First and foremost, I hope that all of you and your families — no matter where in the world this letter finds you — are healthy, and dealing with this global crisis as well as can be expected. And with hope for the future.

We are all privileged to work, shoulder to shoulder, in an industry whose mission it is to bring people the sustenance and nutritional well-being that is embedded in what we do. After all, “horticulture” comes from the Roman words for “garden” and “cultivation.”

It’s a noble tradition.

In fact, the idea of controlled growing dates back to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who was able to eat a cucumber every day because his gardeners planted them in wheeled carts, which were brought into the sun daily, and taken indoors at night.

We have come a long way since then, but the principles remain unchanged: Harness the best of technology to give people — not just emperors — access to fresh fruits and vegetables in innovative ways that are proudly defiant of the seasons.

In fact, in the midst of a pandemic when we are all so focused on what we eat and the relationship between nutrition and the immune system, the role of horticulture done right is more important than ever. Whether you’re growing ornamental plants, cut flowers or produce, I know that many of you went to work every day during the lockdown, and afterward, not solely because you had to, but because you took the word “essential” to heart. We all owe you our gratitude.

At Hawthorne, we are here to support you. You, the men and women dedicated to providing the fresh and affordable fruits, vegetables and herbs the world demands, as well as the beautiful plants that enrich our living spaces in a time so many of us are stuck at home.

But that’s not all. You're also committed to meeting these soaring needs in ways that make the most of every cubic foot and square inch, so we can meet the needs of a tomorrow’s global population with an overriding ethic of sustainability.

To accomplish that requires relentless innovation, and that’s something that’s deep in our collective DNA — especially at Gavita. So let’s talk about lighting. I see a future of energy efficiency that goes deeper and further than anything the industry has seen before.

That means strides that optimize spectrum for different crops, using plant-based, genetic insights to bump yields on a crop-by-crop basis, with less environmental impact. It also requires advancing our understanding of “holistic horticulture” — the delicate dance between lighting and everything else a plant needs to thrive. Humidity, temperature, nutrition, growing media and controllers are part of an elegant and efficacious orchestration; working intimately with you, our tech support teams make that happen.

As I write this, the halfway mark of the year has recently turned. None of us could have predicted what we’ve been through, but despite everything, together we managed to produce millions of pounds of the best-grown food the planet can deliver. It’s a privilege and responsibility to have so many people rely on both of us, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sincerely,
Chris Hagedorn, General Manager, Hawthorne Gardening Company

Whether your company has 10 employees or 10,000, each will be sued the same way when employment laws are violated. Special consideration given due to the pandemic will not save your organization from being one of those. As we look at re-opening businesses and charting a path toward normalizing operations post-pandemic, how can companies accomplish driving their organizations back to profitability while at the same time minimizing or eliminating the risk of violating employment laws?

We’re covering five keys to normalize operations.

1. Planning

It may have been a while since you last reviewed your original business plan, or perhaps it was just before the pandemic hit with full force. Maybe you recently applied for a business loan (not the PPP or other SBA loan in the CARES Act) before the crisis. In any case, you have documents already created, which outline how you will (did) launch your business. Now, these very same documents will be an excellent guide to normalizing operations.

The documents will merely be a guide, not a point-for-point blueprint, as the environment has changed dramatically. We are in a new COVID-19 world, so further precautions need to be taken. Much of the ideation for your business has been completed, so you will not be starting from scratch. Many of the systems, processes and procedures are already in place. Now it becomes about bringing back the labor force and doing so in a manner that allows for both safety and growth.

Two other documents that are helpful include a disaster recovery and an infectious disease control plan. Many small- to medium-sized businesses are discovering that they never developed these plans, or that their plans were substandard and are now learning the value of such a comprehensive plan. If you do not have such plans in place, it is a good idea to develop them promptly even before operations begin to normalize. Connecting with a consultant may be helpful to have them develop the plan(s) simultaneously with you as you normalize operations. The cost of the service will be offset by the speed at accomplishing both normalization and future plan development and implementation.

2. Operational considerations

When normalizing post-pandemic operations, there are two parts to consider — bringing back the workforce and daily operations. Bringing back the workforce is all about handling the headcount necessary to meet and exceed demand projections when the workforce may currently be working remotely, furloughed or laid off. How do you bring them back?

