Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/880397
W EEKLY EDITION SEPT 27, 2017 A Fresh Perspective on the Portable Sanitation Industry …continued Nuts and Bolts Speaker Dr. Kevin Henderson and his students visited two Minnesota operators this week as they begin to prepare a semester - long report on hiring and retaining key industry staff The PSAI reached out to Molly Leonard (On Site Santiation) and Derek Pauling (Biffs, Inc.) to get an und erstanding of how the day went. "We [had] a very good visit with the students from Kevin Henderson's class," Molly shared. "I am always willing to help my Tommies – I just happened to have graduated from there." Derek agreed that his tour went equally well , mentioning that the students "were all very professional and attentive. It was clear to me they were all very interested in being at Bif fs and taking it seriously." We also contacted Dr. Henderson for a rundown of the day. "We went to On Site and Biffs and spent almost two hours at each company," he said. "Given how little most of us knew about the portable sanitation industry, we spent the first part of our v isit learning more about each company in terms of what they do, who they serve, and their strat egy and culture. It was very interesting hearing Molly and Derek talk about their companies and impressive to see how big their family businesses have gotten over the past 20 - 30 years." After providing overviews, the students had the opportunity to ask qu estions, where they inquired about core values, strategic anchors, and company incentive programs. This allowed them to understand how companies are already attempting to retain employees, which will be useful as they prepare their report. The students the n received tours of the facilities, shop spaces, and yards, taking in the daily operations of these companies. Derek mentioned how the students commented on the yard – specifically on how empty it was. They were unaware how busy this time of year can be fo r most PROs. At the conclusion of the tours, the students broke into groups and "interviewed employees who either performed or supervised the jobs they were assigned… these jobs are sanitation technician/driver, mechanic, and outside sales." The interviews went well and will prove to be quite useful as this project comes to fruition in the coming months. Molly appreciated that during this time she "was able to sit down one on one with Kevin while the students were interviewing some of [their] team and get a full perspective of the whole proje ct." Derek mentioned that the interviews at Biffs ran until about 5:20pm, "so it appears they were very thorough." When asked to recap the experience, Dr. Henderson had the following to say: "One of the main things tha t stood out to me was the sheer scope of the industry. It was a lot bigger and more competitive than I anticipated and the logistics required t o keep things moving (especially in terms of driver routes) was mind - boggling. I really hope that the work our cl ass does this semester will prove helpful for both On Site and Biffs, as well as other PSAI Members. We really appreciate being able to hav e this opportunity!" The feeling of appreciation was mutual as Derek and Molly shared their overall thoughts. "I thi nk this project will provide excellent data for the industry for some positions that are difficult to fulfill in many organizations," Derek said. "Even the smaller companies that don't necessarily have a need for some of these positions will benefit as the y look to grow. This is the right group to partner with in the University of St. Thomas and I am excited to see the results." Molly echoed these sentiments, closing by saying, "I think that their perspectives will be good to see, especially as the labor ma rket is changing – and a new perspective is always appreciated." We look forward to Dr. Henderson's presentation with his students at Nuts and Bolts. With all of the detailed work going into their report, it will be a session you won't want to miss! PAGE 2 Some of the On Site Sanit ation team Some of the Biffs Inc team