How fortunate it is to work in a sector where actions are driven by a common goal – that of producing the best quality product possible. Most workplaces can only aspire to it.
A great human resources article was published on The Balance Careers website last year, with a list of key reasons why employees quit their jobs. It includes being bored and unchallenged, feeling insignificant and experiencing a lack of recognition for their work. Sounds pretty accurate. Some businesses don’t understand the importance of these factors, leading to high turnover rates, especially among younger employees. Other top reasons for leaving include poor relationships with coworkers, a lack of opportunity for growing their skills and missing autonomy, among others. According to this same article on TBC, dealing with a less-than-effective boss has been cited as the number one reason behind job resignations.
That’s why writing up the Top 4 Under 40 award winners this year was an absolute joy (pg. 20). The passion for what they do and the drive that helps them succeed all came through loud and clear in the nominations from peers and managers. Not only were they written with true appreciation, they clearly demonstrated all the hallmarks of a phenomenal workplace environment.
The humbleness of the winning individuals were no less apparent. Their responses to our congratulatory emails often cited help from key individuals and the collective work of their teams.
With such strong nominations, choosing just four individuals proved to be a difficult task involving evening emails and early morning phone calls with key industry players. Not to mention the difficulty in choosing a winner for our new Grower of the Year award, who was revealed at Grower Day and will be featured in our August issue. A big thank you to everyone involved.
This comradery isn’t confined to the walls of the greenhouse or garden centre either. Nadine Stielow of Thiel’s Greenhouses reveals details about her new hydroponic installation in this month’s issue (pg. 26). The piece is focused on the technology itself, but a key factor that came through in our phone conversation was the large team effort behind it. To have such a large pool of industry consultants, technical experts and growers ready to share their expertise – it’s awe-inspiring.
Last October, we spoke with former Greenhouse Canada editor Dave Harrison for his spotlight article in the Canadian Greenhouse Conference showguide. For him, the real joy in his career wasn’t so much in the marvelling of plants, but being won over by the people and their enthusiasm for what they do. “It’s something they take great pride in sharing with their children and grandchildren. Making money doing it is the bonus, but not always the expectation,” he says.
Many other workplaces could learn a lot from the horticultural sector.
Editor’s note: In the June issue of Greenhouse Canada, an article about the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) was published. At the time of writing, no cases had been confirmed in Canada. By the time the magazine was mailed, four cases had been confirmed in Ontario. Be sure to follow precautions outlined by your greenhouse extension specialists.
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