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Staffing
Staffing Practices
Strategy: Detailed and structured staff hiring through local resources
Where: Urban Ore, ReNew Building Materials and Salvage, RE Store (WA), Restore Home Improvement Center
Description: Organizations use local internet based classifieds (e.g. Craigslist) to find qualified employees. Prospective employees are often screened for competency, commitment to the basic values of the company, honesty, and work ethic.
Pros:
- Consistent and reliable source of employees
- Less time spent attracting employees
- Fewer HR issues
Cons:
- Limited talent pool (potential employees must have consistent internet access)
Strategy: Profit sharing program
Where: Urban Ore, The Reuse People
Description: A percentage of business profits are shared with eligible employees.
Pros:
- A better employee understanding of company accounting and revenue streams
- Increased employee efficiency
- Creation of “buy-in” for facility and organizational goals
Cons:
· Fluctuating compensation difficult for unstable or rapidly-changing companies
Practice: Staff member specialization
Where: RE Store (WA)
Description: Staff members have a dedicated area of the store where they “specialize” in product inventory, stocking, arrangement and maintenance. Staff specialist understands application and implementation of certain products (i.e. lighting / electrical specialists can assist in simple wiring and instillation questions).
Pros:
- Staff has “ownership” of area
- Improved neatness
- Improved cleanliness
Cons:
- The “it’s not my area” mentality may lead to disorder and in-house resentment
- Leads to increased reliance on staff guidance and recommendations
- Extra time and effort to source and train staff effectively
Practice: Best practices for volunteers
Where: Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver
Description: Develop a competency around volunteer sourcing and staffing. Use volunteers only if you can create a “full” program. This often entails staffing a dedicated volunteer coordinator, training sessions, updated daily information/to-do boards. A mature program would benefit from community recognition as a non-profit and a volunteer base from mostly “good hearts” rather than court ordered community service.
Pros:
- Free labor – reduced staffing costs
- Enhanced community connection
- Alternative use of capital
- Marketing
- Racking
- Inventory
Cons:
- Difficult (time, cost) to implement and maintain
- Intermittent volunteers
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