Contractors relying on snow blowers as labor-saving option to more efficiently manage sidewalk and walkway duties may be interested in the recent improvements and enhancements Toro has made to its Power Clear line of winter products.

The enhanced Power Clear single-stage models feature 252cc 4-cycle OHV engines that can throw snow up to 40 feet. According to Toro, the optimized units’ Power Propel system clears snow to the pavement and reduces clogging. In addition, ergonomic improvements are kinder to the operators.

The Power Clear lineup includes a variety of options, sizes and configurations:
18-inch 518 ZR and ZE models. Slices through snow more than a foot deep. The modes are reliable, productive. The ZE models feature electric start functionality.

60V Battery

21-inch e21 60V battery-powered models. Lithium-ion technology requires minimal maintenance. Ideal for concrete and asphalt surfaces, the new models remove up to 12 inches of snow in a single pass. The new 21-inch Power Clear 60V models are available in three configurations:

• Model 39901T: e21 60V battery snow blower without the battery assembly
• Model 39901: e21 60Vbatterysnow blower with one7.5 amp hour(ah), L405battery
• Model 39902: e21 60V battery snow blower with two 6.0 ah, L324batteries
  

21-inch 721. A powerhouse unit capable of managing tough winter conditions, the 21-inch 721 features a 212cc 4-cycle OHV engine, and is available in standard models with or without electric start, commercial upgrade with extended life paddles, and quick shoot on the QZE model.

21-inch 821 QZE. For extremely deep snow, the 21-inch 821 QZE makes quick work of winter’s worst conditions. Additionally, customers can place snow exactly where they want it with the incorporation of a quick shoot trigger.

CLICK HERE for more product info from Toro.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth article in a five-part series.

The recruiting and employment processes begin when the need for additional staff or the replacement/refilling of an existing position is under consideration. Often, owners and managers discuss the manner of filling a vacancy or the justification for adding a position in advance. When you must hire someone take a moment to consider why you need someone right now; what functions will this person perform; how much will these additional costs impact profit margins; and how will you recruit for a qualified candidate?

Next, it’s important for the manager to develop a complete and thorough job description. This serves to analyze not only the manager’s reasons for the position, but also the specific essential and non-essential tasks of the position. Likewise, prepare the manager to search for specific qualifications necessary to successfully complete the tasks of the position

 

Job descriptions vary in format, but do have similarities among them. All job descriptions should include:

• Job title
• Status (exempt or non-exempt)
• Department
• Supervisor’s title
• Summary of job functions or duties
• Specific job functions or duties
• Supervisory responsibilities – If any
• Qualifications
• Physical demands
• Work environment

Other aspects of the hiring process that should be prepared in advance include:

• Job application
• Conditional offer letter – Draft prepared
• When and where to show up for the process
• Hiring packet – Company information
• Drug and alcohol testing procedures
• Testing – Physical; personality
• Agreements – Confidentiality; non-disclosure; non-solicitation; non-compete
  

When you put these aspects together in advance you are better prepared to have the hiring process be comprehensive and flow smoothly for both the organization and the candidate.

So, now that you are now ready to begin the hiring process, where do you start?

Advertising For Candidates
Employers must be careful in their wording and selection of methods when advertising

Internal resources may include: Internal job postings; word of mouth; employee referrals (with or without referral awards)

External resources may include: Classified advertisement in the local newspaper or professional journal; state’s job-services agency; a professional recruiter; internet postings on a career web or professional site

 

Application Screening
Applications and resumes should be carefully reviewed. Be sure the applicant has the minimum qualifications you set. If the job duties require accuracy and thoroughness verify the application was completed this way. Determine those applicants you will interview carefully.

Interviewing
The company must determine who should interview prospective candidates. Employers must be cautious as to the type of information asked during an interview process.

For example, any questions regarding race, age, gender, marital status, disabilities, criminal record, finances, religion, national origin, and sexual preference are not job related and may be considered illegal. Make sure you know the rules of the road in your state.

With the exception of referencing, a personal interview is the single best means of evaluating the qualifications of a potential new hire. Divide the personal interview into four parts:

• Put the candidate at ease 
• Ask your questions
• Answer the candidate's questions
• Summarize final statements and indicate when you will get back to the candidate.

Interview Prep
Proper preparation increases the likelihood the interview will be thorough. So, Set aside enough time for an interview. Remember, it can take 30 or even 45 minutes to establish rapport. Also, limit distractions, especially phone calls and text messaging.

In addition, before the interview the candidate make sure you have a clear picture of what it takes to do the job.Review the application and ensure it is complete.  Encourage applicants to be honest, and confirm all employment gaps. Don't forget to “sell” your company.

In addition, during this process verify key application information, such as:

• Why is the applicant looking for a job at this time?
• When is he/she available to start?
• Why is he/she interested in working for your company?
• Is the applicant willing to work for the salary you’re offering?
• What hours is he/she available to work? What hours can’t they work?
• Does the applicant understand the job requirements?
• Does this person have a history of terminations or frequent resignations? If so, have them explain.

If the applicant does not meet your basic criteria, diplomatically close the interview by saying that the most qualified applicants will be contacted. Remember, every applicant could be a customer or the friend of a customer. Avoid making this process a negative experience for the applicant.

Offer Letter
Provide the chosen candidate with an offer of employment letter. A suggested standard job confirms critical “need-to-know” information previously discussed with the candidate including:

• Position title.
• Position salary
• The name of the individual who is the position’s manager
• Starting date
• The eligibility period for company benefits
• Any special accommodations
• Expense reimbursement policy if applicable

 As Head Harvester, with the Harvest Landscape Consulting Group, Fred Haskett coaches green and white industry owners. He is also a frequent Snow Magazine contributor.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third article in a five-part series.

Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them. They hire already motivated people and inspire them. Unless you give motivated people something to believe in, something bigger than their job to work toward, then they will motivate themselves to find a new job and you’ll be stuck with whoever is left.

Here are the basic steps or components of building a comprehensive people plan. This plan will create the guidelines and help you focus on the process of determining your organizational needs, looking internally at who and what your best people are, and how you will go about fulfilling them.

Determine Your Needs

• Project revenue growth -- 1,2,3 years out
• Know types of people and the numbers needed
• Build a People Map (Organizational Chart) for each year
• Get input and provide feedback regularly

Identify Targets

• Profile your best players. Who are they? Where did they come from?
• Build a clearly defined selection criteria.
• Identify the must haves and would like to haves
• Determine “The Zone of Success” deal with outside “The Zone”

Sharpen The Tools

• Define the goals and expectations of the position
• Develop clear and concise job descriptions
• Establish pay ranges and bonus plans
• Create a benefits summary -- include a cut sheet             
• Set up your screening and interviewing questions
• Have your key people prepared
• Get pretty. Clean-up your yard, facility, and vehicles

Build Your Own Unique Recruiting Proposition

• Be able to answer the following questions: What makes the company special? Where is the company going? What types of people do we need? What are the rewards other than money/compensation for joining our team? What is your compelling reason to work with you -vs- the competition?

Practice Recruiting “Best Practices”

• Have a spelled-out process in place: Who, What, How, & When?
• ABR - Always Be Recruiting
• Know the needs ALL of the time
• Have a process to identify needs now and future needs
• Hire the best when they appear -- just figure it out!
• Create and sustain an active recruiting funnel

Go to the Sources

• Seek internal candidates first
• Enlist your best to find the best – set up a referral rewards program
• Tap into strategic partners:  Both vendors and customers
• Network and work it hard
• Set up scouting systems
• Utilize placement agencies
• Friendly competitors and subcontractors

Seek out strategic acquisitions

• Determine the zone. Do this by identifying source locations. For example, English-as-a-second-language classes, community churches, and local schools.
• Don’t do it alone. Rather, be the orchestra leader or choreographer of this process.

Screening and Interviewing Process

• Build sample question lists and use consistently
• Know the disqualifiers
• Use Your EARs!  Example – Actions - Taken – Results
• Try utilizing a Warm – Hot – Cool ranking method

And if the scenario arises where the applicant does not meet your basic criteria, diplomatically close the interview by saying that the most qualified applicants will be contacted.

 As Head Harvester, with the Harvest Landscape Consulting Group, Fred Haskett coaches green and white industry owners. He is also a frequent Snow Magazine contributor.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second article of a five-part series.

A successful, sustainable and profitable business starts with culture. It's the foundation of your organization and all companies have one -- whether they're aware of it or not. However, the question is whether your culture is good or bad, productive or destructive.

For those non-believers on the impact of culture, author and speaker Leandro Herrero teaches “The 8 Hard Arguments on Culture:”

1. Culture is the difference between 30 people making a decision in 30 days, --or-- 3 people making the same decision in 3 days

2. Culture is the difference between taking accountability, --or-- passing the monkey down the hierarchy

3. Culture is the difference between waiting to be told, --or-- taking the initiative

4. Culture is the difference between bringing things out in the open, --or-- criticizing everybody in the toilets after the meeting has ended.

5. Culture is the difference between implementing decisions, and deferring them –or-- waiting and hoping that those decisions may be changed

6. Culture is the difference between loosing 20% of recruits after a recent recruitment event, --or-- having people knocking at the door wanting to join

7. Culture is the difference between recycling orphan ideas, --or-- making things happen

8. Culture is the difference between making things happen first and fixing the broken system afterwards, --or-- paralyzing all to fix the system first so things can happen after

 

Every company has the makings of a culture. However, it’s up to you -- the company’s leader -- to identify and shape the development of that culture so it ultimately aids in the business’s growth and development. The following is a how-to guide for getting your culture on the right track.

First you need to start with a culture check-up. This is done by surveying your team and asking the following questions:

• What do they think?
• What is working?
• What is not working?
• Where are the pain points?
  

After the survey, engage them in a healthy dialogue with a spirit of inquiry. Review the findings together as a team. Then you can start to build the Foundation of a Deliberate Culture

There are three key components to proactively building a conducive culture that will help your company keep and retain the people who are the keys to your success and assist you in gaining a competitive edge.

You need a vision, mission and values statement. Everyone needs context for work, this is the long-term objective for the company. Given that objective, employees need to understand the value they provide to customers, when it needs to happen, along with the principles that control how tasks need to be performed.

Successful companies with a solid company culture built that culture deliberately, proactively, and on purpose. They focused on three key areas:

Vision — Provide a compelling picture of the future that will draw people to your company through an emotional connection. What do you want your company to look like in 5 years? 25 years? Where are you headed?

Mission — Why do your people come to work every day? How will your team achieve your vision? Outline your offer, which is the products and services plus the experience of doing business with you. This is the rational connection between the offer and the benefits customers receive.

Core Values — Convey to customers, suppliers, investors and especially employees that how they perform matters. What values do you live by? This defines the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

So, build or tune up your vision, mission, and core values. Make these a part of recruiting, on-boarding, reviews, leadership training, and your career-path process. When you have this in place and conduct yourself and your business by these standards, then you can build a people plan (which I address in Article #3) designed to grow and keep the keepers and lose the losers.

 As Head Harvester, with the Harvest Landscape Consulting Group, Fred Haskett coaches green and white industry owners. He is also a frequent Snow Magazine contributor.