MJBizMag April 2021 - 11

What can a business owner do to ensure
the cultivator is happy when it comes to salary,
bonuses and other benefits?
Be careful about production-based incentives because
even world-class growers can only increase production
by so much. A plant has a finite production capacity,
and it would be unfair only to propose bonuses tied
to production increases. A cultivator might be able to
increase a grow room's production by 15% by switching
out varieties and playing with pruning techniques or
fertilizer, but it's unrealistic to assume they'll realize this
kind of increase with each harvest. Even under ideal
conditions, a crop's productivity will hit a ceiling, and your
grower knows that. Once this happens, your grower may
start looking for a new job.
Instead, offer incentives based on improvements that
are within the grower's control. Are there ways to de-leaf
or prune a crop so that more of the harvest is sold as
premium flower and less for extraction? Are there ways
to reengineer the flow of the post-harvest process so that
employees spend less time grabbing plants, emptying bins
or looking for tools? Is there sanitization technology that
could be implemented to clean grow rooms and reduce
the number of hours employees spend sloshing around
mop buckets of bleach?
Increasing production is a noble cause, but don't
forget about efficiency. Bonuses based on lowering
production costs, minimizing labor and improving
crop quality have more extended staying power than
production incentives alone.
Where should an executive look to hire a lead
grower?
The easiest way to acquire a new grower is to poach from
an existing, successful operation. Everyone is interested
in hearing about new opportunities, and it's flattering
to be recruited. Even if the potential grower is not
interested, they can likely refer you to a grower looking
for work.
Posting vacancies on cannabis job websites can
generate mass interest, but be prepared to comb
through plenty of unqualified candidates. Ask a friend or
consultant who is knowledgeable about growing to help
you weed through the dozens (or hundreds!) of resumes
you are sure to receive.
Networking at cannabis conferences is a great
way to meet potential candidates, but due to show
and attendee schedules, there typically isn't much
opportunity for a lengthy sit-down interview. Use
conferences to make personal introductions and
exchange contact information, then request resumes and
schedule follow-up interviews later.
Lead growers should report directly to the operations manager or owner,
depending on the size of the company. Courtesy Photo
How should the lead grower fit into the
organizational structure of the company?
If a cannabis company takes the time and money to hire
the best grower it can afford, it's critical to let them do their
job. Too often, companies pile layers of management on
top of the lead grower like a suffocating stack of pancakes.
This results in multiple decision-makers and cumbersome
committees that grant or deny permission, preventing
growers from reacting quickly to daily challenges and
implementing rapid solutions.
To prevent this problem, a lean organizational chart is
best. In small companies, the lead grower should report
directly to the owner. In large companies, they should report
to the operations manager-and that's it!
The organization of the cultivation team should also be
kept simple. Under the lead grower are usually section
growers who manage activities for a specific area. In
greenhouses, this is generally defined by greenhouse bays,
while indoor operations typically divide sections by grow
room. Under the section growers are plant technicians or
production assistants who perform the day-to-day labor and
account for most of the hires on a cultivation team.
Keeping the team lean and efficient not only keeps
payroll down but also increases the overall productivity of
the cultivation site.
Bart Schaneman covers cultivation
and extraction for Marijuana Business
Magazine. You can reach him at
bart.schaneman@mjbizdaily.com.
April 2021 | mjbizdaily.com 11
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MJBizMag April 2021

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