Cannabis businesses can only thrive when workers stay committed to the growth of the company. Here’s how to ensure that happens.
At least 3 in 10 new employees resign within the first three months of being hired by cannabis-related businesses. Umm, say what? Why are there so many open cannabis jobs in the hottest industry in America?
These businesses are forced to recruit new staff almost every month due to the exit of these individuals.
Recruitment of staff in cannabis-based companies
There are many employment opportunities in the cannabis industry, they include sales and marketing officers, budtenders, cultivation site workers, lab attendants, cannabis specialists/consultants, etc.
Workers are hired based on their degrees, level of experience, and readiness to learn. Once they have been hired, the company proceeds to train them to be the best they can be in their specified units.
Why are new cannabis employees resigning?
The cannabis industry has become populated with companies out to compete with each other for the best workforce. Most of these workers are leaving because they have been offered better packages by competitors. These competitors see no reason to train new workers when they can offer industry-trained and experienced workers in other companies better packages. This logic is being applied by various companies in the cannabis industry, workers are more or less being snatched from competitors.
Another factor that contributes to low worker retention is poor management. Workers ought to be respected and given creative freedom in whatever unit they belong to, but this is not the case. Due to the always available stream of workers ready to fill up junior positions, companies tend not to hold their workers in high regard.
An employee leaving creates a vacuum among the team, which can limit the growth of the business in various ways. Business owners are frustrated by the recent events as more resources are wasted in employing new workers again and again. Some companies have tried offering better benefits to workers, but this has still not stopped 1 in 3 workers from leaving at least two months after recruitment.
Companies have to grab the bull by the horns by approving sustainable employee retention policies. These policies will prevent employees from leaving unless the reasons are valid enough. In addition to these policies, company management must begin to consider ways to improve the personal growth of each employee.
Here are some strategies that could be implemented to improve a company’s work environment as well as reduce the rate at which employees leave.
Hold workshop events for career development
It is not enough that you train workers immediately when they are employed. You have to help them hone their skills. Holding workshops on career development helps boost your worker’s morale and it helps them set a career plan for themselves. Workshop tutors must ensure they let workers know how their career path affects their professional growth as well as the company goals.
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With these classes held at least once a month, workers can see the bigger picture and understand just how valuable they are to the company’s mission.
Benefits and rewards
Cannabis companies rake in revenue worth (at least) thousands of dollars every quarter. Without workers’ high performance, the company would not run perfectly or realize much profit. In months of high profits, remember to reward hard-working members of your team, this will further motivate them to put in their best.
Each worker must also have benefits attached to their roles in the company. Basic benefits packages could include health insurance, rent allowance, and transport allowance.
Workers should also be promoted and their salaries must be increased at the right time. This is a better option than recruiting and training a new employee.
Provide new challenges
Workers get bored of doing the same task each day. Although repetition of tasks helps workers become experts, most times it makes the job lose its thrill. Workers become too relaxed and they consider seeking challenges in other companies.
Provide a variety of tasks for workers to complete in a set time frame. It could be learning new skills or working in other units, this would make workers excited to come into work each day.
These motivational challenges must revolve around each worker’s skills and interests.
Also, consider the perks of allowing workers to work from home or schedule some activities for the team to complete outside the office. It could be in the form of charity events or community service.
Improve communication
All healthy relationships — formal or informal — are based on good communication between all team members.
Communicating with workers allows you to think of more ways you could improve your company’s culture and work ethic.
RELATED: Despite Layoffs, Cannabis Industry Job Growth Continues To Boom
Communication is also about giving workers feedback on their performance and inquiring from them about the challenges bugging them in the workplace.
Informal and formal communication within the workplace is very essential to the growth of the team. Workers become more confident and free to approach senior team members for help without the fear of being judged or ignored.
You will also become more attuned to the perks and needs of team members.
Conflict management
The workplace contains people with different cultures, religions, and qualities. So, it is normal to have conflicts. What matters is how these conflicts are handled.
Sometimes workers can handle internal conflicts without involving senior team members, however, continuous disputes tend to make the work environment unfriendly and toxic.
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Company managers must have conflict resolution sessions with team members. Workers should be able to report issues, and managers should know not to judge but rather to moderate.
When conflicts are swiftly addressed, the work environment remains productive.
Company values and culture
When recruiting workers, make sure their values align with the company’s values.
This is one of the most essential factors that determine whether or not a worker would remain in the company for a long time.
Good and defined company cultures help workers stay committed to the growth of the company.
Cannabis businesses can only thrive when workers stay committed to the growth of the company.
All members of the team have to be invested in the success of the company by seeing the need to evolve into valuable team members.
The primary focus of each business manager should be providing a healthy work environment for workers. When your workers are happy and motivated, the productivity of the company will be long-term.