Just like when you made the difficult decision to reduce salaries, to furlough or to lay off your workforce, once again you must keep cashflow and cash reserves in mind as you now bring back your people. You must remain vigilant about cashflow and cash reserves. It will not be as simple as flipping a light switch on and voila — full operations again. It will need to be accomplished in stages — thoughtfully and mindfully conserving cash reserves and generating cashflow as employees are re-onboarded to meet the gradual increase in demand.

Daily operations concerns include ensuring safety. OSHA requires businesses "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women." Even if your company has fewer than 10 employees, which ordinarily would not be subject to OSHA, following the steps outlined here may be critical to keeping your employees, your customers, and your community safe from the spread and resurgence of this silent, invisible and deadly virus.

If you already have an infectious disease control plan in place, you may be ahead of the game, and normalizing operations may be more manageable.

3. Staging the comeback

Out of crisis comes opportunity. Business leaders have a chance to revise elements of their business, top-grade talent, bring operations back in stages that make sense and chart an appropriate direction for the company. It is critical to share that vision with leadership and inspire them. As part of that vision, it will be necessary to determine what are the first and critical departments or functions to bring back.

Within each department and function, critical players need to be brought back first. They will be instrumental at laying the foundation to bring back the next group, and then the next group until finally, you have reached a normalization level of headcount to meet or exceed your business plan. Among the first functions to bring back, especially if they have not been involved to this point, is human resources. They will have a huge role to play in guiding the normalization of operations. By protecting employees and customers from exposure, they will decrease or eliminate the pandemic's spread to, or resurgence within, the community at large. In doing so, they would also help reduce or eliminate corporate risk.

Before you bring back groups, build out a timeline. It will look different for different size companies, as well as for various sectors. Growers will have different timelines, departments and functions brought back first than nutrients, plastics and other support manufacturers. Businesses that operate in open fields may have a different plan than those that are exclusively greenhouse. Your automation level may make one department more critical to bring back than another in the first round. The specific operations of your business will ultimately determine the order, departments, and functions, while the business plan, demand forecast, and product/service offerings will impact the timeline.

Let's not forget the importance of plants. Nature has its time constraints that will impact the crops, yield and diversity of the product that will be able to be grown and harvested. For those businesses that support the industry — containers, nutrients, lighting, equipment manufacturers and other suppliers — this will all trickle down through the supply chain. Maintaining close communication up and down the supply chain will help to map a useful timeline and a staged resurgence of your business.

4. Communication planning

The next critical step is communication. The message needs to be planned, crafted and executed at different levels. The first critical level is to the employees you are bringing back. As you mapped out your staging plan earlier, you may have decided that not all of the remote workers need to come back immediately or even at all (or to work onsite, that is). Communications directed to those who will be required to return and work onsite should acknowledge the quality work they have performed remotely during this crisis while providing them a business case for why they are needed to come back onsite. It will be helpful to include contact hours in this communication because it will help ease the transition by setting clear expectations.

Be prepared for some flexibility. There may be much apprehension as employees may not trust, or be comfortable with, their safety. Concerns about catching the virus or a resurgence of the pandemic are real fears that many have. This must be politely and respectfully acknowledged. As a business leader, this will be a time for high emotional intelligence to drive the success of your business and bring about normalization.

The next group will be those furloughed. Furloughed employees are those placed on a temporary but mandatory unpaid leave intended to help reduce labor costs without incurring separation costs like severance packages and outplacement services. These individuals are still on the payroll, may be flagged in your Human Resources Information System (HRIS) as either active or inactive (depending on the process, system and vendor relationships you have) and may have been provided either a defined return-to-work date or specified conditions that, when achieved, would lead to their coming back. This group is the second easiest to bring back. Like those who were working remotely, you will need to define the business case for their return to work onsite and the expectation for hours/shifts.

This group may have had their benefits continued by some businesses. Since furloughed employees maintain their employment relationship and the duration is generally short, medical benefits are often maintained.

