Premier Flooring Retailer Magazine - D2 2023 Issue

The official magazine of the World Floor Covering Association

Premier FLOORING RETAILER

Worker's Comp

8 Ways to Trim Costs

Time To Step Up! Help Solve Our Installation

Shortage Crisis

Powerful Ways to Improve Company Culture

Investing in Innovation and Design

Plus... New Products, New Displays and more

Set Yourself Apart. Become CFI Certified.

MAY

Converse, TX

Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

May 11-12

Naperville, IL

Carpet Residential I Certification

May 17-18

Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

May 19-20

Jacksonville, FL

Hardwood / Laminate/ LVP

May 25-26

Phenix City, AL

Resilient Residential I Certification

May 25-26

JUNE

Huntington, IN

All Levels Carpet Certification

June 2-3

Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

June 2-3

Wichita, KS

Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

June 7-8

Phenix City, AL

Ceramic I Certification

June 8-9

Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Resilient Residential I Certification

June 19-20

Wichita, KS

Carpet Residential I or Commercial I Certification

June 28-29

All Levels Carpet Certification

June 28-29

Carpet Residential I or Commercial I Certification

June 28-30

Dalton, GA

Advanced Commercial Carpet

June 27-29

JULY

Wichita, KS

Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

July 13-14

Carpet Residential I or Commercial I Certification

July 19-20

All Levels Carpet Certification

July 19-20

Carpet Residential I or Commercial I Certification

July 19-21

5- Week Residential I Carpet Certification

July 31-September 1

SEPTEMBER

Wichita, KS

1 Week Intro to Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

September 11-15

OCTOBER

Phenix City, AL

Hardwood / Laminate / LVP

October 5-6

Wichita, KS

Carpet Residential I or Commercial I Certification

October 18-19

All Levels Carpet Certification

October 18-19

Carpet Residential I or Commercial I Certification

October 18-20

Huntington, IN

Master II Carpet Certification

October 26-28

FLOORING RETAILER

The

Stacy Eickhoff, Sr. Vice President, Risk Strategies

Van Gogh Collection

Investing

the

Jason

Lewis

Out

Lisbeth

Scott Humphrey CEO, WFCA

The Dash

Anyonewho knows me knows that I am not a big fan of birthdays. Nevertheless, as I have been reminded many times, having them is much better than the alternative. By the time you are reading this, I will have celebrated a milestone. I will have turned sixty. It is not so much the thought of getting older that bothers me, though that reality is creeping in each day as my joints creek when I get out of bed—3 times a night . What really bothers me is the realization that my dash is running out. Let me explain. On a headstone there are two dates—the date you were born, and the date that your life ended. In between those two dates is your dash. That dash represents everything you accomplished in your life—every success and every failure, every opportunity seized and the ones you passed up, every heartache felt and every celebration you experienced. That dash also represents your opportunity to have an impact on this world and the people you meet along the way.

In addition to “celebrating” my 60th birthday, I am also observing my 10th anniversary as the head of the WFCA. It was days before my 50th Birthday when I was honored to step into the most challenging and rewarding professional role in my life. So much has changed personally and professionally over the last decade. Which brings me to one commonality between birthdays and anniversaries. I approach both as an opportunity to do a check up on me as an individual and a leader. It is a man in the mirror moment. It is a time when I do a deeper dive into questions that all leaders should be asking on a regular basis:

Do I like the person looking back at me?

Am I satisfied with the path I am on?

Am I making a difference in the lives of others?

What is holding me back? And why?

Am I prepared for the future?

Am I fulfilling my purpose?

On a headstone there are two dates—the date you were born, and the date that your life ended. In between those two dates is your dash. That dash represents everything you accomplished in your life—every success and every failure, every opportunity seized and the ones you passed up, every heartache felt and every celebration you experienced.

Well, you get the idea. It is a time of reflection. With that in mind, I would like to share with you a few lessons I have learned over my last 10 years as the CEO of the WFCA…lessons you can apply to your personal and professional life.

Lesson 1 – Success is all about the team

Ultimately your success as a leader will have less to do with your ability and more to do with those who are willing to follow your leadership. If you are the kind of leader who loves the credit and craves the spotlight, your determination alone will likely lead to a smattering of successes, but you will never have the impact possible unless you are willing to surround yourself with people smarter, more visionary, and even harder working than you. As a leader, if these types of individuals intimidate you, you will ultimately never achieve the success possible by simply putting the right people in the right seats on the bus. Your job is to determine the destination, demand the focus, and lend the support necessary for success. If you think you can do it all—and there are a ton of leaders out there who do—you will make life miserable for your team and never achieve the success that is possible for you or your business.

Lesson 2 – Failure can deter you but should never define you.

The greatest leaders this world has ever seen all suffered failure – many multiple times. The key is not to live in failure, but to learn from it. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not telling you to get comfortable with failure. I hope each failure hurts but does not haunt you. I hope it saddens but never stifles you. Let every failure, even catastrophes, become catalysts that spur you and your team on to greatness. Here is the key: take time with your team to look back long enough to identify the behaviors that lead to failure. Analyze the choices, but refuse the urge to cast blame on an individual. As one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever known—Zig Ziglar—said, “Failure is an event. It is not a person.”

