As a graduate of a cannabis diploma program, you will have gained an invaluable new level of insight into cannabis production, and may feel ready to take on the business world as soon as you’re approved for a cannabis retail license.
The success of your venture will be reliant on your academic knowledge and official paperwork, as well as the professionalism and efforts of the wider team behind you. As the saying goes, “a company is only as good as its people.”
So how can you ensure all your employees are on the same page as you with regards to creating a successful cannabis retail business? Here are a few basic tips to get the best out of those you hire.
Share Your Vision to Create Mutual Goals
Once you’ve obtained your cannabis retail license and start making plans for your new location, you will undoubtedly have a core business goal in mind. Maybe it’s to stand out as an outfit with a team more versed in cannabis types and strains than any other, or maybe it’s simply to hit a specific profit margin number by a certain point. Whatever those goals may be, it’s important to clearly convey them to everyone on the team so your employees feel united in helping you achieve them.
Build Trust by Delegating
You can’t possibly achieve your goals by working alone. You’ll have to trust the people on your team to carry out all kinds of tasks by delegating various duties. By showing your employees you trust them on the job without micro-management, you will earn their respect, and in turn they will feel more pride in carrying out their duties at your cannabis retail location. When delegating tasks to team members, all having some level of required cannabis industry training, just remember to:
- Appoint duties according to their wider personal skillset
- Clearly state the tasks they must perform
- Let them experience growth by making smaller decisions on their own
- Remind them of any duties that would require your authorization
- Provide continual positive guidance to them in their role
Appoint duties according to your employee’s talents, from numbers to admin work to customer service
Prioritize Feedback at Your Cannabis Retail License Location
Part of the continual guidance you will be providing to all of your employees, regardless of the level of authority you give to them, is about fostering an environment for healthy feedback. Employees should feel comfortable about coming to management after an error has occurred or over a dispute with a co-worker. If employees are fearful of providing such feedback, small problems may spiral into much more major issues for the business. Clearly communicate the importance you place on feedback to your employees, and let them know how they should approach you with a concern or problem.
Foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable providing and receiving feedback
At the same time, it’s important to provide your employees with your own feedback on their performance to ensure that your expectations are being met by everyone on the team. You may decide to operate by offering continual feedback on the job, or you may prefer to have more structured performance reviews after a designated period of time.
Make Time For Team Building
You may have heard the expression, “a family that eats together stays together.” The same can be said of a business team, who should think of lunch and break times as opportunities for connecting on a more relaxed level outside of professional commitments. The deeper bond generated from this casual level of socialization will make everyone feel much more comfortable and contented working together, which fosters team unity. With this in mind, the owner of the cannabis retail operation should encourage regular team lunches.
There are also countless indoor and outdoor team building activities that can be organized to build up team camaraderie and morale. Some examples of these include:
- Ice breaker games
- Scavenger Hunts
- Office Trivia
- Karaoke nights
- Go-Kart racing
- Mystery or other themed dinners
Team building activities are excellent for deepening bonds and instilling a feeling of unity
An additional way of lifting everyone’s spirits and building up team unity is to acknowledge when goals have been met. Celebrating these successes can come in many forms, from a quick organized drink after work, to treating everyone to pizza at work the day you wish to make the announcement. The important aspect is letting everyone know that you truly value their individual and combined contributions to your retail operation.
Are you interested in entering this thriving industry by taking a specialized cannabis course?
Contact the Academy of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences for more information on its cannabis management diploma program!