Applegate Talent Strategies we quoted in a recent Business First article titled, "How to Keep Workers From Joining the Great Resignation," by Hayleigh Columbo. The article profiles Crystal and Gene Hughey’s commercial cleaning company, Corporate Cleaning Inc. The company has been stagnant for the last few years. Not because there's a lack of business.
The problem? A lack of workers.
Among other things, the Hughey's raised the starting wage to $15 per hour. But that didn't seem to help much.
They started asking new hires what the company could do to keep them around. “We asked our core crew: ‘What’s keeping you here?’” Crystal Hughey said.
To the Hugheys’ surprise, the wage bump, which had also benefited longtime employees, didn’t come up as a key motivator. Instead, it was other perks. The company’s retention strategy involves doing almost anything within budget and reason to take care of their nearly 20 employees’ needs, from home to the office.
What exactly comprises their retention strategy? What lessons can you learn from their experience?
Check out the article, dated April 21, 2022, with your Business First subscription here.