Masonry Magazine March 2003 Page. 54
Planning & Staffing
In the Beginning
HOW MANY and what type of people to include in your new administrative nucleus will ultimately be molded by a variety of considerations, including your generated revenue. Having already chosen annual target sales volumes in your five-year plan, you will also need to determine how much profit will be generated from this volume to cover your office overhead and future growth. You'll need cash to survive and it's for more than just covering payroll, rent and all the standard office overhead costs. Will you be able to offer competitive wages needed to obtain skilled and experienced help? Will you be able to cover the cost of new equipment (it'll be needed) when the old breaks down? What about the cost of promotion or a new computer system or health insurance for your employees?
Next, ask yourself, "What is my role in the company?" Are you going to be a more hands-on boss, performing perhaps some of the estimating or project management duties yourself, or do you picture your place as more of a true administrator and delegator of authority? Perhaps you perceive your role to involve more sales responsibility and networking, leaving the more technical and day-to-day aspects of the actual construction operation to others. Of course, in the beginning, there will be virtually no way that you'll not be able to be involved in day-to-day operations, but this vision is important in establishing direction for your company and in establishing your staffing needs.
What are your immediate needs for particular skills or assistance? Planning for the future is all for naught if you can't get this thing off the ground. Are there glaring gaps in your company expertise, such as estimating skills or project management efficiency, that need to be filled even if it means not yet getting that perfect person?
What is the state of the labor pool itself? Sometimes an employee comes along that is just too good to pass up. Sure, you really weren't looking for someone to fulfill this particular responsibility right now, but you snatch him up.
Bonstone Adhesives
Celebrating 40 years of Bonstone adhesives:
►Stone fabrication & assembly
► Anchoring & doweling
►Repairing monuments
►Aesthetic patching
►Stone restoration
Also available:
A technical staff familiar with limestone, sandstone, granite, marble & concrete applications
► Wide range of set times, colors & viscosities
► Color matching
Call us for a location near you
Anchoring limestone with Bonstone epoxy
Bonstone Materials Corp
707 Swan Dr
Mukwonago, WI 53149
www.masonryshowcase.com