Member Blog: Suggestions For Cannabis Economy Leaders As We Navigate the COVID-19 Crisis

by Bryan Passman, Co-Founder and CEO of Hunter + Esquire

As COVID-19 swept across the globe, shutting down countries, there was an unexpected side effect taking place in the cannabis economy. Many cannabis companies that may have made hiring or operational errors have used the pandemic as an opportunity for correction even as they are staying open and deemed an essential service. Companies who over-hired based on “what if” scenarios of possible growth have used this to exit or furlough unexpecting employees with little to no explanation why.

Working in the cannabis executive recruitment space for several years (and being in the people business for decades), this is heartbreaking to see and hear. New hires should be based on new and real business needs grounded in data and facts instead of staffing up because a company is hoping for amazing growth. Companies using this pandemic as a correction must be more transparent and human in their actions. Acknowledge and realize some employees are losing their jobs (sometimes after stellar performance reviews) with little to no severance and little explanation. However, we all can learn from this experience and make some changes to how we operate moving forward.

Treat people as you would like to be treated.

The impact of a bad employee exit has a trickle-down effect. There’s a lot more good to come from understanding that former employees, along with their family members, friends, and colleagues, are all potential consumers, investors, and future employees. The (relative) smallness of our cannabis economy should be further inspiration to behave accordingly towards others during this time of crisis. When an employee is let go in an unprofessional manner, it impacts the morale of those employees who are still with the company. Relationships matter. We’re not saying that there isn’t a need to let people go and make organizational changes; you’re still running a business. Look for ways to make an unpleasant experience more positive. Furlough some people instead of flat out laying them off, and then communicate a lot with them during the time they spend in that holding pattern for you. Evaluate performance over salary when deciding on cutbacks. Consider bringing in an Industrial Psychologist to speak with your remaining employees who are probably suffering emotionally and thinking they’re next on the chopping block. Offer more perks to show that you care. Reach out to those individuals who are no longer with the company and see how they’re doing. Offer to pay for resume writing services or actively connect them to career support services or recruiters.

Invest in a strategic HR or Human Capital position.

You need a dedicated strategic HR leader in your organization to help guide your company vs. simply hiring an HR body to keep you out of a courtroom and to keep your files organized! This is a critical role, often overlooked by young and growing companies. Employees are the most valuable (and only appreciating) asset in an organization, and they can make or break an organization. Companies spend a lot of time and money on M&A diligence, vetting strategic partnerships, etc. However, many miss putting the same consideration into their human capital management. Hiring, training, and retaining best-in-class talent provides some of the best ROI for any organization, and that requires an individual (or entire department) dedicated to the recruitment, onboarding, training, continuous employee relations activities, and ultimately increasing employee happiness and effectiveness. 

Evaluate Everything

Every company is looking to save money and improve their operations. Take this time to evaluate your current operational partners critically. Are you paying too much in additional fees? Are you getting the ROI you expect? Use this time to interview and seek out new partners who might be a better fit. What are the pillars of your culture? Is your leadership team the right mix? Do you have the right people on board to steer you toward the culture and future you hope for? Who do you want to attract to the organization? You may need to take some time to reflect and make some adjustments to the culture or team members to build the company you aspire to be.

Moving forward, companies who survive this can come out on the other side with better processes for employee hiring, onboarding, training, management, and retention. Many of us are in this business for the love and respect of the cannabis plant. Cannabis is a great connector of people, and this is an opportunity for us all to shift our operations to pay tribute to that fact and to improve our human relations processes.

Bryan Passman is a father, a husband, a trailblazer, and Co-founder and CEO of Hunter + Esquire. My professional background before launching H+E was entirely in retained executive search for 18 years in MedTech/Pharma (15 yrs) and Food and Adult Beverage CPG (3 yrs). My deep knowledge of those highly regulated and nuanced industries has helped H+E significantly understand the needs and wants of our cannabis clients. My deep and genuine networks within those industries have helped us deliver that rare talent “unicorn” our clients desire to fit their particular needs. My client-first approach helps us provide a very customized, white-glove, headhunter treatment to client and candidate.

