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Holiday Countdown Series: Staffing

Short-handed this holiday? Get creative

By Michelle Graff
November 20, 2009

Johnstown, Pa.--At Watchmakers Diamonds and Jewelry, owner J. Dennis Petimezas has been coming up with innovative ways to run his store without making extra hires.

Though the (hopefully) busy season is around the corner, he has no intention of changing his game plan, or of missing out on potential sales.

"It's been a difficult year," he says. "However, the last 60 days, for us, will be good."

In lieu of hiring another full-time staff member in this down economy, for the past eight or nine months, Petimezas has asked qualified staff members, both salaried and hourly, to come in early to help with bookkeeping duties. In a few quiet hours before the store opens, the staff is able to accomplish what it would take them six hours to do when the day is in full swing.

It also puts their attention where it needs to be during business hours: on the customers.

"You can't give up your floor time when someone visits the store," Petimezas says. "You have to address their needs."

The staff shifts at the Johnstown, Pa.-based operation are just one example of a retailer stretching resources to avoid making extra hires. It's a situation many retailers who may have made layoffs amid the downturn or who don't have the means to hire additional help might be facing as they head into the holiday season.

Help not wanted

Several retailers interviewed by National Jeweler say they never hire part-time help for the holidays, which is understandable in a profession that requires much more product knowledge than, say, selling sweaters at the Gap.

"It's easier," Petimezas says of having willing members of his staff work longer hours. "They're already trained. There's no learning curve."

At Sarah Leonard Fine Jewelers in Los Angeles, Gail Friedman says she lost a full-time employee in February, a part-timer in June and another full-time employee in the fall. Due to the slow year, she is just now getting around to hiring replacements.

"Our staff used to be bigger and we kind of let it go because we haven't wanted to hire anyone," she says. "I'm getting nervous because we need them for the holidays."

To get by, Friedman simply asked her staff, all of whom are hourly employees, to work overtime, for which they are paid time and a half.

"They've been with us a long time and they understand what's happening," she says. "They're very happy to pitch in and, of course, they get paid."

Friedman has also rewarded the staff with in-store treats and has taken the group out to dinner and a play.

At Watchmakers, Petimezas says that instead of hiring more part-timers this holiday, he is asking existing workers to put in extra hours.

To keep it interesting, and to boost sales, he's launching weekly sales contests, for which the staff's weekly sales are divided by the number of hours worked (making the contests fair for both full- and part-time employees). The person with the largest per-hour revenues gets a cash bonus equivalent to 5 percent of the entire week's sales.

Petimezas says the nature of the contests will help boost sales.

"When you have to wait too long for something, you lose interest in it," he says.

The thought counts

For those who might find cash is not flowing too freely, there are alternative ways to reward employees.

Suzanne DeVries, president and founder of Diamond Staffing Solutions, says event tickets or weekend getaways are two alternatives. Gift cards are another option.

Even if it's a small amount, gift cards can go a long way because they send a message to the employee that the employer put some thought behind the reward, DeVries says, adding that gift cards should be at least $25 and should be personalized to suit each employee's tastes.

Male employees likely aren't interested in a day of pampering at the local spa, just as female employees probably aren't clamoring to spend big money at Best Buy.

"Think about the restaurant they like to eat at and get a gift card for that," DeVries says.

Another gift that can go over well and one that--conveniently--has already been purchased, is jewelry.

At Sarah Leonard, the owners decided to reward their employees with merchandise this holiday season in lieu of cash.

Friedman says they already have certain pieces set aside for employees, items that staff members showed an affinity for throughout the year.

"We kind of know what they like," she says.

That knowledge is important. DeVries cautions against rewarding employees with inventory that has not sold because such "gifts" can make the storeowner resemble Scrooge.

"I think people should be able to pick out the piece they want," she says. "It shows you are really individualizing it."
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