Notes from Nikki: Integrating newbies

This time of year almost always brings a new wave of faces. New customer faces, new vendor faces, new  grower faces, but most importantly, new employee faces.

It's very difficult in these times of right-to-work states, labor laws and personal judgment to make perfect hiring decisions. Although you can't assure yourself the right hire every time, you can takes steps to make sure that your new hires feel welcome in their new work environment. A comfortable employee is more likely to stick around for more than a day and become an asset for the rest of the season, with the potential of staying with your company and growing with you.

Make your new hire comfortable by:

•    Spending face time with them personally. Allow them to get to know you as a "boss" but more importantly, as a friend. If your new hire feels comfortable around you, they will be more likely to tell you what's bothering them.

•    If uniforms are necessary, make sure the new hire is comfortable in what they're wearing. Improperly fitting uniforms make for long days and will eventually wear down the attitude and enthusiasm of the new hire.

•    Allow the new hire to start slowly. Don't hire somebody and dump them directly into the busy day of the year. Let them get familiar with their surroundings before expecting great things from them.

•    Pair them up with a mentor. Pick a member of your staff that is reliable and stable to pair around with the new hire for a day or so. This will not only make the new hire feel more at home with new people but also allow your seasoned employees to get used to having a new person on board.

When hiring a new employee, always expect the worst and be happy when you get the best. You cannot predict the future, but you CAN do a little bit of research and get a window to the past. Never hesitate to call references and ask for them upfront in the interview. If the new hire seems a little squirmy, that's a pretty good indication that the information provided to you in the resume/application is less than accurate. A liar on an application will be a liar in your work force.

And as always, when all else fails, go with your gut instinct.

Nikki Weed is a horticulturist and professional adventurer who uses her experiences and knowledge to manage a successful garden center in Greenville, S.C. She can be reached at pepitaweed@gmail.com.