Every year my dad works with the Farmington Area Goodfellows: collecting, sorting, boxing and delivering the care packages. Today was the delivery day, and my dad was there, in the background, just like he always is. I’m sure it’s an emotionally exhausting day for him. Fortunately, he’s an optimistic person and is greatful for the chance to help someone in need.
I talked to him after all the deliveries were complete and he said things went well, but that he hoped things would turn around for people here in the really near future. As I am also an optimist, I said that things will pick up, now that the auto ‘bailout’ is moving forward, the election is over, and the holiday season will soon be over; things will change. They have to. I told my dad, “And to make sure, I’m going to do my part. By being in the staffing industry.”. I couldn’t hear him roll his eyes, but I’m pretty sure he did since his next words were, “but are companies going to be hiring?”
Right there, I knew I had the perfect opportunity to educate my dad on how things had changed since he retired 10 years ago. First of all, Dad, ‘companies’ don’t hire ’employees’ anymore; ‘people’ hire other ‘people’. That is the biggest mind shift for some people to make. No longer do they just look at the organizational chart and see an empty spot, but now they actually look at the work being done, or not being done, and hire accordingly. The best thing about being in the staffing industry, especially the way we do our staffing, is that not only will we hire people ‘to get the work done’ for you, but we will find the right person who will fit into your company so well, you won’t know what you ever did without them.
In this economy, everyone has a story. Everyone’s story is different, but everyone has one. Wouldn’t it be great if your new person’s ‘story’ (or mission, or vision, or whatever you want to call it) mirrored your own? What would your business look like if all your employees came to work every day because they really loved the work they do and the people they work with? Work productivity would increase just due to that synergy. Less errors would be made because people would take greater pride in their work. Customers would be happier, thereby creating more loyal customers, better word of mouth and ultimately more business.
So, am I an optimist? Yes. Am I a realist? Yes. Am I going to hit bumps and road blocks along the way? Yes. But, do I have great hope for our community and the businesses in it? Yes, I do. Just like my dad, I will continue to deliver hope to those in our community. Together, we can make a difference.
This was really moving. I believe that the reason your company is going to be a success is because of the attitude and values expressed in this very post – you care about people. It makes all the difference.