Year after year, researchers publish studies chronicling the top reasons employees leave their jobs. And time after time people cite dissatisfaction with their manager or supervisor as reason No. 1.
Development Dimensions International — a company dedicated to transforming how the world hires, develops and promotes leaders — found a whopping 57% of employees quit their jobs in 2019 because of frustrations with their boss. In subsequent years, other studies found similar results with figures ranging from 30-50%.
The numbers speak for themselves. People won’t tolerate bad managers. Yet, they’re everywhere. The more you talk to people in different fields and industries, the more you hear people complain about their supervisor. The outdoor industry isn’t immune, but fortunately, all managers have the power to determine their reputation and set the stage for a profitable business.
Schupbach’s Sporting Goods in Jackson, Michigan, is known for their expert technician work and great customer service, as well as a strong management team and long-term employee satisfaction, which influences the shop’s success.
“The connection between good managers, staff and shop success is huge,” said Robert Gillow, an archery shop manager at Schupbach’s. “Our bosses have bent over backwards to help us with stuff and we, as managers, do the same. Anytime you do that, you’ll find you get that back from employees. If you care, they will too.”
Gillow has been a manager for eight years. He works alongside Stephanie Schupbach, the store manager of 27 years. Together, they oversee 11 people in the archery department, five of which are full-time. The team services an average of 1,600 bows annually.
Being a manager encompasses many responsibilities but being a good manager to your team should top your priority list. Let’s review the management tactics that successful leaders across the country, including Gillow and Schupbach, use to cultivate strong employee relationships and a positive workplace environment.
1. Show Your Appreciation
Among all the things managers can do, showing your appreciation is the simplest, yet most meaningful way to build trust and loyalty with your employees. When you say thanks and verbally recognize achievements, employees feel seen and rewarded through words of affirmation.
Gillow said repetitively saying thank you to your employees every day may get old, but doing it on a regular basis is essential. When you acknowledge an employee’s hard work, it’s best to be specific. Something like, “I’m impressed by the way you handled that customer,” or “I appreciate you taking extra time to identify exactly what that customer wanted” means more than a generic “thanks for all you do” or “good job today.”
When you stop to convey genuine appreciation, your employees will realize their efforts matter. “If an employee goes above and beyond and you’re grateful, they need to hear about it,” Gillow said. To go the extra mile, remember that actions speak louder than words. Consider handing your employee a hand-written thank you card along with their favorite soda or snack or a different small gift to see them really light up.
2. Communicate Clearly and Regularly
While everyone in your shop likely speaks the same language, you may all differ on your delivery. Some team members may require less instruction than others given their age or experience level, but all employees deserve regular communication with clear expectations. Take time to understand your employees and how they best receive directions and guidance. A lack of communication or vague and ambiguous communication leads to misunderstandings, confusion and conflict.
Strive to make meaningful connections with your staff multiple times a week. Holding team meetings or individual staff check-ins gives you the opportunity to talk about goals, responsibilities, product sales, inventory numbers, upcoming events, policy changes and much more. A quick gathering also gives staff members a chance to share their frustrations or pain points, further opening the lines of communication and allowing you to work together toward a solution. Be sure to ask if anyone has questions and invite them to share their thoughts.
Establishing and encouraging efficient, timely communication, means being available and accessible. Having an open-door policy allows for real-time, authentic two-way communication. Additionally, employees shouldn’t have to search the building to find you when they need something. “Everyone knows we have certain days when we do certain things, like bookkeeping, etc. where we’ll be unavailable,” Gillow said. “We don’t just disappear. We communicate where we’ll be and when we’ll be there.”
3. Lead by Example
To piggyback off the section above, communication is key, but managers need to do more. The best managers take the lead role and demonstrate through action.
“As a manager, there are obviously things that you need to do like ordering, financing, paying bills, etc. so you can’t be on the floor 24/7, but on the same token, you can’t sit back and delegate.” Gillow said. “You have to be there, do it, live it. You have to lead from the front, not the back.”
To effectively lead your team, you must understand what they’re experiencing regarding customer interactions, use of point-of-sales systems, and product availability and capabilities to identify workflow disruptions.
“Someone can’t throw a fit about cleaning the trash can, if they watch you do it,” Gillow said. In other words, managers should never be above doing something they ask of their employees. The best managers are role models who step into the world of their employees and experience the nuances of each position. If you have years of experience at the service desk, on the sales floor or behind the bow press, use it to your advantage and get involved in the day-to-day tasks of your employees.
4. Provide Training and Job Advancement Opportunities
Few people are content with stagnancy. It’s human nature to want to learn, grow, advance and work toward goals. Create a learning environment and provide education in small bursts, as well as in formal trainings or classes, to increase employee skills and confidence. By giving employees the option to advance their job knowledge, you prove you’re invested in their career growth and want them to excel.
