Good help is hard to find

This afternoon's post is the first in the 'guest author' series and comes from Matt Geib. Matty is responsible for the northwest outpost for LMES and covers the SC upstate from Georgia to Charlotte. If you don't know Matt- you should. He is a great employee but an even better friend and one of the better dudes I know.

In today’s age, it seems that finding a good employee is one-part luck and one-part knowing the right person to get a referral from. Regardless of which part you have on the front end, it’s the unknown variable of work ethic that is most important and extremely elusive.

In the construction industry, it is paramount to hire someone with decent work ethic. Most all trades can be taught, but work ethic is something that must be instilled and cultivated. Specifically, in the erosion control business, it takes a person with a high sense of motivation and determination to complete any given task.

We have found that our most successful employees are the ones that do whatever it takes to get the job done. There are many obstacles that we all can face each day, but it is the resolve to “do right because it is right” that separates the wheat from the chaff. An individual that takes pride in their work is one that will easily stand out among the rest. When we identify someone with that characteristic, we do our utmost to reward and celebrate it.

A good adage I’ve heard before is that we should always “celebrate what we want to replicate.” It is this mindset that can help us all reproduce hard, diligent workers. When we take the time to recognize and reward individuals in a large group setting for doing well, it typically will encourage the same behavior among the rest of the staff. In fact, one definition of work ethic is, “the principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward.” Which leads me to remember the principle that, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

Remember to take the time to develop leadership and to praise the ones who go above and beyond the call of duty. Also, remember that the employees you have who are shining stars usually will have like minded friends. We should strive to create a work environment that is easy for the hard workers to recommend and refer good help.

So, go forth and #thinkgreen!