This month we’re focusing on strategic planning. If you’ve been watching our social media at all, you know that I’ve been teaching about strategic planning at the Waterloo Chapter monthly meetings. These meetings are open to anyone, so I invite you to join us in December. For more information about the meetings, or to view the previous content that’s been presented, click HERE.

To begin our series, we’re going to focus on HR. This can feel a bit like navigating landmines, but by implementing some of the following tips and recommendations, you’ll be able to recruit and retain great employees.

1.  Implement effective recruitment and hiring practices

“Always be hiring” is advice we regularly give. Finding the right person is more important than just filling a position, so always be looking for great people. Then once you find them – or they find you – you’ll be more prepared to find a spot for them.

One of the best ways to ensure you hire well is to encourage referrals. Your current...

If you thought the Great Resignation was a 2021 phenomenon, you’re wrong. Employee retention is still a problem for employers. In a recent article published by the Human Resources Professionals Association, they indicate that Canadian companies are collectively attempting to fill 915,000 job vacancies, 80% more than in 2019 according to Statistics Canada, and well above pre-pandemic levels. 

“What’s unfolding then is not just the Great Resignation (the symptom), but the Great Prioritization (the cause). Simply put, people are putting a greater focus on well-being, health (physical, social and mental), family (childcare and/or aging parents) and other hobbies and interests - and by extension, taking the time to consider who they work for, how they work, and why they work.” 

Recruiting employees in this environment is a challenge, but an equally important discussion is how to keep the great staff that you already have. It’s time to rethink how work gets done in your organization and ho...

Happy customers are returning customers. 

We’ve talked about this before, but so much of what creates a positive experience for your clients depends on how you proactively communicate with them. 

Before you sign a contract, do your potential customers know what to expect? Have you completed site visits with all decision makers so they are able to review and sign off on the snow sitemaps? Do they know the invoicing schedule? It basically boils down to you creating an onboarding process that you follow with each client.

Be sure to find out your clients preferred method of contact and then use that method to  communicate before and after snow events. It provides you clients with peace of mind that will drastically lower the number of frantic calls you will receive during an event. I also recommend that you email a weekly operational update so they know when you were on site and what service was performed.  

It’s important to keep a log of all customer interactions regarding service is...