Are you having trouble finding enough quality employees?
If so, what ideas do you have to attract more quality applicants?
I’m with Cannabis Staffing Group and would like to learn from you.
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Honestly, finding a cannabis friendly staffing firm was the best thing I ever did in terms of finding quality labor. Finding people yourself and doing payroll is a major pain. I feel like a staffing firm does a great job of vetting potential employees. If you are looking for someone new to add to your team, trying out some temps seems like the way to go.
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To expand on this, what do companies do when they live in a small town where there are more jobs than people?
We are going to build in a town of only 10,000 people, this is a major concern of mine and the only things im able to come up with for incentives are a high wage, and offer to pay for moving expenses for people coming in from out of town (or country). I strongly believe paying staff a good, livable wage anyways so that’s not an issue to me. The issue becomes, how do we prevent them from quitting and leaving me to search for, and move somebody else into town. I feel it could turn into a cycle.
Anybody’s thoughts?
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I am pretty dang rural and in a town of 600ish people. The next largest town is 50,000 people and 25 miles away. $15/hr will get anyone out here in a hurry, when the going rate for temps is $12.50/hr. When I get a stellar employee, I pay them $18/hr. So far I have had 3 stellar employees, 1 average employee, but worth $15/hr, and 1 dud that I cut loose. Hiring on my own, I was batting 0.500…
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My company, Witlon, is a payroll management company. If you need help with payroll or accounting we are here! We take on the employees, and all that goes with them, to manage the payroll administration. Let me know if you would like more information. Thank you!
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When I get to the point of needing a full time employee, I will be in touch!
Our last payroll company dumped us out of the blue… 
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I have not, but I have been using temp labor and they take care of payroll. Eventually, I want a full-time employee and will need a payroll company to make my life easier. 
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I’m so sorry to hear about your last payroll company. Please stay in contact and visit our website at www.wiltoninc.com. I am happy to help!
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Hey Witlon!
This is Shawn with KarmaKanna, you were all gracious enough to share your booth with my wife and I at NOCO! Thank you so much it was a great launch for us so much so that we actually had to start a hemp brokerage Good Karma Group (GKG) which is going well for being 2 weeks old, so we will need your services very soon would love to chat about that
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Finding quality employees is a huge challenge for any company and, even more so, for companies in the cannabis industry. Seed Technology is my 3rd company and 1st within the cannabis space. I’m fortunate to have some great employees that “cross-over” from the legacy business. Some of these employees are comfortable sharing this socially/personally, some are not. I respect their wishes and, because they are a known entity and have goodwill with me, they are on the team as long as it continues to be mutually beneficial. Any new hire has to clearly communicate and commit that they are an advocate for legal cannabis and be a “fan” of all its benefits. This is a job requirement that will play into their success and the company’s success. Here a few tips for recruiting quality people;
- Be able to clearly communicate your company’s “why”. Why does this business exist and what is the passion behind it. Our company why is for seed technology to become the cornerstone of cannabis education. The lack of education in cannabis is a real problem and we are going to solve that problem.
- Make sure you can clearly communicate where the company is headed (year 1, 2, 3, etc.) and where you see them fitting within that.
- Sell the opportunity but be careful not to oversell. If you oversell or “force” someone to take a chance, it’s probably not a sustainable situation or a true “win-win”.
- Look for people who really want to be a part of history. This is real change that’s happening and something historic.
Quality people are hard to find for any industry and aren’t usually looking for a new job, so be prepared when that opportunity presents itself.
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It’s an unfortunate challenge we all are facing - especially with the current intersection of professional vs experienced employees.
Happy to help with all payroll needs as well - and will let you retain data/employee information 
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Hi Shawin! I’m so sorry for the delayed response. It was so great to meet you and your wife at NoCo. What an amazing conference it was! I’m so glad we were able to work together there and have some fun. Please reach out to Jeanette directly to talk about accounting and/or payroll:
jeanette.carroll@witloninc.com
720-534-0488
Thank you!
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IF you cant keep employees you are undervaluing the position. period !!
No they dont all suck . more probably, you suck as an employer or business person.
Don’t under value the position.
Give employees a clear path to promotion.
Give small raises often with clear realistic production and improvement expectations.
Be willing to replace the worst 50% of your staff and reward the top 20%
Be willing to develop those near the edges and be clear to your employees thats what you WILL do.
Dont expect desperate people to help you earn your living. Desperate people do desperate things and that desperation will undoubtedly work against you
Believe me the truth goes a long long way. lying and deceiving your employees (eluding to raises and promotions them not delivering) is a one way ticket to fuckedville
Sorry you cant expect to keep employees long by paying them less than they can get on welfare. I dont care how “cool” the industry is. And they don’t really care about how greedy your financiers or partners or landlords are. That is your problem
Dont sell yourself out to get in and dont expect to make a profit for a considerable time. great companies are not built overnight.
Unrealistic exuberance is your enemy keep it real.
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there is Prices’s Law
Price's Law and Who's Doing the Work
that states the square root of the total number of employees do 1/2 the work.
If you got 3 stellar employees hold them close and reward them handsomely they are more valuable that platinum.
Dan, Staffing agencies work on a principal of mass rather than that of quality and take a cut of employees potential wages to show a profit. You way better off building a personal relationships with you small business employees and sharing the agencies cut with them rather that tossing the dice and your payroll dollars at what an agency will send you.
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I have a industry friendly payroll company lined up now, just need our bank account to come online, Dec. 1st is the projected date for approval.
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Watch them like a hawk buddy and dont let another greedy bunch of self serving people get between you and the team which you employ to help you earn your living and build your business.
Good employees are gold and like gold people would love to steal yours.
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I’m not sure what you are on about? Have you had bad experiences in the past?
The staffing agency I use is great, I am very happy with their temp labor. Other agency raised their price for cannabis, this one did not, it did cost more than payroll but it was a lull between losing our previous payroll and bank and getting a new bank and payroll going. I intend to use them for temp labor in the future (week or two in spring and fall). My one guy I took to the temp agency was a necessity at the time, but this guy will be on salary soon. Currently, he is being paid in “draws” until we can settle up through payroll in December.
I’ve never had issues with payroll companies stealing from me, they charge $50/mo, and I issue a wire once per month for payroll and taxes. The company I am using is not cannabis specific, they have been in the business for decades and have recently started servicing cannabis without raising their fee.
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One hell of an employee right here. Builder with a farming background. Lots of greenhouse and growing experience. Looking to relocate and start a career in cannabis. Id love to hear from you. Lets talk
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