Working Better, Together

Thrift Stores Tackle Workforce Challenges

It’s a hot, sunny July afternoon. The thermometer reads 90 degrees, but for Robert, standing on the blacktop beside the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Western Hills, it easily feels like 100. Robert’s job is to attend to the steady stream of cars arriving to the thrift store’s donation zone. He helps donors unload their items, and carefully places the donations into steel carts that will later be rolled inside. Robert thanks each person for their contribution and swiftly distributes their receipts.

Most days, Robert admits, it’s not an easy job. He’s on his feet throughout his shift (rain or shine) and although he enjoys interacting with co-workers and customers, in Robert’s own words: “Stuff ain’t light.”

Recruiting motivated employees like Robert – and retaining them – is the goal of St. Vincent de Paul’s new workforce development initiative, called Working Better Together. “It’s been an ongoing challenge,” St. Vincent de Paul Director of Services Sunnie Johnson-Lain explains. “The abundance of jobs currently available in the retail and service industries has made attracting and retaining committed staff even more difficult.”

Johnson-Lain is among a diverse group of leaders across St. Vincent de Paul who have spent the past six months developing the Working Better Together model. Each has drawn from their own area of expertise -- retail, community outreach, and human resources to name a few– to consider the obstacles that may keep new employees from succeeding and growing, and what support could bolster longevity within the organization.

Another major goal of the program is to promote fellowship within the thrift store teams. It’s no secret that a sense of camaraderie among co-workers can not only make the workday more enjoyable, but also helps operations run more smoothly. For this reason, leaders chose to implement Working Better Together training in a small group, or cohort, format.

COHORT ONE

In early June, a group of eight, new full-time hires at St. Vincent de Paul’s Western Hills Thrift Store became “Cohort One” of Working Better Together. For the first week of their employment, Cohort One split their shifts between two hours of Working Better Together training and six hours in their respective workstations. Their Working Better Together sessions included presentations on employee expectations, effective communication techniques, financial literacy and budgeting, and the history and mission of St. Vincent de Paul.

By the end of the week, six of Cohort One’s new hires successfully completed the curriculum. On the final day, each was recognized with a certificate of completion—and of course, cake.

SVDP's Sunnie Johnson-Lain and Jim Wenstrup (far left) and Julie McFarland and Brian Combs (far right) with graduates of Cohort One.

Robert, who now works as a donation attendant, is one of those six in Working Better Together’s Cohort One. While his day-to-day work isn’t always easy, he says being a part of Working Better Together has been an impactful part of his experience at St. Vincent de Paul. The aspect he enjoyed the most was the presentation on the services SVDP provides. In addition to outreach services for neighbors, SVDP also provides modest support with basic necessities, such as clothing vouchers or bus tickets, to employees working to overcome barriers or other emergencies in their lives. “It gives you a sense of security,” Robert says. “I know I am not by myself in this.”

“It’s passed the Newberry test,” Darrell, one of the Working Better Together program participants now working as a floor associate, says. He explains he can’t help but compare each of his jobs with his favorite former workplace – J.J. Newberry’s in Downtown Cincinnati. The “Newberry test” Darrell explains, “It’s just a warm, comfortable feeling.”

Sarah, another Working Better Together participant now serving as a cashier, says “coming in knowing people” has been a big benefit of being in Cohort One. “Not knowing anyone and feeling awkward -that’s what can make you feel uncomfortable at work.”

On the one month anniversary of their employment, five members of Cohort One reunited in the classroom in Western Hills to discuss their experiences so far. Some shared their challenges interacting with co-workers or customers; others spoke about overcoming obstacles and the small victories they’ve earned. “All participants reported that the program gave them a better understanding of expectations for them and real pride in being part of the mission of SVDP,” Johnson-Lain says. Moving forward, Cohort One will continue to meet once-a-month, with the hope that the group will eventually lead the check-ins on their own.

While Cohort One was the pilot for Working Better Together, the program -- or some form of it—could eventually be offered to all new thrift store employees. For now, leaders are planning to expand the training to one new cohort per month at stores most in need of new staff. The first expansion will be to the Mason Thrift Store, where members of “Cohort Two” are set to start in early August.

“In an ideal world, we would hold fewer of these sessions over time,” Johnson-Lain says. “Our new hires will love working for SVDP so much; we will have fewer opportunities to hire.”