Building a Better Team: Recruitment, Training, Development Best Practices

1. Building a Better Team thru Recruitment, Training and Development Lynn Sykes, vice president of operations, Storage Asset Management

2. Building a better Team:best practices: Recruitment and training

3. Recruitment: Have A Plan! Must haves before posting the position: - job description - salary range - benefits - location

4. Job Description: • Have an updated written job description. • Should have a job title (Example: Store Manager) • Should list major responsibilities. • Should list job qualifications • The description should be weighted on sales/leasing. • It should bullet all areas the position will be responsible for – avoids confusion.

5. Salary Range: • Each market is different, each store is different. • Money should not be the sole motivator, but you need to be competitive. • You get what you pay for. • Apartment: Keep it separate. Have them pay rent. Have a lease and tie the lease to employment.

6. Benefits: • Having a benefits package attracts better candidates. (Health, Dental, 401k, Paid Time Off, etc.) • No benefits? Pay a higher rate or offer more discretionary benefits like paid time off, complimentary unit, maternity leave, etc. • Offer a incentive/bonus program • Regular performance reviews with merit increases (Ex. 90 days and annually)

7. Posting the Position: In store Online Job Posting Sites Social Media (FaceBook) Employee Referrals Temp Agencies

8. Resume Review/Interviews: • Be ready: do not post the position unless your ready to tackle the task. • Be timely: don’t post the position and sit on the reviews. • Execute due diligence: Resume review and selection. Identify which candidates you want to talk to via a phone screen. Send the others a “rejection letter/email”.

9. Resume Review/Interviews: • Phone screening: So important! ask a lot of questions to narrow down to the best candidates. Ask open ended questions that require the candidate to tell you why they would be the choice for the position. Take notes. Be open and honest for what you're looking for and what the job responsibilities are. Confirm the salary range is acceptable. If they are not what your looking for, let them know and end the conversation. • In-person interviews: If they have made it to this point, they met the qualifications of the position and quite frankly, you liked what you heard on the phone. Use this time to ask more specific questions regarding the position and how they would perform against the responsibilities. Ask what they want in an employer/job. You can evaluate image at this time as well.

10. Make A Decision: Make an Offer • Make a decision on the candidate • Draft an Offer Letter (should include the following) • Job Title and description • Start Date • Compensation, Benefits and terms • Company Policies • A statement of at-will employment • A list of contingencies (background check, drug screening, etc.)

11. Don’t let this be your company…

12. Training: Onboarding

13. Training – Onboarding Day One • First Day on the Job – Be Ready – this will set the tone… • Welcome them. Make it obvious you are excited they are there. • Prepare their workspace – have it ready. • Make sure any equipment/tools/computer is available and ready • Make introductions – names and titles • Uniforms – if possible, order before and have them ready. • Company swag (coffee cup, portfolio, pens, etc.) • Lunch Invite

14. Onboarding & Training Must Haves • Employee Handbook • Operational Manual (Policy & Procedure Manual) • Training Schedule/Checklist • Trainer – who is responsible for training. • Training – scheduled follow up points

15. Employee Handbook • A handbook sets expectations, encourages employees to behave in certain ways, helps ensure employees are treated consistently, publicizes employee benefits and helps win unemployment claims and lawsuits. These are just a few of the reasons why every employer, regardless of the number of employees, should have one.

16. Operations Manual • Every small business needs a written operations manual. It is absolutely essential. It does not have to be large and comprehensive, it just needs to be useful. • to create and maintain a standard of excellence in your business. • to have a primary tool for training your employees • to create more time for the owner/supervisor • to make your business scalable • to make your business more valuable

17. Operations Manual – Use Available Templates • Operations Manuals are available for self storage. You can purchase and tweak as needed: • Self Storage Association • Self Storage 101

18. Training Schedule/Checklist A checklist is simply a knowledge management tool that helps the organization avoid the expensive pitfall of reinventing the wheel. It also ensures that new employees are treated equitably and provided with all the information that they require to be successful in their new roles. It would be difficult for any trainer to try and “remember” all of the areas of training. We deal with a lot of situations in the storage industry…have a checklist to ensure all areas are addressed.

19. Training Schedule/Checklist Make sure trainee & trainer sign off! Document via notes

20. Initial Training: Best Practices • Initial training…Stick to it! • Don’t shorten the training – may be difficult but the rewards far outweigh the struggle. • Schedule follow up points with the trainer AND the trainee. • Ask what is going well, what do we need more focus on? Provide help if needed. • It is a team event! Everyone is responsible for developing team members including the trainee themselves.

21. Ongoing Training and Development: Best Practices • Onsite Training: • During store visits, make sure you checking key performance indicators. Use data to improve performance ( Aged receivables, discounting, waiving of fees, etc.) Ask questions. • Count cash and complete a lock audit monthly. Set the atmosphere that you follow up consistently (not just when you suspect something.) When you do this consistently, they become comfortable with your follow up and it alerts them that you are on top of things. • Give recognition for a job well done. • Address any area not up to standards as “teachable moments” to improve performance. Never avoid having a conversation about what needs to be improved.

22. Ongoing Training and Development: Best Practices • Video Training: • There are many training videos available and most are free. • Management software offer video training with courses to become “certified”. Encourage them to take them during slow times and reward in some way when completed. • SSA and State Associations offer free seminars and webinars. Encourage them to participate.

23. Ongoing Training and Development: Best Practices • Mentor Training: • Team members who are strong in certain areas: • Lease Up • Collections • Lien Sale Processes • Insurance/Protection Penetration • Merchandise Sales • Local Marketing • Pair them up with a team member who maybe struggling in that area

24. Ongoing Training and Development: Best Practices • Listen to their ideas and concerns • Connect with your employees, show them you care • Give pats on the back. • Give talks when you need them to improve – as soon as you see the need, not when you are “over it”.

25. Ongoing Training and Development: Best Practices • Be a Role Model: Talk the talk, Walk the walk • Don’t park in the front parking space. • If you are behind the counter, stand when a customer walks in. • If your in front of the counter, greet the customer, shake their hand. • Office traffic picks up during your visit, help out! • See trash? Pick it up. • Things like the above go a long way in defining the standards…

26. Ongoing Training and Development: Best Practices…Perks! • Inexpensive ways to show appreciation: • Order in Lunch • Drop off bagels and coffee one morning. • Birthday off with Pay • Gym memberships ($10 a month at Planet Fitness) • Sporting event tickets (Baseball) • Company potluck picnic

27. Building a Better Team: Summary • Have a recruitment process • Have a plan for onboarding • Have a plan for initial training • Invest in on-going training • Invest in your people: personally and professionally. • Keep improving your company’s culture

28. What is your Company Culture? Culture is the character and personality of your organization. It's what makes your business unique and is the sum of its values, traditions, beliefs, interactions, behaviors, and attitudes. Positive workplace culture attracts talent, drives engagement, impacts happiness and satisfaction, and affects performance. Is it the above or can it stand improvement?

29. Contact Information Lynn Sykes 757-749-1587 lsykes@storageasset.com www.storageassetmanagement.com