Working better together: Q&A with Paige Franks

There are currently five generations in the workforce: the Silent Generation, baby boomers, Generation X, Generation Y (millennials) and Generation Z.

Each brings a different perspective on everything from employer expectations to career growth. Working cohesively can be challenging.

Paige Franks, senior executive search adviser with BEST Human Capital and Advisory Group, says even though values and beliefs can be divergent, bringing people together is more than possible. In this Q&A, Franks shares the benefits of a diverse workplace and what she’s learned about the horticulture industry overall.

Editor’s note: Paige Franks will speak at the 2025 Garden Center Conference and Expo from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, in the session, "Managing & Motivating the Multi-Generational Green Industry." She’ll discuss how to bring the youngest generation into the horticulture industry and what the current understanding of the state of the industry is from the perspective of each generation. Visit gardencenterconference.com for more information and to register.

Lauren Cohen: Tell me about what you do and your career path to get here.

Paige Franks: I’m currently a senior executive search adviser with BEST Human Capital and Advisory Group, specifically servicing the horticulture industry and hiring C-suite employees, anywhere from a head grower to a national sales manager. We have another area of our business that has to do with exit succession planning and human resource advising. My background is in psychology, and I’ve used that to integrate in behavioral screenings and emotional intelligence advocacy and all things mental health.

LC: Given your background, what got you into horticulture?

PF: This opportunity just happened via connections. I wasn’t specifically looking for horticulture; horticulture just kind of found me, which is great because I love plants. Now that I’m in this industry, I don’t ever want to leave it.

LC: What makes you want to stay in the industry?

PF: Above all else, the people. Of course, the plants and the products themselves are incredible, but the people are so refreshing. They’re down to earth, they’re passionate — people are in this industry because they are passionate about it.

LC: How do you combine your expertise in psychology with what you do in the horticulture industry?

PF: It definitely comes into play with behavioral screenings and working alongside people. But I have especially migrated into the emotional intelligence sector and have written pieces on that and done presentations on that and helped kind of coach and provide advocacy and information in that wheelhouse. So, that’s where I’ve allowed myself to exercise the mental health and wellness and psychology aspect of my background in this industry, because this industry has a lot of physical labor and long hours.

I mean, we just got out of spring, which was crazy — emotions went high. People aren’t well, you know, so talking about those things has been extremely fulfilling.

LC: Tell me about the subject of your upcoming conference session and what led you to decide on the topic.

PF: This one is going to cover the multi-generational workforce, because right now, we have five generations in the workforce, which is crazy, and they’re all so starkly different —basically, just talking about the differences we’re seeing.

We’re having a really hard time as an industry bringing people in and attracting the younger generation, which is really problematic because we’re also facing mass retirements — so many people are retiring right now. There’s this huge gap of talent and labor shortages, and it’s a very real issue, so just exploring those generations and all the differences between them and how we can attract the younger generation, and in the meantime all work together as cohesively as possible.

LC: Who is the target audience for your session?

PF: Anyone in the industry. It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 years old and just getting started or on your way out the door retiring and have been in this industry for 60 years. I’m really looking to get insight from various people from each generation in the industry, to share their experience and their perspective on the state of the industry, the changes they’ve seen, what they do want to change, their feelings on those things, the differences in leadership styles and values in the workplace — just all kinds of advice, insight and perspective from each generation.

LC: What takeaways do you want attendees to leave with?

PF: Hopefully, just having understood a little bit more about themselves and other people and being able to apply that new information toward creating and fostering a healthier, more collaborative and efficient workspace and culture.

LC: What are you looking forward to most about the conference in general?

PF: Honestly, the people. I love garden centers. It’s so cool because a lot of these companies at conferences are global and big-scale, and I personally just really love working with garden centers and that group of people.

I came from retail myself before getting into this job, so just that mutual understanding of how that side of the industry works, the intimate nature of garden centers, the people that work them — yeah, I’m excited for the people.

LC: What does the community at conferences like this mean to you?

PF: I really appreciate the level of support that these people have for one another. Yeah, we’re all businesses, and we’ve got to do our own thing, but I just feel like everyone’s there for each other. It’s very supportive. Everyone is good-hearted and learns from one another rather than compete. It’s not as cutthroat as a lot of areas of business and definitely very much a community.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited for style, length and clarity.

Lauren Cohen is an editorial intern with the GIE Media Horticulture Group.