Your job is to determine the destination, demand the focus, and lend the support necessary for success. If you think you can do it all—and there are a ton of leaders out there who do— you will make life miserable for your team and never achieve the success that is possible for you or your business.

Lesson 3 – Embrace change.

This one is closely tied to Lesson 2. If you are not embracing change, chances are it is because you are afraid of failure. And it is not enough that you embrace change. Your team must do as well. I see this as a foundational core to strong leadership and exceptional performance. If you are not creating an environment where strategic change is encouraged and accepted, you are not a leader. You are a manager. Managers manage what is already in place. Leaders challenge their teams and organizations to boldly go toward the destination of fulfilling the organization’s purpose.

In the decade I have been leading the WFCA, here are a few of the changes we have experienced as a team: relocated our headquarters from Anaheim, CA to Dalton, GA; acquired CFI, launched the Floor Cov-

The official magazine of the World Floor Covering Association

Premier FLOORING RETAILER

A Special “Thank You” to all the manufacturers and their marketing departments who provided outstanding editorial to make this publication a success.

Publishing Staff

Margo Rodgers Locust, Publisher

Karen George, Managing Editor

Stan Michelson, Communications Director

Toelke Associates/Ron Toelke, Creative Director/Amelia Toelke, Project Designer

Editorial and Advertising Offices:

Fabulous Floors Magazine, LLC

Phone: 678-761-5002

Email: Margo@pfrmag.net

This Issue’s Guest Columnists

Bill Anderson, Karndean, Designflooring CEO

Contributing Writers

Chad and Trent Ogden, QFloors Jason Spangler, Wagner Meters

ering Leadership Council; committed the seed money to establish the Floor Covering Education Foundation to solve the installation Crisis, Changed our membership structure expanding our membership from 1200 primary members to some 12,000 today; acquired fcB2B, invested in new technologies; seen key leadership changes; and I could go on… Change is the one constant in a growing organization, and great leaders embrace it.

So, what about you? Will you commit to taking a look in the mirror? Will you commit to making your dash one of value and impact not only to your business, but to the people responsible for its success? It is my hope the lessons above will inspire you to make changes in your life changes that will make your dash have even greater value. ■

WFCA

Scott Humphrey, Chief Executive Officer

Freida Staten, VP of Marketing Communications & Membership

Steve Abernathy, Chief Financial Officer

Kay Wiley, Executive Assistant to the CEO

Contributing Columnists

Lisbeth Calandrino, Lewis Davis, Scott Humphrey, Tom Jennings, Jeffrey King, Stacy Eickhoff, Freida Staten

The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) Phone: 855-330-1183

Email: wfca@wfca.org

Premier Flooring Retailer is a joint initiative of the World Floor Covering Association and Fabulous Floors Magazine, LLC.

Copyright © FABULOUS FLOORS MAGAZINE and WFCA 2023.

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Premier Flooring Retailer Magazine cannot be held responsible for discrepancies, typographical errors, discontinuance of product nor color reproduction.

Although

every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and timeliness of information,

Managers manage what is already in place. Leaders challenge their teams and organizations to boldly go toward the destination of fulfilling the organization’s purpose.

How about offering your customers matching trims, transitions, moldings, stair treads, and stair noses that match the floor they just purchased? Why give this piece of the pie to someone else?

The Finishing Touches: Creating Hidden Profit Centers

The greatest cost of any transaction is in the first sale. Unless you’re selling a product such as a Rolls Royce, you will need additional sales from the customer to be profitable. These days, new flooring is a major purchase; there are so many things that go into the project in addition to the new flooring to achieve a “wow” finished project.

Flooring accessories are key elements. In order to make the “wow” happen, you must have products that your customer will want or need to purchase during or after the sale. Here are some to consider:

Finishing Items

It’s true; the customer can purchase ¼ round, shoe molding, base trim, thresholds, and such…at the local hardware store or Home Center. Usually, these are found only in unfinished or white. How about offering your customers matching trims, transitions, moldings, stair treads, and stair noses that match the floor they just purchased?

Companies that specialize solely in finish materials now have offerings in flexible polyurethane moldings and trim solutions that are stainable, paintable, and easy to install, allowing you to easily finish challenging areas like curves and other unique areas in the project. Why give this piece of the pie to someone else?

Cleaning Products

Every product needs a different kind of cleaner, so why not find one that you can private label or see what they have available if you are in a buying group. In addition to cleaners, some products need polishes and sealers. How about grout cleaner, stainless steel appliance cleaner? Make sure you have them all in stock for your customers.

Under Floor Products

(Hint: The profit may be under the floorcovering)

Floor leveling compounds and underlayments, repair, patching, smoothing compounds, primers and moisture mitigation systems, radiant heat, waterproofing materials, adhesives, and mortar. ■

Sr.