If they received a reduced level of income but enough to cover the employee payroll deductions, nothing further needs to be done. If, however, the company has opted to cover the employee portion of medical benefit premiums due to the length of the furlough or significant reduction in pay for the furloughed employees, a decision as to how this will be handled will need to be made and clearly communicated to returning employees. There is no legal obligation for employers to eat this cost and employees should have been notified ahead of time if they would be required to reimburse the company for this cost. Either way, it needs to be communicated when bringing them back. Businesses do a lot that they don't have to do just as a way of caring for their employees. But these are unprecedented times. Cashflow and cash reserves may dictate more about what a business can do differently from what business leaders want to do for their employees. Transparency and compassion are critical.

The third group will be those you laid off and intend to bring back. Important to note is the difference between this group and furloughed employees. A layoff is a full separation from the company, even if the intention initially was temporary. As a total separation, your business may have incurred costs such as severance packages and outplacement services. There may still be notices to comply with relating to state and federal WARN acts (a topic we will address in detail in a later article). Additionally, these former employees will have had their benefits terminated if they had any, at the time of separation.

To bring this group back will be exactly like any new hire or rehire. As a result, you are not obligated to rehire everyone, but you do have to be careful. There are two types of pitfalls to avoid — disparate treatment and disparate impact. Disparate treatment is the most apparent — blatant, outright and intentional discrimination against a protected class. Disparate impact occurs when trying as hard as you think you can, you make a good faith attempt to treat all employees equally and reasonably yet, try as you may, the effect is that one or more protected class is negatively impacted significantly over non-protected classes. To aid in avoiding these pitfalls, consult with your strategic HR professional to craft a clearly defined business case as to why one person or group of people benefitted over others.

It is crucial that you and those of your team reaching out to all current and former employees remain respectful and demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence during this time. Yes, there is urgency, but you are dealing with people, and many are fearful and hurting — financially, physically, medically, spiritually and mentally. Acknowledge this and be respectful. How you bring employees back during the normalization of operations will say a lot about your character as a business leader, your values and those of the company, and will have a significant impact on retention and the future growth of the business.

5. Is there widespread testing?

There are still many unknowns relating to widespread testing or the availability of a vaccine. Because of this, employees may be reluctant to encroach upon social distancing or even to come back to work. What can an employer do?

First, designate an isolated entrance area through which all employees will enter and a different one where all employees will exit. To comply with fire safety, you may need a couple more separate entrances and exits depending on the size of your business. Be creative. It could be a tent on the front lawn area or a separate room off an entrance to the building. The goal is simply to determine the best we can if someone is infected before they contaminate the rest of the facility and then isolate that individual from those who were already cleared to work or are leaving the premises. As employees enter, standard practice would be to check their temperature. If they are not exhibiting a fever, they can then come into work.

There is a lot unknown about the availability and viability of testing kits. Since they are neither widely available nor highly accurate yet, it is not recommended to pursue testing at this time but keep an eye on this issue as the situation continually evolves. Costs, reimbursements, tax implications, the confidentiality of personal health information, and the qualifications of those administering and reporting the results are just a few of the many considerations that would need to be considered. Regardless of whether more precise testing or only the temperature testing will be conducted, be sure to adhere to existing ADAAA, GINA, HIPAA and other employment laws that protect health information and confidentiality. These are unprecedented times, but the crisis does not take precedence over existing law.

The second consideration is personal protective equipment (PPE). There is no question that the country faces severe shortages of face masks, hand protection and other protective gear, so there is a limit to what an employer may be able to provide to employees. Make every reasonable attempt to obtain as much PPE as possible as quickly as possible, but also to look at what you may allow employees to bring on their own. Some have made homemade, washable masks. You must comply with OSHA if you are have 10 or more employees, so there are specific requirements you may have to enforce. Even if you are fewer than 10 employees, there is a concern about potential spread to colleagues, customers and the community at large, so consider reasonable steps.

The third consideration is social distancing. Masks or no masks, adhering to the CDC's recommendation of maintaining 6 or more feet of separation throughout the workday will reduce the chance of spreading. The type of business, work to be performed, equipment used, ventilation and the like all should be taken into consideration. It may permit for some not to wear PPE while making it mandatory that others do. To the degree possible, if the nature of the work, exertion level and ventilation make it less likely that employees will be able to maintain social distancing guidelines from the CDC or where there is a higher likelihood that contamination may carry farther than the recommended 6 feet, appropriate PPE would be the best solution. Where such is not the concern, PPE may not be necessary.

