Turning Bluto into a Construction Professional

Q:I recently hired a graduate right out of college to be a project manager. He is smart, understands construction and always wants to learn. My problem is he comes to work in baggy shorts, turned-around baseball caps and other hip accessories of his college days. It’s embarrassing when I bring clients on the site. What should I do to teach him about proper deportment but without deflating his love of the job? Or should I just let him be?

A: Your question begs another question. Do you have an employee handbook?

Any company of any size, large or small, should take the time to develop an employee handbook that speaks to any number of employee conduct and disciplinary action items, personal appearance being only one of them. A number of services are available online that are relatively inexpensive to use and can help you create a high quality employee handbook in a weekend.

One example of such a service is Knowledge Point (www.knowledgepoint.com)  that can walk you through this process.

Communication of appearance expectations is important at the time of original employment. Agreement between the new hire and the company related to personal appearance is essential in any business, but especially when dealing with the public or clients.

The sooner that you define your expectations about personal appearance for all employees and communicate this to all employees, the better off you will be. While a backwards ballcap may not be the choice of other employees at this time, others may choose to adopt this look if you fail to meet this head on in the short term.

Issues to consider in your appearance policy should include information for all employees, including both men and women. The policy should include grooming, a dress code, piercings, tattoos, and any other specific requirements such as safety equipment that may be applicable to personal appearance within your company.

The policy should also include clear information about any disciplinary actions for those who do not live up to the policy, and the individual who is responsible for enforcement.

As with most issues of this type, clearly defining the permissible parameters, communicating them clearly, and enforcing them in a timely manner will lead to success.

Stress Construction Service

To deal with Bluto, take him under your wing with a private meeting. Express to him that your firm is proud to have a person of his caliber as an employee.

Also express that your company is only as good as your client’s impressions of each employee.

While you are in the construction business, you are really in the construction service business. Service businesses must rely heavily on beating their competition at every level, including image. The image of your company will help build client relations and help make everyone in the company succeed.

Note the items you have listed as being detrimental to the company image you would like to create in the market. Make suggestions about alternative dress that would help build personal and company image for long term success. Give him a nice shirt with the company logo on it. Be sure the setting for this meeting is one in which the company image is highlighted, including your own appearance. Provide positive feedback following the meeting when improvements are seen.

You may not be able to turn this employee into “GQ” material, but emphasize construction service as a bright career with the proper image.

Do you have questions on construction human resources or safety?
E-mail them to Leonard Toenjes at ltoenjes@agcstl.org or
craig_barner@mcgraw-hill.com.

(If Len picks your question,
he will answer it in a future issue of Midwest Construction.)