Years ago, team members at SSG attended the Easton Archery University to acquire technician knowledge. Now, the team partakes in USA Archery classes periodically to earn coaching education and instructor certifications. They also take advantage of the personal relationships with their manufacturer reps to get specific product information as needed. Many of the staff at Schupbach’s have been on the payroll for 20 to 35 years, giving them years of valuable hands-on experience, which they’re happy to share with each other and new staff.
Shops can take educational courses to improve their business and technician skills or become certified to teach customers specific shooting skillsets through USA Archery, the Archery Trade Association, the National Archery in the Schools Program and the International Hunter Education Association.
5. Encourage Team Bonding
If you aren’t planning team building activities or events, consider starting. They help your employees connect on a deeper level, while also building trust, reducing friction and increasing collaboration. In addition to uniting team members, team-building events can also improve the company culture and customer experience.
Everyone at SSG is invited to a field day to test new products. The event isn’t mandatory, but it’s encouraged to attend. Gillow said many representatives send them sample products so employees can have hands-on experience with products and gain an understanding of what each product does and how it can benefit different customers — and their individual setup and situation. When employees interact with products, they can share authentic feedback with customers, which helps all parties and is good for business.
6. Maintain Balance, Anticipate Burnout
Between busy days, demanding customers and repetitive bow work, some employees may become bored or depleted. Gillow says burnout is inevitable during the busy season, but anticipating it and recognizing it are vital to working through it. “We all get there,” he said. “There is no avoiding it, but doing little things like working together, ensuring staff take breaks to sit and get something to eat, and making sure everyone gets to go hunting is important.”
The prerut in Michigan is one of Schupbach’s busiest times of the year, yet management makes the hard, but necessary decision to approve vacations. “If our employees don’t get to go out hunting and do the things they love to do, they’ll stop caring,” Gillow said. Team leaders also periodically buy everyone lunch, host potlucks and distribute snacks to combat burnout and boost morale during challenging work weeks. These extra offerings help unite and recharge employees, while reminding them that you care about their well-being.
7. Have their Back
Good managers won’t throw their employees to the wolves. Thankfully, archery pro shop staff don’t have to worry about wolves, but they may occasionally encounter verbally aggressive customers. Managers who know their employees’ personalities and conflict resolution skills might give some individuals the chance to problem-solve and work through customer conflict, but as a default, it’s best to intervene.
“As a manager, when you have an upset customer, it’s your job to step in so the employee doesn’t have to take the brunt of it when 9.5 times out of 10 they had nothing to do with it in the first place,” Gillow said. “It’s stepping up, backing them out of it and dealing with it.”
Managers are usually better equipped to handle challenging situations because of their job knowledge, experience level and familiarity with established customers. When a customer becomes heated, cut in to protect your employees, give them an out and take ownership of awkward or uncomfortable customer interactions.
8. Be Positive, Motivational
People gravitate toward individuals who are happy and energetic. Alternatively, they try to avoid those who are bitter, rude or confrontational. A manager’s attitude and energy sets the tone for a shop’s atmosphere and influences how employees and customers feel. It’s a simple equation with a big impact: A happy manager equals happy employees and happy employees are more likely to generate satisfied customers who buy products and return for more.
“In this industry, it’s feast and famine,” Gillow said. “There are great times of the year and slow times of the year, and then there are great years and slow years. If you learn to have fun with it all and understand the ins and outs of what you can do to help keep your employees motivated and productive then you win all the way around. They feel busy and engaged, and at the same token, you get value out of their time.”
Final Thoughts
Likeable, approachable managers are intentional with how they handle and treat their employees. Make your team a priority. Employees are quick to determine whether you value or overlook their efforts. The more you incorporate these tips into your management strategy, the more likely you are to have loyal, hard-working staff members who enjoy their job and want to stay.
Sidebar: Traits and Drawbacks of Supervisors Lacking Good Management Skills
It’s unlikely anyone strives to attain manager status so they can annoy, frustrate and irritate their team members, but that might be inadvertently happening.
Conduct an honest evaluation of yourself. Do you deflect blame, micromanage employees or ignore employee feedback? Are your employees often confused or unsure of what to do? Is it hard for you to show your employees you appreciate them? Do you rush conversations, send sloppy emails or forget to follow up on employee questions? Does your shop have a high employee turnover rate? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it might be time to apologize to your staff and do a hard reset on your approach to staff management.
It will always be wise and easier to retain the employees you have by improving yourself than it is to regularly hire and train new team members. Hiring replacements can be stressful and time consuming, and new staff may require extensive training, which can delay work orders and create traffic jams behind the counter. Avoid that drama and follow the strategies in this article to become a better pro shop manager. As a result, you’ll simultaneously retain staff and improve your shop’s atmosphere and sales numbers.
Photos courtesy of Schupbach’s Sporting Goods.
