tomorrow staff meeting

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dutchchick

dutchchick

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Jan 12, 2007
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Turnersville
www.abbottflorist.com
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New Jersey
We have tomorrow a staff meeting, discussing: answering phones, upgrading of arrangement propper answering phones, cost controll of arr etc, standing orders and pricing,
Today<Saturday I just work with one designer she asked me because everyone was afraid to ask if they were going to be paid for this meeting
Every one is concerned about raises and their lives vacation, days off etc etc. I am concerned about our furture as a business with rising costs and competition and economy and the only way to get everyone together is to organize a breakfast all together on sunday and all you concerned about is am I going to be paid, I'm sorry but this was just going in the wrong hole of my throught how ever you you say this in English, one of the girls had said this would mean overtime for her!!!!!
You see I don't mind paying for their time and I probably would have but I some how got very set down by this " drama"
Also if I were to give bonuses for up sales or add
ons for orders what would be a good formula or bonus? it sounds like a good idee but shouldn't it be a requirement for their job to keep it, please advise me because I don't know what would be the best way.
I don't know if you all have seen project runway, but Heidi Klum sais at the end "One will be the winner and one will be out" maybe this will be a more reality and will make our designers understand that it is not all about them,
thanks for listining you all,
Joukje
 
I think maybe your folks are feeling pressure of a Sunday thing. As business owners we can only hope for employees who care about our success as much as we do. It is rough for everyone right now..and most folks are self-centered right now. self-protective. This reflects itself in the floral industry intrinsically...self involved consumers will not think to bestow floral gifts on others,, they have their own @@@@ to worry about. ..Might I suggest a bit of "group hug" coupled with a touch of "let go and let God" and maybe a bam or two of lets do our part to improve our economy from the ground up. Be self-sufficient, and take care of ourselves. Be a team working toward better days. I've been doing forums on local businesses supporting local businesses. Its a KISS policy. Family first. Best wishes...Patty
 
Yeah, i can see how a Sunday meeting may irritate them. However, i can also feel your frustration, it seems they have missed the point.

I think if you are asking them to upsell, what i would do is offer some kind of monthly bonus for the one who sells the most, that way its only going to one of them?? You could also say you would have to conisder using these stats when making redundancies (you would have to be very tactful when saying this).

Bloomz had a very good scheme in another thread a while ago which praised staff, maybe pm him. I cant for the life of me remember what the thread was called but know if i was lucky enough to have a team i would bring in this scheme.
 
it is all about the staff

When something like this happens - your staff is thinging about themselves - of course!

Unless you make a habit of the Sunday brunch meeting - which I think is a great idea - it is unusual and scary, and while you are thinking of it as a great time to get together - they don't know.

Maybe you are gathering them up for a announcement - (times are hard and we are closing - or times are hard and we will make layoffs or cut hours - or eliminate positions).

And of course they should be paid. and well fed. You can't ask people to work for free, and meetings are work.

You are only thinking of it from your side, and I get your anxiety - but more information would have eliminated confusion - and

what if you had asked them to bring ideas for cutting costs, new sales techniques, new designs. Even if they walked thru the door empty handed (or empty headed as the case may be) at least they would not be concerned about a getting fired.

Do tell us how the meeting went!
 
Fat Ct's posts are spot on!!

Of course people are worried. Sunday is generally their day off.

Pay them....for their time (is 4 hours fair/ each@ straight time??) feed them, and talk about the rah, rah, build up,, etc etc.,

Good luck......

Cheryl
 
As a dedicated employee, I value my job. I also value my Sunday and make plans to generally spend the time to either refill my spirit (particularly after a very hectic week) and or to spend time with my daughter. It's the only day she and I have. I rarely have two days off together so my Sunday is like gold to me.

Why not have it as a dinner meeting after work (perhaps closing an hour early). It's a compromise that may be more conducive to positive input from all involved.

V
 
This post may be a day late and a dollar short, but you are obviously having trouble with your employees if the meeting is about their behaviors on the phone, in person taking orders, conserving and/or proper use of product, and doing poor work.

In my shop the meeting would as someone else said, be about, do you gal's want to keep your jobs, or see this shop close!!!!

I don't expect every employee to feel deeply concerned for my shop, but I do expect loyalty, and proper use of time and materials. That's what we pay them for.

Of course, everyone is concerned about their own families and lives etc., but if their pay to support those families and activities, comes out of your pocket, then they should be willing to listen to you when you have corrective information to convey to them. Other employers either speak to the problem employees individually and give warning, or gather the group together before the day starts and say, "Hey guys we will go under if you do not speak to customers correctly, conserve/use product correctly, and learn to be creative and not just do the same old thing because it's what you know and it's easy. You need to protect this shop".

I've fired a few employees for some stupid things, but when someone seeks to damage my reputation, and my customer base, thats it!

Be the BOSS, do what you have to do, you don't owe them lunch or dinner, blah blah blah. Have your meetings and talk straight to them.
They will go home that day with something to think about besides vacations, holidays, etc. Maybe, just maybe they will return with new attitudes!!
 
Pretty clear you're not in California. You are required to pay them to come in.

More importantly though, I think that YOU might need a little change to the thought process, not just the employees.

Employees are not owners and if you expect them to think like one you are going to be disappointed. Frankly, when you called the meeting they should have been told that they would be paid for the time. That will take the issue off the table. Most employees want to do a good job. Just make your expectations clear and most will surprise you. The ones that don't--have to go.
 
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Bigted said:
Pretty clear you're not in California. You are required to pay them to come in.
Click to expand...
In NJ as well, if it's a required meeting.

It's easy to forget once you're an owner, but time at work, discussing work, is work. For us, it's life; for employees, it's a job....

Hope it went well!
 
