HHIQ_3Q_17_Complete

HR & STAFFING
FLE
BY WOLF GUGLER
PUTTING THE
HUMAN
IN RESOURCES
Sales associates play a crucial role in your store’s success. But how do you find those motivated, knowledgeable,
and helpful employees? And once you’ve identified them, how do you keep them on your payroll?
H
iring and retaining store-level staff
can be just as perplexing as hiring a
store manager. Many feel no matter
how much homework you do, it’s still a
gamble or calculated risk. Here are a few
suggestions to help you hire smarter and
retain the good performers.
First, a few successful retailers known to
us were good enough to offer some hiring
tips they’ve used when looking for new
staff members:
• “We have a simple skills test that
includes addition, subtraction, multiplication,
and division. Also, we have a
graphic of a ruler with arrows pointing
to specific measurements. It’s true that
95 percent of our applicants cannot read
a ruler.”
• “We have them figure out a five-percent
discount on a box of 50 pieces at a certain
price, and calculate sales tax at eight
percent on the total. (We have computer
registers, but they should understand the
concept). Get creative, but be sure to test
only what they will actually be required
to do.”
• “The last few years we have done well hiring
the attitude and training the skill. We
have also done well asking the staff for
their recommendations. Once an associate
told me, “you’re not going to offer her
a job, are you? She tried to hire me to go
over to Lowe’s.”
32 THIRD QUARTER / 2017
Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly
www.hardlines.ca