Have Dreams interns performed all the tasks that my employees would, outside of cash management and transactions. The students were customer service ambassadors, always on the sales floor assisting, and in between those interactions they trained to manage inventory, check expirations, daily price changes, stock the shelves, reset departments and bring in vendor products. Once we were sure that the students were comfortable in the roles we were asking them to fill, they would assist in any task that was needed. The customers that would come in and recognize the students were always a fantastic reminder of why we were able to thrive as a business. We need community support in order to do well, and the best way to get that is to give to the local environment. The students were a huge help to the day-to-day workload of a busy retail location. Once they were well trained on a task, they were able to gain independence and complete the tasks much more efficiently. I truly felt like Have Dreams helped me become a better manager, better listener, and more proactive problem solver by reminding me that training and development isn’t one-size-fits all. We had customers come back to my locations because they recognized the students and appreciated their work. I came away with a heightened recognition of the need for inclusion in the workplace. All in all, working together with Have Dreams was a win for my stores and teams all around. We built community, strengthened our team, improved our training, and became a more inclusive and welcoming environment in a very diverse area of Evanston. ”
See the full video interview with Bill Reschke here
5
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software