Headline: The Importance of a True Human Capital Management Leader 

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Numerous cannabis organizations have taken advantage of the global health crisis to cut staff and combine positions. We saw the role of HR lead added (yet again!) to the job description of the CEO, CFO, or another officer. Unfortunately, we witnessed several companies perform these cuts and layoffs during the pandemic (LINK to above blog) as a way of cleaning house. Without a strong HR foundation in place, many of these exits were messy and resulted in angry ex-employees and disgruntled employees who are preparing their resumes to manage their exits proactively. While this transition is always challenging, it doesn’t need to end with poor relationships with ex-employees. As we know, the world of cannabis is small, ensuring a good reputation is critical. As the overall and cannabis economy opens back up to our new normal, it is even more important than ever to ensure your organization has the vital piece of the puzzle in place.

The human resources profession in and out of cannabis has evolved in recent years, and with it, the role of the Chief Human Capital (or ‘Resources’) Officer has changed as well. It progressed from fighting for a seat at the table to playing a vital role in the executive team as a strategic partner to the CEO and CFO. The CEO, CFO, and Chief HC/HR Officer should be viewed as equally responsible for executing the business strategy, with distinct yet highly interdependent roles to play. In essence, the CEO defines &/or leads the vision/strategy; the Chief HC/HR Officer articulates and drives people’s DNA, while the CFO manages financial resources and investments. It takes people and financial resources to implement the business strategy, which is why the relationship between these leadership roles is so vital.

The role of the Chief HC/HR Officer is becoming increasingly complex. It is continuously changing due to a range of factors, including the evolution of technology, artificial intelligence, automation, the changing profile of the workforce, new ways of working, and the increased focus on talent, especially in the cannabis industry. The profile has shifted from a traditional HR professional, narrowly focused on his/her function to a well-rounded business leader who can contribute meaningfully in all areas of the business. Today’s HR Chief is a culture champion and change-agent who is commercially astute, analytical, and technologically savvy, who speaks truth to power and influences softly yet assertively. Click here for our list of roles and responsibilities of the Chief HC/HR Officer. SEE BELOW

Hiring and retaining the right talent. 

Human Capital Management is essential for hiring, managing, training, and retaining talented and high performing employees. Employees are the most valuable resource in an organization. Individuals who spend the maximum part of their day contributing towards the success of an organization are its most crucial resource. Employees can either make or break an organization, truly making them an organization’s lifeline. 

Making new employees feel comfortable / orienting them to the organization. 

Human Capital management plays a vital role in orienting a new employee to the system. Boring and meaningless onboarding programs lead to confusion and eventual loss of employee interest. Most new hires develop very strong positive or negative vibes about their new employment within the first 24 hours in their new role; it’s a lot easier to enjoy the positive vibes from getting that first 24 hours right than dealing with the negative vibes from the start. Turnover can cost an organization 2.5 x the salary. Incorporating professional onboarding into your standard SOPs is critical for new hires who make a “stay” vs. go” decision within the first 24-48 hours in a new job. This includes not loading someone with unnecessary information on the very first day (s)he steps into the organization. Making him/her feel comfortable, which during a pandemic and isolation can be challenging. Click here for tips on creating a connection virtually. Such small initiatives go a long way!

Training employees 

Employees need to stay current and continue to learn to prepare themselves for adverse conditions. Human Capital Management helps train employees and makes them a valuable resource for the organization. Employees who do not brush up on their skills from time to time find it difficult to survive in the long run. Human Capital Management helps develop the skills of employees, which creates a positive impact on the overall organization. Human Capital Management plays an essential role in increasing the knowledge, well-being, and efficiency of employees. Individuals are in a position to contribute more towards the system, eventually increasing the overall productivity of the organization. Take the steps now to add this essential team member to your roster.

A productive, thriving workforce is the most crucial component of a successful business. This requires viewing people as human assets, not costs to the organization. As with any other asset, a talented workforce can be used strategically to add value to an organization.

