Anonymous messages from members of your team say that your age is holding the company back, and that it’s time for you to go. What would you do?
Back in high school, you knew nothing about lumber, but your need for gas money and the local lumberyard’s need for extra help led to your first summer job. That was over 50 years ago. And in that time, you’ve done virtually every job there is at Career Lumber—everything from general yard laborer and inside sales to yard foreman and sales manager. Today, in your 15th year as general manager, most of Career Lumber’s team are people you hired over your career. As the leading independent LBM dealer in your market, you’re justifiably proud of what you’ve helped build.
One thing you’re especially proud of is the success your company has had attracting, hiring, and retaining young pros. In an industry where many dealers are wrestling with this, you and your team have established a culture that meets the needs of next gen workers and rewards them for strong performance. You’re a big believer in leveraging technology, so Career Lumber recently upgraded to a state-of-the-art ERP system. You work closely with your company’s HR leader to make sure your pay and benefits are at or near the top of your market.
To make sure everyone on your team feels comfortable sharing their thoughts, you recently set up an email address where employees can offer anonymous suggestions to make things better at Career Lumber. The very first suggestion that arrived in that inbox hit you like a two-by-four: “The world is changing so fast that the older employees need to step out of the way and let the new crowd embrace all the tech that is out there.”
Since you are the oldest employee, it’s likely that this person meant you need to get out of the way. After a few days, the sting began to subside, then while reading through the next batch of suggestions, this message arrived: “Company leadership is living in their own fish bowls. They’re old and in the way, and not seeing the value the next gen can bring to enhance the company moving forward.”
If Career Lumber was a big company with hundreds of employees, these two messages would carry less weight. But given that your company has fewer than 30 employees, even two is troubling. You shared these with the owner, who’s older than you but still very sharp, and she strongly disagreed. “Career Lumber is stronger than it’s ever been, and without you pushing to hire more young pros, our team would be aging out. This is not about you,” she said, “it’s about them.”
She may be right. But as the company’s leader, you don’t want members of your team believing that you’re holding the company back. What would you do?
Ignore ‘em. By all measurable metrics, Career Lumber is stronger than it’s ever been. Turnover is low, production is high, and you can’t worry about two disgruntled employees.
Start a dialogue. Without calling anyone out, at the next company meeting leave time for open brainstorming to show you value new technology and ideas.
Rethink structure. Offer leadership training for younger employees that show promise and make sure the next generations are part of the conversation.
Be transparent. Succession planning is key for small companies; show your team that you have plans in place for when your generation has retired.
