What are the characteristics of a great employer, and can they be found in the Okanagan?
We have heard of publicly traded global companies that offer innovative employee programs because they have discovered if you take care of your team, your team takes care of customers. It seems instinctive to have this philosophy, but some employers can fall short. If cash flow is low due to the pandemic, or if the company is growing exponentially, it’s easy to have employee engagement programs become secondary.
So what can local companies do to create a workplace that is attractive? Here are seven key attributes that continue to be most popular with employees.
• Rewarding work. Having a sense of purpose every day is important to feel valued.
• Team connections. No one has ever left a workplace where they had support and they had friendships at work.
• Fair compensation and recognition. A diversified workplace where the job you do is compensated objectively. The work you do is acknowledged.
• Stability. People want to feel secure and work for reputable companies that have a long history in business.
• Innovation. People don’t want companies they work for to stand still. Adapting technology and being progressive is important for employees to feel they are not lagging behind and stuck in the dark ages.
• Development and training. Do I just work there, or do I grow there? Employees feel best about places that reinvest in their people.
• Community giving. Employees want their employer to invest in their community and the people that live there. A company that has philanthropic values has a better chance of attracting great talent.
Looking locally at a company that checks those boxes is one that exists in the furniture category in the Okanagan. Beachcomber Home Leisure provides indoor and outdoor furniture as well as hot tubs. It’s a family run store with locations in Kelowna and Vernon.
• Rewarding work. Jason Mann has worked at Beachcomber for several years, and he says he has his own reasons for why he enjoys what he does. “I always get lots of validation by the customers and the ownership in the work I do. I help customers find the perfect set for their home, and ownership has always appreciated the job I do because they are on the retail floor seeing it themselves.”
• Team connections. Once people start at Beachcomber they generally stay for longer periods of time than the national average. A Source Express Employment Solutions study found that 22% of business leaders say the average tenure of their employees was less than three years. Why? Staff functions, such as bike riding the Okanagan Rail Trail during the shutdown, was a memorable outing that had staff socializing outside of the workplace.
• Fair compensation and recognition. With Beachcomber’s benefits program and compensation structure, it seems to be a winning program with many employees staying longer term due to the ability to make more based on the success of the Beachcomber product selection. Owners work on the retail floor so they are not ensconced in an office hearing second-hand information. They recognize employees by working alongside them.
• Stability. The Melvin family has owned the Beachcomber retail locations for more than 30 years. Now it’s in its second generation of leadership, with sons Kent and Shawn taking over day-to-day operations from father Dennis.
• Innovation. Constantly sourcing new products by attending the biggest furniture shows in North America, they are able to stay on top of current trends and fashions. Constant revamping of their website and reinvestment of their inventory management system means that advanced systems are in place for a bright future.
• Development and training. Beachcomber has hired a human resources consultant to help teams identify personality types and how best to work with each other. They regularly meet to learn how to create a better customer service experience through advanced communication tools.
• Community giving. Beachcomber has a soft spot for local kids’ sports teams and those most vulnerable in their community. Sometimes donating products or service and monetarily is their way of saying, “Thanks.”
Due to exponential growth in sales, Beachcomber Home Leisure is looking for a product consultant to help them manage volume. If you have any prior experience in furniture and want to work with one of the best in the Okanagan, Beachcomber would like to talk to you. Conscientious, organized and passionate in helping others find the perfect furniture or accent piece for their home is an asset.
Contact [email protected] if you or someone you know wants to work with one of fastest growing furniture retailers in the Okanagan. You can also drop off your resume in person at their Kelowna location at 2457 Highway 97N.
This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Okanagan Edge.
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