Best of the best

When we ask contractors about some of the major challenges they face in business, one of the most common answers we hear is the lack of good employees who want to work in the industry.

Out of these conversations about working shorthanded came the cover story this month – our 2016 Employee of the Year contest.

Instead of always focusing on the bad employee experiences, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the good hires.

When we first asked for submissions in February, we weren’t sure what to expect. Would we end up empty-handed because owners didn’t want to nominate just one employee – or worse yet, because they didn’t have anyone worth nominating? On the other hand, would we be overwhelmed with great stories, leaving us with a tough decision?

I’m happy to say the results were closer to the latter. We received more than 50 nominees, and most of them were fantastic.

What impressed me the most from nominations were the specific details people included on why the nominee was worthy of the recognition. You could feel the enthusiasm in the words they wrote.

While it was very difficult, we narrowed the field down to five winners we feel are the standouts.

What I love about each story is the lessons you can pull from each one.

It’s a great lesson that your employees can rise to the occasion when you challenge them.

The winner we chose for the cover, Brandon Goebel, helped his bosses, Julie and Lloyd Stunkel, when Lloyd was diagnosed with cancer. Julie says that Brandon, a relatively new employee, could have left and found another job without a problem.

Instead, he was ready for any challenges he would encounter. It’s a great lesson that your employees can rise to the occasion when you challenge them.

Another winner, John Harich, almost quit Ruppert Landscape after only one year back in 2004. Instead of just accepting his resignation, management convinced him to stay. They didn’t write him off as another guy who couldn’t hack it. They worked with him and convinced him to see his potential.

These stories may make you think about your approach to your team, give you one of those hiring nuggets you can use down the line or just serve as positive reinforcement that there are great employees out there.

Whatever you glean from these profiles, remember that your next hire could be your best hire. We plan on having this contest again next year.

While we won’t ask for nominations until early in 2017, it’s never too soon to start thinking about someone on your team who deserves a spotlight on them. – Brian Horn