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Community needs work force plan
Published Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The welcome signs certainly don’t read, “Welcome to Natchez: Home of the best customer service in the South.”
As I’ve heard since I moved to town, such a statement would be a lie.
“How may I help you,” isn’t exactly a phrase that rolls off smiling lips of the vast majority of department store, restaurant and hotel clerks around town. Sure, a few folks mutter it, but that nearly defeats the purpose of the question.
The problem doesn’t just lay with the retail and service sectors, area business leaders said last week. The problem is the workforce.
It’s not a Walmart problem or a fast food restaurant woe. It’s a worry behind the closed doors of plants, office buildings and non-public workplaces as well.
The sectors of the Miss-Lou workforce that are willing may not be able due to transportation and childcare woes.
Those that are able to transport themselves to work may simply not do so on time.
Other situations are more frightening. Some local employers have announced a scheduled drug test to their workers, only to still have employees fail.
One local business said an employee turned in a job application and proceeded to urinate — not in a bathroom — on the property on his way out.
Other bosses have employees who simply don’t know how to work with others, how to greet the public or how to even make eye contact.
Regardless of the problem, the solution is needed.
A weak workforce not only aggravates residents trying to shop in local stores, it turns away industries, jobs and development.
When I was in junior high school, our school district taught home economics. We learned to sew, cook, clean and take care of babies. Many school districts in the country have done away with the class since then, but maybe it’s time to substitute a replacement — job training.
Schools need to begin teaching students how to shake hands, look people in the eye and flash a professional smile.
We need to teach our young people how to dress for work, how to correspond with their boss or co-workers in e-mail and how to handle customers or the public.
We need to explain a 40-hour workweek and teach people that if you aren’t on time, you’ll be fired.
Local schools do bits and pieces of the job-training curriculum, but it’s time to take it a step further.
Creating a new class and curriculum for this school year is probably not possible, especially for the public schools that have to meet state guidelines, but the Miss-Lou doesn’t have time to waste.
Area business leaders through the three local chambers of commerce can and should quickly create a series of job-training workshops and take their shows on the road to all local schools.
With the permission and cooperation of the schools — Copiah-Lincoln and Alcorn State as well — our community can begin making a difference with the current classes of students, instead of waiting for the state curriculum to catch up with our needs.
It’s easy to say that basic on-the-job skills are best taught at home. They are. But our community must admit that oftentimes, these skills aren’t being taught at home.
We see the problem. We’ve identified it, now it’s time to start working on the solution.
After all, whether the sign says it or not, “Welcome to Natchez” should mean, “How can we help you.”
Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by Hambone (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can spend all they money you want on workshops, but until the workforce gets over their entitlement issues and the "don't give a d***" attitude you're just going to be "spinning your wheels."
You want the schools to take part in this, start by teaching the workforce to speak English, not street jive. The Mexicans at LaFiesta speak better English than the "locals" do at fast food restaurants.
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've heard better use of the English language by Pakistanis and Indians when I was on the other side of the world.
One only hopes that the Democrat is aware of their own customer service complaints.
Posted by redrooster (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Worst customer service I have ever seen in natchez fast food places. KFC, Pizza Hut....you name it! Just a smile would be a 100% improvement.
Posted by Torch (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree. I run a business and I don't care how many times that I ask the employees to greet customers with a nice comment or smile, they just can't do it. I have some that will, but the younger ones don't have these skills. They DO NOT understand that you have to be at work on time. It doesn't do any good to fire them because the next one that you hire is probably worse than the last. I have heard this from many other businesses.
Posted by happyreader (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know the high school does offer some sort of training in this area already. I think it has to start sooner, though. It doesn't have to be in the form of a class or a major program. Anyone who regular dealings with children, including family, friends, teachers, clergy, etc., needs to gently insist that children look them in the eye when engaged in a conversation. It is not acceptable for a child to look all around your head or stare at the wall while you are talking to them. (This is a form of defiance - "You can make me stand here, but you can't make me acknowledge you.") As far as getting them to smile... honestly, if the kid comes from a horrible home environment, they probably aren't going to be the bluebird of happiness. That's just the sad reality. But they can be taught to at least show respect to others. They can be taught how to speak politely. And they can be shown the consequences, later in life, of not having appropriate social skills - you can't get (or keep) the job you really want.
By the way, if a class such as Julie suggested were to be offered at the high school, the only kids who would sign up for it are the ones who would already be good employee material. Why? Because they care! The people who are being described in this article don't think they need any help getting along and don't care if they do. That's why I think this sort of basic socialization has to start sooner and has to come from everyone in a child's circle of acquaintances.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am old enough to remember being taught is school how to answer and use the telephone. I was also taught respect at the receiving end of a paddle.
Posted by Hambone (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Look at it this way: The USA is the only place where someone can be unemployed and GAIN weight. The closer you get to the MS river the truer that statement is. Until this changes our workforce will continue to worsen.
Posted by juju (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 12:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You said it Hambone! I'm retired now and it seems like there are more adults driving during 'work hours' than I've ever seen in my life! Where do they work? The answer is they don't! Then you wonder, where do they get the money for the gas and the cell-phone they're talking on, much less car insurance should they hit you while talking on those phones?
Posted by chuckydaone (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Problems in the workforce are not new. Our tolerance is new. Poor customer service, yet we go back to the business for the same experience. Workers not performing, yet we keep them on the job. It is not them. It is us for tolerating them. As I recall, I learned my work ethic at home. I was raised by a cab driver and a maid. When my father died he did'nt have any money to leave me. He left a good name among those who knew him and a work ethic in me. Both have served me well.
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