FindersKeepers
Brandon and Mackenzie Hill
Martha Moore and her family opened their first The Little Gym in 1996 . They now own four gyms in North Carolina , South Carolina , and Tennessee . Moore could have continued to only use standard job posting websites , but about a year ago she added video to her array of recruitment tools . Videos appeal to a generation raised on them , and Moore has found them an effective hiring tool .
The Little Gym ’ s recruitment videos feature employees talking about their jobs and demonstrating what their typical day is like . “ Video gives people an insight into what we ’ re about . It piques their interest . It also answers a lot of questions they may have ,” she says . And , she adds , “ It brings in great candidates .”
Acing the interview Some franchise owners are crafting their employee interview process with long-term retention in mind . Richey has learned that relationships between employees and managers are an important element in building great job performance for the teams at his restaurants . He is looking for managers who understand that and value the connections they make with their team members .
“ One of our interview questions is ‘ Should you have close relationships with your employees ?’ Most people say no . What we ’ re listening for is ‘ Yes .’ We ask them how they would foster a sense of family among their co-workers . We are looking for people who are out of the ordinary . That ’ s the kind of folks we want to hire .”
Brooke Wilson and her husband Les have been quite successful with their five
“ Video gives people an insight into what we ’ re about . It piques their interest . It also answers a lot of questions they may have ."
Martha Moore
Two Men and a Truck franchises in North Carolina and Georgia . ( See their MVP profile in MUF Q3 2016 .) Since opening their first franchise in 2004 as newlyweds , they ’ ve learned that the standard interview questions can miss an element they see as invaluable in finding the right people to work for them .
“ Listen , listen , listen ,” she counsels , in a twist on the old real estate axiom . “ You have to recognize the needs of applicants to determine if you can combine them with your needs . We want to find people whose goals fit well with what our franchise can offer ,” she says . “ We take the time to discuss not just immediate job openings , but to set out the steps in a career path that could help them accomplish their professional and life-balance aspirations .” This up-front discussion of a pathway for advancement can go a long way in both hiring and retaining good employees .
Training tips and tools Moore , like most franchisees , draws on the comprehensive online training program from her franchisor . Then she begins to supplement that . “ We immerse our new employees in our company culture by having different team members mentor them in different aspects of their job ,” she says . “ We also use role playing to teach and we send employees to training workshops selected especially for them .”
Team members also have a Facebook group , open only to employees , which acts as an additional resource for them to share ideas , ask for suggestions , or celebrate accomplishments . “ You don ’ t have to reinvent the wheel ,” she says , “ but we are constantly evolving .”
54 MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE ISSUE II , 2017