At the ProSales 100 conference, earlier this month, ProSales magazine and Dealers Choice released the results of their “2019 LBM Employee Recruitment, Retention, and Training Report.” The research finds that more than 80% of LBM organizations polled conduct basic recruitment and retention efforts for employees, such as posting local job ads and offering medical and dental plans for employees and families. However, these efforts and even good compensation are not enough in today’s challenging labor market.
“It’s [like] the ante in Texas Hold’em, you can play the game, but it has nothing to do with winning the game,” says Tony Misura, president of Misura Group, an LBM industry recruiting firm. “Focus on your market, collect information to what the competition’s wages and benefits are, but understand matching the top wages and benefits is not a competitive edge that will solve the problem.”
For additional insight, ProSales magazine asked some of this year’s Four Under 40 winners to shed some light on what they find most important when selecting an employer. Their responses suggest that soft benefits can help attract and retain top talent.
Michael Maglio, Beacon Roofing Supply
“I would say having a purpose. Sure, the money is good, the benefits are nice, but working with Beacon is more than just a job—it’s the closest family I’ve found since leaving the Marine Corps. Our Miami branch and its leaders in South Florida give us all a purpose to achieve great things. They are fair and organized and support the mission wholeheartedly,” says Michael Maglio, outside sales representative for Beacon Roofing Supply. “There is a famous quote, which has stuck with me since the beginning of my Marine Corps career, by President Reagan: ‘Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don’t have that problem.’ This is all good while you’re in, but what happens after you get out and the fulfillment is no longer there? Beacon and its leadership found a way to fill that void for me,” Maglio says, adding that organizations should “find a way to fulfill the void of your employees and they’ll stick around.”
Michelle Valdez, Central Valley
“The feedback I get from some of our younger staff is that they are looking for benefits that go beyond just compensation. They are more concerned with cultural fits, professional development opportunities, work-life balances, opportunities to participate in charitable projects, and flexible work environments (telecommuting),” says Michelle Valdez, category business manager at Central Valley. “One of the benefits that people have responded well to at Central Valley is our recently added Paid Volunteer Days. Our company does a lot of work within the community and expanding that to allow employees financial flexibility to participate on a larger level really ties nicely into those efforts.”
Lonnie Kvasnicka, Dealers Choice
“In all of my LBM industry experiences, I was given the opportunity to build on my strengths and expand my job duties accordingly. When working in lumber yards during college I had leaders that recognized my abilities and provided me with additional responsibilities, which I was able to continually expand upon. Like many in the LBM industry, I started at the bottom and worked my way up, but I was more prepared with every new opportunity,” says Lonnie Kvasnicka, outside sales representative at Dealers Choice. “[Newcomers] need their leaders to recognize their talents and provide opportunities for growth. If an individual feels [his] duties are stagnant, retention becomes difficult. Although I started my career in the position I am in now, I have seen Beacon promote individuals from driver to inside sales to outside sales and even management. They also recruit young people into a training program where they are given tools to expand on their interests and special projects before choosing a career path. The opportunity for growth and continual improvement is the key to recruitment and retention.”