Headline: The Ever-Evolving Chief Human Capital /Human Resources Role

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More than any other role in an organization, the role of the Chief Human Capital/ Human Resources (CHC/HR) Officer has changed. It continues to do so as organizations grow and shift. Nothing could be more accurate in this current pandemic environment. Understanding the critical need for this role and the types of capabilities you should be looking for in a candidate will help prepare you for your search and ensure that you’re evaluating potential candidates based on the real needs so that when we enter into our new normal, your organization is prepped and set up for success (LINK TO FIRST BLOG) and not trying to play catch up based on some missteps. We’ve curated a list of the qualifications and criteria below that your top tier candidates should possess to fill this critical leadership position.

1. Strategic mindset and business acumen: The CHC/HR Officer is expected to be discerning, future-orientated, open-minded, commercially astute, and able to make evidence-based decisions. They will develop robust people plans aligned to the business strategy. A people plan cannot merely serve internal HR functional requirements; it must demonstrate an impact on the business.

2. Change and transformation management: Play a leading role in defining and adapting corporate strategies, structures, procedures, and technologies to handle changes in external conditions and the business environment. The people side of change management is often the most important element above the technical tasks necessary to enact change. When the people side of change is poorly managed, change often fails or doesn’t achieve desirable results. Driving change management and transformation requires an organization to embrace learning agility and innovation as a culture. The CHC/HR Officer is often expected to embody this agility and be the catalyst for change and transformation.

3. Mastery of executive compensation: Issues of pay equality continue to gain prominence in the market, and this leader must play a key role in designing competitive, equitable compensation packages. This includes innovative and sometimes creative incentive structures to attract and retain key talent. The position is to continuously test internal pay structures against the market where potential gaps and risks are identified and develop risk mitigation plans.

4. A clear understanding of board governance: Cannabis organizations are increasingly scrutinizing executive compensation, examining linkages of talent and performance, focusing on CEO succession, and the broad talent agenda. The Chief HC/HR role can add value to the board by bringing expertise in compensation, succession, talent, and the people-based implications of mergers and acquisitions.

5. External focus: Today’s Cannabis HC/HR Chief has to have a good sense of the external industry and the competitive landscape. She/he should keep abreast by playing an active role in relevant industry bodies. Talent is becoming increasingly mobile-savvy, which makes it all the more important for this leader to have a strategic mindset. 

6. Shape culture: The head of HR holds a key role in defining and co-creating the organizational culture with the executive leadership team. A company’s organizational culture can make or break the most insightful strategy. The executive leadership team and the HC/HR Chief have a shared responsibility in creating and driving a culture that is aligned with the business strategy.

7. Committed to diversity and inclusion: For diversity and inclusion to be successful, it has to be a top-to-bottom business-critical mission that is embedded in all aspects of the organization. Diversity and inclusion practices should be led in close partnership with the CEO, with the HR Lead playing an important role in articulating the business case for diversity alongside the CEO.

8. Leadership gravitas: The ideal candidate must possess significant confidence and power supported by competence and an undisputed delivery track record. This power is acquired through strong interpersonal relationship skills, the ability to influence others, and being respected and admired. This type of power is particularly important in this role since it is built on collaboration and influence rather than command and control. In addition, HR leaders must have the ability to assess risk, to demonstrate independent thinking and speak truth to power, having the courage to say “No,” when necessary.

9. Balance agendas of high-level stakeholders: Your ideal candidate should have experience serving multiple high-level stakeholders such as the CEO, board, shareholders, and employees who often have competing demands. The capability to effortlessly navigate and balance the various needs through effective communication, seeking alignment, and managing expectations is a must.

10. Visible, value-added partner: The head of HR is a critical stakeholder in the health of the organization. It’s important that your hire has an open door policy and is proactive about building teamwork and company culture. They should be seen everywhere within the organization. HR leaders must be on the pulse of the organization at all times to make unpleasant surprises less likely to happen. 

These ten key areas are all critical when hiring a CHC/HR leader for your organization. If you use this list as a checklist when you hire this critical role (or evaluating your current leadership) and find positive responses to all, you should have an excellent fit for your team!