The fourth consideration is personal hygiene and facility sanitation. In all cases, whether using gloves or not using gloves, be sure all employees are washing hands frequently. OSHA has developed various signage that should be posted in bathroom and washroom areas but may also be appropriate where your labor law posters are kept and in other places around the worksite. Employees should avoid touching each other, even the typical handshake, high five or fist-bumps in celebration of a job well done.

Planning is key to getting your business back to normal operations. If you plan out the gradual build strategically and communicate to each group of employees appropriately, you will have a higher chance of success re-opening the business. Daily operations will have to look different. Cleanliness will be more critical than ever. The extra efforts around set-up and take-down, shift changes and even the daily opening and closing of the office will now need to be built into daily expectations. Signs, postings and enforcement with compassion will help ease the fears many employees have. Taking these steps will reduce the chance of spreading the virus, as well as prevent a resurgence that impacts employees, customers, and your community.

May we all reach a level of business normalization soon and get this economy back on track. Until then, please, continue to keep yourselves, your families and your employees safe and healthy. We are all in this together.

About the authors: Michael Maggiotto Jr. PHR, SHRM-SCP is a senior human capital advisor at BEST Human Capital & Advisory Group, mmaggiotto@bhcagroup.com. And Matthew Pope is the director of business development at BEST Human Capital Advisory Group, mpope@bhcagroup.com.

With nearly 45 years in the horticulture industry, Mark Clemmons has watched the plant business evolve as new competitors, cultivars and technologies entered the marketplace. By adjusting to these constant changes and challenges, Clemmons grew through the decades.

“If you can’t adapt to change, you’re not going to make it as a grower,” says Clemmons, who shifted into horticulture early in his career. After earning a biology degree in 1972, he spent several years working for a pharmaceutical company before a friend recruited him to join Nortex Wholesale Nurseries.

Clemmons instantly fell in love with the industry and went into business with a couple partners to open two garden centers with a landscaping division. After several years, he sold his shares and started a nursery with his brother called Clemmons Lawn and Garden. They ran the business for about 10 years — until big-box retailers started moving to town in the mid-90s.

“The family business ended up succumbing to the chain stores. My thought was, ‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” Clemmons says. He went to one of his suppliers — a small startup called Seville Farms — and asked if they were hiring. Thankfully, they were, and the rest is history. He has led Seville’s growing operation ever since.

Open to change

Since joining Seville about 25 years ago, Clemmons’ responsibilities have shifted drastically. “I used to inspect every one of our facilities as head grower, but now we have regional growers that help me look over each location,” says Clemmons, who turned 70 this year. “As we continued to grow and build other facilities, my role became coordinating the production efforts to keep everyone within the same methodology, so we could duplicate quality product everywhere.”

Now, as regional head grower, Clemmons still walks a couple of Seville’s seven production facilities — which total 8 million square feet across the state — but now he relies on head growers at each site to oversee individual crops. Most of Clemmons’ time is spent using photos and Facetime to help growers diagnose issues remotely.

Through the years, Clemmons documented successful growing recipes for Seville’s major crops, but with 1,700 cultivars, one man simply cannot dictate every detail for each plant. So, Clemmons relies on his team of growers to innovate new ways to meet the changing expectations of customers that include big-box stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot, and large grocery chains like Kroger.

“The older you get, the more you realize that you don’t know everything,” Clemmons says. “Any grower will tell you that there’s more than one way to get a beautiful product. It is not for me to tell my growers, ‘You have to do it this way,’ but rather, ‘Show me a better way.’ You have to be open to change if you want to have the best techniques.”

Back to school

To create a forum for growers to learn new techniques and share best practices, the company launched Seville University about three years ago. Leading up to this annual training summit, Clemmons polls Seville’s growers about the topics they want to learn more about, and then invites industry experts to speak on these issues during a two-day seminar.

