Back on Enterprise Radio: Erin Stahla on Building a Winning Team at Stahla Services!

We’re delighted to share that Stahla Services was featured once again on the Enterprise Radio (EPN) podcast, with host Eric Dye! This time, our very own Co-owner, Erin Stahla, took the mic to discuss a topic crucial to any successful business: Building a Winning Team – How Stahla Services Hires and Retains Top Talent.

It’s always a privilege to share the philosophies and practices that drive our nationwide provider of restroom, shower, and ADA trailer rentals. If you couldn’t tune into Erin’s insightful conversation, we’ve got you covered with all the key takeaways on how we cultivate a thriving team environment.

What We Discussed: Erin Stahla on Building a Winning Team

Erin jumped right into a challenge many businesses face: “It’s kind of the problem that kind of leaks into each business, right, is people and how to find the good ones.” She then detailed Stahla Services’ approach to attracting, integrating, and nurturing top talent.

The Stahla Services Hiring Blueprint: From Application to Onboarding

Eric Dye first asked about the hiring process itself. Erin emphasized the importance of a structured approach:

• Structured Interview Process: “Basically, how we’ve gone about hiring top talent, it’s creating a process and really sticking to it.” This involves a roughly three-step interview process, varying slightly by role (e.g., director vs. technician).
• Two-Way Street: Erin stressed, “I really do encourage each applicant to go ahead and interview me back… I try to make it as much as I can a two person conversation versus just me, you know, grilling somebody.” This ensures a mutual fit.
• The Power of References: “I always recommend…that you ask for three to five references, and you actually call them.” Erin highlighted a key question she asks: “Is there anything else I should know about this person?” This often elicits valuable, candid information.
• Continuous Experience: The process doesn’t end with the hire. “I don’t just leave it at the interview process, I continue on making sure that that person has an awesome experience and I don’t just drop them off at onboarding… Let’s have a great interview process. Let’s have a great hiring process. And now let’s move into a great onboarding and training process.”
• Detailed Onboarding & Training: “We go through an onboarding presentation, I create a two week training outline for that person and their direct manager to follow.”

Beyond the Hire: The Critical 30-60-90 Day Review Process (and Beyond!)

Erin explained that simply hiring someone isn’t enough; continuous support is key.

• Purpose of Early Reviews: “That’s really not doing that person or that role justice because you’re really wanting to make sure that you’re guiding through each step of the way until that person is fully confident.”
• 30-Day Review: Focuses on reinforcing initial information. Erin noted, “You can pretty much count that they’re going to retain about 10% at best of what you’re throwing at them [initially].” The 30-day mark allows information to “sink in” as overwhelm lessens.
• 60-Day Review: Gets more tactical. “How do you feel like your skill level is here, here and here? Are there any glaring like holes in your training program?” This helps identify areas for focused development in the next 30 days.
• 90-Day Review: A “capstone” to affirm the employee and their developed skills. “You’re really just affirming them in their role and going through the different skill sets that they have developed…and just continuing to vision cast for their time with you.”
• Ongoing Support: “From there, we move them into a quarterly review process so that they’re able to have continued conversations with their manager.”

Erin’s core message: “If you develop something similar to this or your own process and you stick to it, your team will thank you and you’ll all be better for it.”

The “Right Stuff”: Qualities Stahla Services Seeks in New Hires

When asked about the most important qualities, Erin shared:

• Role-Specific Traits:
  • Operations: “A lot of tenacity, a lot of go getter…somebody who’s excited to get up and work with their hands every day, who’s excited to problem solve.”
  • Director Level: “Somebody who thinks a little bit differently, somebody who thinks strategically, somebody who’s looking for growth and they can see a bigger picture.”
• Embodying Core Values: “Blanket statement would be just the qualities I’m looking for…really just our core values embodied, which is humility, systemized excellence and extremely profitable.” Erin emphasizes discussing these values with every candidate.

Standing Out in a Competitive Market: The Stahla Services Edge

In a tough job market, how does Stahla Services differentiate itself?

• Focus on Workplace Experience: “It’s not really what you provide outside of the workplace, but what you provide while people are in the workplace,” Erin stated. This includes providing certainty in roles and expectations.
• Living Your Core Values: “If you come up with those, you know, two to five core values of who your company is and you really stick to those, you’re going to start attracting people who also adhere to the same core values.” She stressed that core values should reflect who you are, not who you aspire to be.
• Integrity and Genuineness: “Just be who you say you are. There’s so much to just integrity and being genuine.”

Fueling Success: Keeping the Team Engaged and Motivated

Engagement isn’t accidental. Erin’s insights:

• Hiring A-Players Consistently: “Every single person that comes into this business has got to be an A player… Make sure that you aren’t sometimes hiring a player, sometimes sticking in a B or C player just because you need to fill the roster.”
• Managerial Excellence: “Having managers who who really look out for the manager [employee].” Managers should understand individual development goals and how to push and challenge their team members effectively.
• Utilizing Development Tools: “There’s tools out there…whether it’s Gallup StrengthsFinders or Working Genius or Giant.” Stahla Services uses Gallup StrengthsFinders to help team members understand their own and others’ strengths, fostering better collaboration. “Helping that individual dive into more of who they are…and how they can develop personally into their professional goals.”

Learning from Experience: Refining the Hiring Process

Erin candidly shared that mistakes are part of the journey:

• The Cost of Rushing: “You can really rush through the process…but you also have to be OK then with that person not being the exact right fit.”
• Patience for the Right Fit: “I’m willing to take an extra week or an extra few days or an extra couple weeks. And honestly, sometimes it’s been months for us to make sure that I’m plugging in the right person… I just go ahead, take a deep breath and make sure that I’m waiting.”
• Grace and Process: “Just giving myself a lot of grace…the process is really going to help you if you developed that.”

Erin’s Advice for Fellow Business Owners on Hiring

For those struggling with hiring, Erin offered encouragement:

• Breathe and Be Patient: “Just be able to take a deep breath. It’s going to be OK…it really will be OK if that role is meant to be filled. It’ll be filled eventually.”
• Consider Outsourcing/Delegation: “There’s recruiting companies, there’s, you know, maybe there’s somebody on your team that can take on the special project of hiring.”
• Team Grit: “In the interim of trying to find the right person, I think it really develops a lot of character and grit within your team.”
• Don’t Rush: “You’re going to find the right person at the right time and don’t rush the process.”

More Than Just Trailers: Our Commitment to People and Excellence

Erin’s discussion underscores a core tenet at Stahla Services: our success is built on the strength, dedication, and well-being of our team. Investing in our people through thoughtful hiring, comprehensive onboarding, and continuous development isn’t just good practice—it’s fundamental to who we are and our commitment to systemized excellence in every facet of our business. This commitment extends to our broader mission, including our support for organizations like Love Justice International.

Another Insightful Conversation on EPN!

We are incredibly grateful to Eric Dye and Enterprise Radio for providing a platform to share these vital aspects of our business operations. Building a winning team is an ongoing journey, and we’re proud of the culture we’re cultivating at Stahla Services.

If you’re interested in learning more about Stahla Services, our values, or our nationwide restroom, shower, and ADA trailer rentals, we invite you to connect with us.

Visit our website: Stahla.com
Connect with Erin Stahla on LinkedIn (Note: Link to a generic Erin Stahla profile, update if a specific one is preferred or provided by Erin)
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

For inquiries about our services or to get a hassle-free quote:
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Or call us directly at 844-900-3190 for that dependable Stahla service.