This is the fact of the matter....When people work for you they expect to be paid...If you call a meeting on a sunday, my first question would be am I going to get paid also...My sundays are so very needed, the last thing i want to do is work, I do because I am the owner, but I wouldn't if I wasn't unless getting paid and paid well.

Were you expecting to have a meeting and not pay people??? Do you expects some things of your employees for them to expect not to be paid?? I know with my last employer I used to get peeved when i had to work overtime because he spent his day at the bar and then came back at 4:30 with a laudry list of crap that had to be completed today and I was designated to do it all...after looking for crap to do all afternoon while he sat and had lunch....that crap gets old and aggravating, so would having to go to a meeting on my day off if the meetings are less than productive and could be done during or just after a wrok day...

I used to work for someone that saw us all as friends and would schdule things on leisure time...We all felt like paid friends, but that crap gets real old real fast especially if you have no desire to be friends with this particular boss...Not saying any of this fits your scenario but just giving you some ideas as to why people may be upset, sometimes a boss has just as hard a time seeing things from an employee perspective as employee's have seeing ours...
 
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I have been on both sides of the table regarding this issue. I have worked for florists and I now have my own shop with limited employees.

First of all anytime, outside of regular work time, an employee is expected to "work" whether its a meeting, going in sunday for funeral work, etc" and it is mandatory, absolutely the employee should be compensated! No question. If someone wanted me to use MY own personal time to talk about how to make THEM money, I'd better get some too. People have lives outside of work, even if the employer doesn't.

I would never have a meeting on a sunday. People go to church, people get their drunk on the night before, etc. I would have the meeting before work, during lunch, or after work. I would also compensate them with something (on top of paying the regular hourly fee) even if it is just coffee and donuts.

This job market is no longer the 1940's. There are dozens and dozens of jobs out there. People are no longer loyal. If you want them to be loyal to you, you need to show that you will be loyal to them. Unless you are paying over the average of your industry in your town, your employees can be romanced to your competition.

In my opinion, when you have employees, it is your job to take care of them. The Good Lord placed them in your care. Most are probably living on what you are paying. You have the responsibility to take the best care of what God has given you. There are lots of great books out there on being a great leader. John Maxwell is one of my all time favorites!

On the other side of the coin, as an employer, you would expect people to care about your business. You would expect that they want to have EVERY customer happy. You would want your employees to be enthusiastic about their job.

Attitude is contangious. If you have a bad attitude, your employees will too. I think that if you take the approach that your staff is more than capable of being a fabulous asset to your business, give them good incentives to be there, have a positive work environment, etc. you might see great things happening within your business.

What's wrong with coming up with something a little extra if they succeed in doing something new? For example, if everyone asked EACH customer if they would like to add a balloon, document the results on a tally sheet, then on Friday, we will all have pizza. Chances are out of 100 customers, 25 wouldl say yes. 25 multiplied by $5 is $125. Who wouldn't want to get pizza for the people that just put an extra $125 in your pocket?

I know that a lot of people will never get this concept. However, if you would just take a moment and really visualize this process, think about how you would feel with a staff of happy people who LOVE their jobs, how much greater and richer your life would be.

Just my 3 cents. :nod: Peace out!
 
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inquiring minds

so - how did the meeting go - we want to know!
 
Thanks for the replies

Cindy's said:
How'd the meeting go?
Click to expand...
Eventhough some replies where late because I would have started with a group hug, other replies have brought me back to reallity, and set my EGO straight.
I just wanted for the record set something straight this has not been my first meeting we usually have a meeting before Valentines day just to be all on the same page, and I have always paid my employees for this.
I was just taken down by the fact that the were woried about this.
Eventhough we didn't start with a groups hug I think the meeting went good I told them what I expected from them and gave them the opportunity to tell be if there was something on their mind, yesterday everyone answered the phone identifying themselfs, I guess it will take some time to change sales skills as for: their phone pitches, I see them use the flowercharts so they use the correct $ amount in flowers
The plan is in a month to have a individual meeting with each designer,
I will take them to lunch.
I also appreciated the comment that we could have the meeting after work eventhough it will be harder to organize, I would be able to keep my Sunday off.
Last note: I feel really cleansed:hug:
Joukje
 
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Late reply here also.
WHen I have a staff meeting I do it after work. THey get paid and we talk on WHat I expect. I also give them the chance to voice any concerns they may have. I always say that if you need to speek to me in private, I am always there to talk to them. SOmetime some people are afraid to talk to you in front of others.

I think i treat my staff right. I usually give them a bonus at Christmas. I bring in lunch several time a year expecially Mother's Day so they can eat instead of thinking what will they get or bring in. It is usually catered, its different and they can have a relaxing 1/2 hour lunch. Usually I give them 1 hour for lunch periods, but at time I must ask them to refrain to 1/2 hours so everyone in the store can eat at a decent time. By law in canada, they are suppose to get 1/2 hour per 5 hours work. There is no law that says they should get 15 minutes breaks here and there....

Individual meetings are good and are like staff evaluations for us.
This is where we talk about private things like wage increases, performances etc.

I will avoid Sunday's and try to accomodate staff. I have one that lives 20 inutes away. So i usually schedule the meeting when she works.

Staff is always a challanged
Luc
 
girlfreind join the club,I am so tired of employee entitlement I could screem!!!!they have no desire to work with you to get things done,its all about me me me!!!!I give my full time employees 2 weeks vacation(I understand most small shops dont give any vacation time)and I also pay their insurance hosp and pharamacy....then they complain if I change anything,I feel like the tail is waging the dog...Im not a harsh person but somebody has to be in charge to make the decisions,last I heard it was me that sighend the cks...what do u guys do with this type of situation...seems like the worse business gets the worse they act...help!!!
 
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