday decorating. They may want to help on the
doing. Watching a video, reading a manual or sitting in a weekends if needed, but allow them to do what they do
classroom will not be the best way to teach your holiday best during the week. You do not want your technicians
crews. Instead, set up mock practice areas in your facility and to become too tired to do their regular work.
give your seasonal crews some time during their training
session to practice their skills in a safe environment under 11. If your business does outdoor landscaping, you may
close supervision. want to use your landscaping crews to help out since
this is most likely their slow season. Outdoor landscapers

Assume that most of your training will need to continue on work out best when they are used for outdoor holiday
the job and be prepared for this. Whenever possible, pair decorating and lighting; driving vehicles; loading and
up new employees with more experienced, seasoned help. unloading; hanging wreaths and garland in difficult
areas; and doing some of the heavier work. They may not
7. Hire the best caliber of people you can find. If possible, hire adapt well to doing the work that requires more manual
back people who worked on your crews last year. Look for dexterity such as making bows, or a set of skills that they
people you want to keep on after the holidays or hire again do not have.

next year. The better the people, the better the work and
the easier your training will be. Do not hire accidents looking 12. Hire more people that you think you will need and be
for a place to happen! Run pre-employment motor vehicle prepared to do more training as the season progresses for
checks; physical exams for heavy labor positions; and drug- newly hired employees. If you estimate that you’ll need
screening. Check for DWI’s and criminal records. What you 10 people for the season, hire 12 to 15 people. No matter
save in Worker’s Comp claims and property damages will how careful you are, you will discover that some of your
more than make up for the cost. seasonal help, don’t really care if they do a good job or
not. They have nothing invested in your company. They
8. Be prepared for language barriers. We live in a global will hide in the corner and take a nap; they will show up

community and our employee labor pool is changing. You drunk or not at all; they will get sick and tired and will quit
may need to have someone help you to translate during without notice. You will have the luxury of terminating
a training session, and have bilingual checklists available. the employees who are a liability and replacing them
Even someone who speaks English well will learn better and with hard-working people who want the job if you hire
faster if you are able to train them in their native tongue. intelligently.

9. Cultural differences may also create problems. For In other words, everything that can go wrong probably

example, many members of the Hispanic community have will go wrong during the holidays. But if you are
been brought up to be very respectful of those in authority prepared, you can weather the snowstorm and still come
and not to ask them any questions (that would be a sign out smiling!

26 Making The New Normal Better!