In the last chapter we talked about the Industrial Craftsman, that concept, that mythological figure which is half artisan (in resources) half industrial (in thought) and the only possible form of evolution to approach in a concrete and successful way the process of evolution in which we are all immersed.
Unfortunately, the Industrial Craftsman, however good and prepared he may be, is not enough, he needs to be helped by people, professionals who understand and share his goals.
Not even Lewis Halmiton would think of winning races on his own, since if it wasn’t for the help of his team (which you can’t see, but is often more important than the driver himself), he would be working in a Chilean mine 700 meters underground.
Today, doing business and handling a company is incredibly complex, it requires a lot of skills in the most diverse fields, so you need teams that are close-knit and motivated.
Several years ago a carpenter was not required to have enormous skills to be appreciated by the market and to prosper in this business.
Years ago there was no need for a detailed and accurate estimate to convince a customer, and no need to feel scared of legal disputes.
Years ago no one needed a website or targeted marketing activities.
Years ago everything was abundant, there has never been the need to bring out in an analytical way the costs of business management in addition to the real cost of production.
Nowadays, doing business for a carpenter no longer means just mastering production issues, since it has become vital to familiarize yourself with commercial and administrative aspects, taxing, organizational information and so on.
Well then, what’s the matter? Let’s hire!
There is a problem though, a real one… finding people who actually wants to work in carpentry.
A while ago, I read a survey on the Internet asking why carpenters were not able to find people to hire on their teams.
I remember that the very first thing that carpenters recognized as the reason for this was that “Young people do not want to make sacrifices”, followed by “Young people have no drive”, and “They don’t think it’ll help in the long run” and so on …
Personally, I found that survey very significant in understanding the real reason behind this problem.
So let’s start by saying that carpentries are unable to hire people because, as you can see from the survey’s results, they don’t have the vaguest idea of the real reason that keeps young people upright away from them.
Forgive me if I seem a little too harsh, but this is a serious mistake on the entrepreneurial side.
The 3 reasons I just listed (there were more but all meaning the same anyway) are, in my humble opinion, PASSING OFF RESPONSIBILITY.
Thinking that today’s talented youth (let’s not kid ourselves, talent still exists, as it did 20 years ago) is only composed of awful, bad guys that don’t have drive and that don’t want to work is incredibly stupid.
The way I see it, most entrepreneurs (I know what I’m talking about, I’m one myself) try to blame someone else for every bad thing that happens, proceeding then like nothing happened.
But let’s forget about this very important aspect for a moment, we’ll get back to it later.
When Google, Ducati or many other companies (Not necessarily talking about multinationals) put out announcements of hiring … Do they have any issues getting applications?
I get the feeling that in front of their gates there is a line of people willing to work 16 hours a day … while in front of carpentries there is none.
Why do they get so much attention, while no one cares about us?
Unfortunately, the time has come to say things as they are, but I warn you, it will hurt, and it’ll probably make you angry…
The real reason is that in people’s heads, WORKING IN A CARPENTRY IS UNCOOL.
I’m sorry, this is the sad and raw truth … I can’t do anything about it, well, maybe I can do something about it, but we’ll get there soon.
If you are still shaken by the news and you can’t really understand why I said (in your eyes) such nonsense, then I’ll try to explain the situation better.
– If in 2019 we still have a dirty, messed up, disorganized, dangerous carpentry where you still risk your fingers for lack of appropriate technology, it does not mean that young people don’t want to have anything to do with it because they “have no drive”, but because smart young people can certainly find something better.
– If there isn’t a minimum level of organization in the company and this leads employees to work in constant emergency not knowing what they’ll have to do the next day, it does not mean that they “do not see a future in carpentry”, it rather means that they understand that keeping this up would mean spending the money they earn from you on psychotropic drugs to manage the stress conditions to which they are exposed to every single day.
– If when there is a need for overtime they get paid with pats on the back, or if when they have to leave work we make them feel guilty, acting like is the end of the world when they wish to stay home for holidays outside August and Christmas, as if they risk ending up in the moulder … it’s not that “they don’t want to make sacrifices”.
– If when there are problems, it’s always the employees’ fault and when everything is a successes it’s the boss’s merit, then we have to realize that there are already many jobs where conditions are similar, so why should a talented young person come and get dirty in a carpentry shop?
– If we want to hire smart people, but then we don’t give them room to express themselves, because “I’m the boss and you have to shut up and do what I say”, then it’s a problem.
Smart talents can be scary and are not always so well liked, because through new and fresh ideas they can overshadow the outdated visions of the boss and consequently diminish his authority.
Many leaders let the most talented people go for these reasons.
– If we do not want to be questioned as leaders, we must surround ourselves with collaborators who are more stupid or unprepared than ourselves.
In this way the entrepreneur satisfies his ego while remaining within his small world views as the absolute and undisputed King, but if we do not move the point of view outside the company, the leader remains the King … of idiots.
And to me, it doesn’t seem like teams made up mainly of imbeciles, with only one dodger in between, have ever won important things.
If some of these things and issues apply, the real reason why young people won’t apply for the job is not because they are unkind or bad, but simply because we have to put in the effort in making our company attractive enough for them to come. No more putting off annoying responsibilities, a behaviour I can understand from the perspective of a 10-year-old child, who thinks that “I’m not the one to blame”, but I do not tolerate this stuff from an entrepreneur.
An entrepreneur who does not take responsibility for his failures, in my humble view, might have to get a new job. Period!
So let’s assume that we really care about including talented people in our carpentry, but what can we do? How can we attract them?
First of all, let’s find remedy to everything I wrote about just now.
– Clean, safe and tidy environment.
– Tools that help to organize the daily activities, because sometimes handling tasks could take infinitely less time if only they were organized and planned with attention.
– Overtime, it’s important. They must be paid. Period!
– Having less hierarchical structures, within a company my point of view has to be compatible with the point of view of any of my employees.
If I say something stupid, my collaborator has the duty to tell me “Ste, you said something stupid” I don’t care about being the King of imbeciles … I prefer to be the imbecile in the Dream Team.
Then, of course, since it’s my money on stake I get the last word, but I need to encourage employees to have critical points of view, only then we will all evolve and improve.
And then, have we ever thought that a happy, satisfied and motivated employee can give us more, maybe sell us more?
Our employees have dense networks of relationships, friends, parents, children, sisters, brothers…
Then what can they sell?
1) Our products, let’s think about it, what if a cousin asks “I was thinking about whether to get a wooden or pvc window frame”, how will a satisfied employee behave?
It’s simple; he will put the knife between his teeth and lead a battle to sell our windows and doors.
2) The company itself; let’s imagine you’re at the bar, with friends.
Less motivated, sad, resigned friends who instead feel that you seem well, you look fine, understanding that where you work employees are respected and they also respect the employer, they know that the employer claims but at the same time is also willing to give.
These public relations are of extraordinary power and believe me they are much more effective than 100 temporary agencies.
Being an entrepreneur today also means
1) Knowing how to manage employees who, in addition to producing better, will communicate to their dense network of relationships the excellence of your company.
2) Making our company attractive not only to customers, but also to potential future employees.