Produce manager: “Whenever the president comes out from behind his desk at headquarters, he only talks to the district manager and store manager. We can do a thousand things right and never hear a good word about it. When one small mistake is made, they’re all over us. People at our level don’t mean much to those big shots.”
Perhaps these are not surprising statements and why turnover rate is so high in the stores.
Simple recognition for people who have skilled talent would certainly encourage them to make it a company career.
It’s no wonder why some good workers feel down-and-out. Their feeling of being disengaged and undervalued actually reduces their productivity level and motivation. Whenever management lacks the recognition of an individual worker for doing something extraordinary, it raises the employee turnover rate.
About 80 percent of produce managers are not recognized for doing something exceptional by supervisors.
Most administrative management level executives miss opportunities to praise workers and fail at motivating them for their outstanding achievements for the company.
Some companies claim to have an employee of the month program. Do you think posting their picture on a wall is sufficient? These programs are just fluff. Recognizing one individual out of 230 only 12 times a year is not effective.
Produce certainly has the credentials to prove it is the net profit-maker in the grocery store. Maybe a number of upper management executives have old school beliefs and feel that their employees will get too relaxed if they are praised. In reality, people will go all out to work even harder and achieve more when praised instead of only collecting a weekly paycheck.
Workers who do an exceptional job should be given more applause in order to boost morale.
It will be appreciated by those workers and have a substantial impact on sales. CEOs, presidents and senior officers, please give a standing ovation to your produce people. The end results will increase profits.
Ron Pelger is a produce industry adviser and industry writer. He can be contacted at 775-843-2394 or by e-mail at [email protected].
