Building a strong team means more than filling open positions. It requires developing existing employees, setting clear expectations, preserving valuable industry knowledge and preparing for the workforce needs of tomorrow.
Those themes shaped WFFSA’s latest Virtual Wholesaler Discussion Group, held September 15 and focused on Staffing Your Team.
Moderated by WFFSA Board Members John Burk (DVFlora) and Alex Shibata (Mt. Eden Floral Co.), the members-only conversation brought wholesalers together for a candid discussion about hiring and onboarding, employee performance, workforce planning, succession and the realities of managing teams in today’s wholesale floral business.
Balancing Experience with the Need to Evolve
One of the most nuanced conversations centered on balancing the value of long-tenured employees with the need for businesses and their teams to continually adapt.
Experienced employees often possess decades of institutional and industry knowledge that can be difficult to replace. At the same time, businesses are evolving, from the technology employees use to productivity expectations and the ways everyday tasks are performed.
Participants discussed the importance of recognizing the different strengths that experienced and newer employees can bring to a team. Pairing employees across generations and experience levels can create opportunities for knowledge transfer, professional development and succession planning while also introducing new perspectives and approaches into established processes.
The conversation reinforced that experience and adaptability do not have to compete. Finding ways to capitalize on both can help create stronger, more resilient teams.
Clear Expectations Start on Day One
Hiring was another major focus, particularly the challenge of finding qualified employees and retaining them once they join the business.
For smaller companies, creating an elaborate onboarding program may not always be realistic. Participants instead shared practical ways to make onboarding more intentional without making it overly complicated.
Ideas included involving multiple managers or employees in welcoming new hires, creating opportunities to shadow colleagues early on and keeping policies, procedures and other important resources concise and easy to reference.
Wholesalers also discussed the importance of giving candidates a realistic picture of the job before they accept it. Showing prospective employees the actual work environment and involving potential colleagues in the interview process can help both the employer and candidate determine whether the position is a good fit.
Across these approaches, one principle remained consistent: expectations should be clear from the beginning.
Feedback and Accountability Should Be Ongoing
Setting expectations is only the first step. Members also discussed the importance of addressing performance, attendance and other concerns consistently rather than allowing issues to build over time.
Regular check-ins, including structured early performance reviews, can give managers and new employees opportunities to discuss progress, reinforce expectations and identify areas that need additional development. Ideally, a formal review should reinforce conversations already taking place rather than introduce concerns for the first time.
The discussion also considered the role managers themselves play in employee success. When the same challenges repeatedly arise within a team, leaders may need to examine their own coaching, communication and management practices alongside employee performance.
Sometimes the answer may not be that an employee needs to leave the company at all. Participants shared examples of employees succeeding after moving into different roles that better aligned with their skills, reinforcing the value of looking beyond a traditional career ladder when developing talent.
Succession Planning Requires Conversations Before They Become Urgent
Workforce planning also means thinking beyond today’s staffing needs.
For businesses with employees who have accumulated decades of experience, future retirements and departures can mean losing significant institutional knowledge. Waiting until an employee announces a departure can leave little time to transfer that knowledge or prepare someone else to assume key responsibilities.
Participants discussed the value of having open conversations with long-tenured employees about their plans, creating opportunities for mentorship and considering flexible transitions when appropriate.
That led to a simple question businesses can use to evaluate their own preparedness:
If a key employee were leaving in six months, what would you be doing today to prepare?
Whether the answer involves cross-training, documenting processes, developing an emerging leader or reconsidering how responsibilities are distributed, succession planning is strongest when it happens before a transition becomes imminent.
Creating Stronger Teams Through Peer Conversation
Staffing challenges look different at every company, but the discussion demonstrated how many of the underlying questions are shared across the wholesale floral industry.
WFFSA’s Virtual Wholesaler Discussion Groups give wholesaler members a dedicated environment to talk candidly about those challenges, exchange practical ideas and learn from the experiences of peers who understand the realities of the business.
From hiring the right people to developing current employees and preparing the next generation of leadership, building a strong workforce is an ongoing process—and one that benefits from open conversation.
Interested in Joining Future Discussions?
WFFSA Virtual Wholesaler Discussion Groups are exclusive to WFFSA wholesaler members and are one of the many opportunities available throughout the year to connect with peers, exchange industry insights and strengthen your business.
The next Virtual Wholesaler Discussion Group is scheduled for November 10.
If your company is interested in participating in future conversations like these, we encourage you to explore WFFSA wholesaler membership.
Learn more about wholesaler membership and submit an application to join us.
