A Letter to My Employer (or to Yours)

Last February, in this space, I wrote an article on how, as a retired attorney and state employee, I was extremely pleased to have joined the team at Jackson-Hewitt Tax Services, in Tampa (Employment Opportunities in Tampa for Retired Seniors). I have now been employed during the tax season, my first, will be covering year-around offices as needed during the summer, and look forward to working next year. In any event, I have been employed by you for four months and, in my humble and modest opinion, can now address how you can hire more efficient employees and, more important, how you can retain them.

The following suggestions may well apply to other companies whether suppliers of products or services and I offer them gratis!

Why is it so important to recruit employees who can be adequately trained and can be expected to remain in the position? I am not certain of the figures developed by Jackson-Hewitt (or H & R Block or Liberty Tax Services or any of the other tax preparation services) but I will wager that a considerable sum is spent training the new and inexperienced employee. If an employee is not retained, because of a voluntary leaving or discharge, that training expense is lost. Worse than lost, it must be expended again to train the replacement worker. Training dollars must certainly be expended; repeatedly spending the same money without benefit to the employer is wasteful and a horrid waste of resources.

First of all, where are you looking for potential employees?

As I stated in my earlier article, seniors are uniquely qualified to perform service work. "While it is apparent that part-time employment is worthwhile and important to seniors living on pensions, social security or savings, it equally true that a senior citizen employee is of enormous worth to the employer. As I look around our office, I cannot help but notice that Jackson-Hewitt, like so many employers can be slow to recognize the potential in hiring more mature employees. As an older and more mature person, I come with a work ethic that is valuable to a company. I do not bring with me the "baggage" of a nascent social life, the concern over child care, and all of the other distractions of youth."

Dress code and Image

Jackson-Hewitt, as do most large companies, have a dress code to ensure employees dealing with the public portray a positive, professional appearance. While one could quibble about aspects of the code, essentially it serves its purpose. But more could be done to improve a corporate image and, at the same time, allow the employee a measure of importance and participation with the company. For example, each person dealing with the public should display a name tax with his or her name and the company logo. If the employee has a position title (Office Supervisor, Manager, Assistant Supervisor, etc.) that position title should be on the name tag. The name plate should be professionally prepared and indicate the employee and the company are serious entities that can be trusted.

Motivational Gifts and Awards

I call upon my experience with the Florida Department of Revenue, an outfit that is aware that salary with a state agency cannot be the motivating force for retaining employees. The Department has a number of awards and recognition devices that are inexpensive and well-received. These are called, "Atta-Boys". (There is a corollary rule that 10,000 Atta-Boys are wiped out by one, "Oops".)

One such award were the Silver Pickles", handed out by Supervisors to those on their staff who had performed well; they "got the Department or another employee out of a pickle". Corny? You bet, but it was a gesture of appreciation and a source of pride. Another award was the "Extra Mile" coffee or water mug, Styrofoam, brightly colored and, again, not expensive. Each month, the "awards" were distributed at a small ceremony.

The corporate dress codes require men to wear a shirt and tie. As a reward for production, why not allow the employee to skip the tie in favor of a shirt with collar and the corporate logo? While we are at it, why are there not shirts, mugs, pins representing years of service, and so forth with the corporate logo? Even if sold to employees, it would increase identity with the company.

I assume that it any company's wish to retain good employees. It starts at the selection process for hiring, certainly, but retention comes from the little gestures of appreciation and recognition.

With all respect, I am

Sincerely,

Jim Stillman