Guest speakers have included Raymond Cloyd and Ann Chase, as well as Will Healy and Todd Cavins of Ball Horticultural, and Jan Couch and Nancy Rechcigl from Syngenta. “It’s not what you know, as much as who you know to get information when you have a problem,” Clemmons says. “It’s so valuable to have personal relationships with these people, and we could not do what we’re doing without the help of our industry partners.”

Of course, Seville University looked a little different this year when the company met at the end of June. “Because of COVID, we couldn’t bring 30 growers together or have people come to us, so we did Zoom meetings instead,” Clemmons says. “Zoom meetings may be the way of the future, because we were able to share presentations remotely and allow the growers to chat and share feedback, just like always.”

Photos courtesy of Seville Farms

Passing down passion

Although Clemmons wants to be remembered as “a true plantsman” who helped advance the greenhouse industry, he admits that his role at Seville Farms over the last decade has become more focused on people than plants.

“You can’t be a good manager or teacher unless you enjoy people as much as you enjoy plants,” says Clemmons, who shares his plant passion with the next generation as he nears retirement.

“If you don’t love what you’re doing, go do something else, because if you don’t, it’s going to be a chore,” he says.“Working every day in his industry has never been a chore for me; it’s been a pleasure.”

Photo © Vlad Chorniy | Adobe Stock

e live in unprecedented times. Due to an invisible enemy, fear and fatigue surround businesses, communities, individuals and families. Casualties multiply. Impatience and anger unexpectedly erupt. At the same time, heroes have stepped up in big ways. There have been acts of great sacrifice and generosity, and creativity has flourished as we’ve found new ways to connect, serve and work.

Turbulent times offer unique invitations for leaders to shine. Without WWII, Winston Churchill would little be remembered. Because of his decisive and inspiring leadership, Britain persevered through the war’s darkest days and Churchill is still greatly admired.

What you do as a leader matters now more than ever. Here are five tips for leading well during difficult times:

1. Lead.

Despite how you are feeling and what’s going on around you, if you haven’t already done so, your team needs you to step up. You don’t have to have all the answers, but you must lead the conversation. Ask questions. Get input. Then, make the best decisions you possibly can. As you lead by your words, actions and example, your team will step up to the plate and join you in the fight.

2. Lead with honesty and vision.

Trust is the cornerstone of great leadership. Rather than shielding employees from what’s happening or offering misleading statements, directly communicate what is going on. If your business is struggling, be honest. Then, lay out your vision for facing this difficult time and coming out stronger together on the other side.

3. Lead by taking care of yourself and asking your team to do so as well.

Burning the candle at both ends takes a toll on your body and jeopardizes your team’s well-being. It’s during difficult times you most need reserves. Take time to eat right, sleep, exercise, connect with loved ones and engage in activities that remind you that the world is greater than what you are currently facing. Just as your car needs gas to keep running, you need emotional and physical fuel for the battle you are facing. Your team will follow your lead, and it’s far easier to avoid burnout than to bounce back from it.

Turbulent times offer unique invitations for leaders to shine.

4. Lead with compassion for yourself and others.

Understand that many on your team are grieving, frightened, fatigued and even angry. Expect emotions to be closer to the surface than usual. At the same time, don’t give a free pass for bad behavior. While it’s OK to be frustrated, it’s no excuse to yell, belittle, intimidate or humiliate anyone. Express gratitude, offer encouragement and rally around teammates who are experiencing tough days.

5. Lead by looking for the positive and lessons learned.

While it may not feel like it, there is always a silver lining. If you don’t find yourself naturally looking for the positive, it’s time to begin training yourself to do so. Focusing on what’s wrong, bad or unfair is not only depressing, it also keeps you and your team stuck. On the other hand, looking for the positive and what’s been learned creates energy and positions you to move forward to face challenges head on.

Strong, honest, caring leadership is critical during this challenging time. Your team needs your leadership now more than ever. Your team needs hope and direction now more than ever. Your team needs to pull together now more than ever. If you, like Churchill, will guide and inspire your team through this difficult period, you can expect to come out of it victorious and with your head held high.

The author works with organizations who want to elevate their engagement, productivity and profitability. Learn more at sherenemchenry.com