November/December 2022 - 8

perspectives
BY JENNIFER MOSS
Labor of Love Lost Between
Generations
As a 1985 baby, I fall into two categories: millennial and
Generation X. This never seemed like much of a concern as I was
entering the workforce. I recall being grouped as " entitled and
lazy " by the older generation at the time and scoffing
at such a presumption that my work would be viewed
this way, regardless of the aptitude and work ethic I
brought to the table. Hindsight is often 20/20 as I find
there to be a trend that every younger generation is
thought to be less than the former.
Today, as a hiring manager and upcoming ownership
Jennifer Moss is CEO
at Moss Greenhouses
in Jerome, Idaho. She
is a member of GPN's
40 Under 40 Class
of 2020 and can be
reached at jennifer@
mossgreenhouses.com.
(my brother and I are the fourth generation of family
ownership) at Moss Greenhouses, we are battling
the same labor battles as any other company in the
world. It is as if you are paying more for less like at the
grocery store. We just don't have the bodies to do the
jobs because other industries can offer more, and the
work isn't as hard.
Today's workforce is more diverse than we have ever
seen, providing many opportunities and challenges
for any owner or hiring manager. I love to turn challenges
into opportunities. My staff would be the first to tell you I love
to make them uncomfortable because that is where growth
happens. That goes for anyone of any age. So how do we do the
best job with the people we have from each generation? I want
to provide a workplace in which people look forward to coming
to work. We spend more time with the people we work with dayto-day
than our own families. Why not make that environment
fun and uplifting?
Our goal is to find capable individuals to do the job and show
up every day. The older generation in the workforce has the
experience, but they are starting to find their exit strategies and
stage retirement plans. This is the time we need to use their
knowledge to prepare ourselves for the next shift. The millennial
and Gen Z, following Gen X, speak a different language. This has
become such a glaring issue for managers and trainers in every
segment. How do we communicate the job and train for it?
HIRING FOR THE JOBS IN TODAY'S WORKPLACE
YouTube has taught us a lesson that is key to this piece of
training. Video is king. They are the second largest search engine
in the world owned by the largest one, i.e., Google. This is where
we find our opportunity. Can we translate the jobs we have into
video training for the new generation of hires? Can they help us
with this, as it is their skill set we need for this process?
First, let's dispel the myth that the younger generation in front
of hiring managers today are useless and lazy. I challenge you to
look at it from a different perspective. Author and motivational
speaker Zig Ziglar once said, " Your attitude, not your aptitude,
will determine your altitude. " Hire for attitude. You can lean on
8 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 GPNMAG.COM
the experience in your workforce to train the job itself. Having
a great attitude and a positive workplace environment to show
up to every day goes a long way in job satisfaction. This new
generation of employees are driven by the value of experiences
over possessions and work-life balance. Following that logic, how
can you contribute a positive experience to their work life thus
instilling loyalty and commitment? Train from experience while
speaking their language in video. We use the skills and strengths
of each generation to build the foundation of hiring and training
for our labor forces. Take that experienced manager or machine
tech, have them build the content, then find that video buff (or
hire it out) and make a plan. Then the onboarding process gets
much simpler.
After that, the follow-up can fall in the regular protocol for
30-day evaluations and expectation benchmarks that fall within
any company structure. How much easier is your day job if you
no longer must exhibit large amounts of stress or lack of sleep
because your process of hiring, training and onboarding is solid?
The answer for me is approximately 50% reduction in stress,
leaving my energy available for the day-to-day challenges that
any owner faces, giving me more ability to do my job.
My daily goal is this simple: Leave people better than when I
found them. That goes especially for the folks who work with me
every day. I lean on the experience of my team and lend that to
the new up and comers to build excitement. That, coupled with a
positive work environment and video onboarding program, and
you are setting yourself up for success in the changing world.
Now I invite you, leave a smile on the face of a coworker before
you leave today.
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
November/December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2022
