I just love it when a client takes a suggestion of mine and knocks it out of the park.
In this case, the suggestion was to consider if the job could be done another way before you hire someone new. This client, in the landscaping business, did just that and created and a win-win for everyone.
Her business was expanding and she was feeling pressured to hire another four-person crew to keep up with demand.
However, when she asked herself if there might be another way, it inspired her to ask her employees if they could figure out a way to get the job done in the same amount of time with a crew of three.
When employees are invested in the solution
She also told them that, if they could find a solution, she could pay them $2.00 per hour more. They did figure out how to get it done and are completely invested in the new system because they created it.
Now rather than paying four employees $10 per hour, she pays three $12. Her people make more and she saves $4 per hour!
Plus she doesn’t have to hire to meet demand AND, when she does have to hire again, she will attract better applicants because she can offer a better wage.
This was originally published on Mel Kleiman’s Humetrics blog.