Workers’ Comp Insurance: 8 Ways to Trim Costs

Workers’ compensation insurance in the flooring industry is expensive. Unfortunately, flooring businesses see a greater than average number of debilitating back and knee injuries, as well as knife mishaps.

Though you have limited control over your rates, you can take steps to reduce the risk of workplace injuries and hold down workers’ compensation costs:

1. Classify your flooring employees correctly

Stacy Eickhoff

Vice President, has

specialized in providing insurance programs for the Floor Covering Industry for over 25 years. Risk Strategies is a top national broker providing comprehensive risk management advisory services.

Workers’ compensation laws vary by state, so it’s vital to become familiar with the requirements for your location(s). Some business owners wrongly assume that workers’ comp applies only for W-2 employees and not 1099 contractors. In some places, that’s not accurate, and you can end up with surprise expenses if you’ve incorrectly classified workers.

Pay special attention to subcontractors. If one of your 1099 contractors has a crew of subs, talk with a workers’ comp specialist to understand how your state views those subs. Do you need to provide workers’ comp for them, too? In some states, misclassification can result in loss of exclusive remedy protection.

2. Preserve your “exclusive remedy” protection

State workers’ comp insurance plans typically include an “exclusive remedy” provision. This means if an employee gets injured on the job, the only avenue for getting reimbursement is to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Without this exclusive remedy protection, workers injured on the job can sue your business, and you lose control over the claim. A sympathetic jury may award punitive damages, reimbursement for pain and suffering, and other amounts that can sink your company.

Do research to learn if there are scenarios in your state where you can lose exclusive remedy protection, and if there are, find out what you need to do to avoid this risk.

Pay special attention to subcontractors. If one of your 1099 contractors has a crew of subs, talk with a workers’ comp specialist to understand how your state views those subs. Do you need to provide workers’ comp for them, too? In some states, misclassification can result in loss of exclusive remedy protection.

3. Document each employee’s job duties and work location

For each worker, you need to clearly define roles:

● Where do they work?

● What duties do they perform?

● Where are they stationed within your workplace? Where is their chair?

Depending on how you answer these questions, the costs for workers’ compensation can vary widely. In smaller businesses, employees may wear multiple hats. Find out how your state calculates the premium if someone spends two days a week on cleaning carpets and three days as a flooring installer. In many cases, states choose the highest-rated class code, even though the employee is in a lower risk setting two days a week.

Sometimes, a simple change such as moving a desk from a warehouse location into the administrative office can reduce workers’ comp insurance costs. A specialist can help you identify savings opportunities like this.

4. Keep pristine employment records

If a workers’ comp insurer audits your business, you want detailed workforce records at your fingertips. If the employee roster does not match what the insurance company has on file, you can end up paying increased premiums and/or other penalties. Detailed records on both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors can also help in other ways. For example, suppose a 1099 flooring contractor works for both your business and three others around town. In the event of a cumulative trauma claim (repetitive motion injury, etc.), who pays the workers’ compensation claim?

Here's another example: Let’s say you have a new hire who previously worked for your competitor. If there’s a cumulative trauma claim, who pays that? Having a written job application, detailed interview notes, a written job description signed by the new hire, reference checks, and a background check on file can help you determine if there’s another party to share a workers’ comp claim. Without this detailed information, you can end up “buying” (hiring) a claim.

5. Prepare a formal safety plan

To reduce potential for workplace injuries, have you created a formal safety plan that covers all on-the-job risks? You can divide the plan into sections for showroom, office, warehouse, transportation, jobsites, and any other category that applies in your situation. Each area of your business has different risks. For example, you may want a “no horseplay” rule in your warehouse or guidelines on how to store flooring inventory to prevent it from falling on someone.

Invite your employees to help brainstorm risks and how to mitigate them. Your safety plan is a living document that you update regularly as new risks come to light.

To reduce potential for workplace injuries, have you created a formal safety plan that covers all on-the-job risks?... Each area of your business has different risks. For example, you may want a “no horseplay” rule in your warehouse or guidelines on how to store flooring inventory to prevent it from falling on someone.

6. Improve worker safety through regular safety training

Proper body mechanics can prevent back, knee, and other injuries. Team members need regular training on these topics and more:

● Knee and back injury prevention, including safe lifting

● Tool safety and proper techniques for using the equipment

● Proper vehicle loading and unloading

● Safe handling for chemicals (including temperature, humidity, and ventilation requirements, protective gear, and so forth)

● Silica safety

● Vehicle safety, including formal policies on mobile phone usage while driving

● Heat injury prevention (or in colder climates, hypothermia education)

7. Evaluate “path of travel” prior to each job

Understanding the jobsite beforehand can help prevent injuries. Does your installer have a straight-line route from the truck into the building and then to the space where the work will take place? Are there stairs, tight corners, or elevators to navigate? A roll of carpet can weigh 600 pounds, and the various equipment for flooring projects can be heavy and bulky. Walk the site before your team brings in the material to identify navigation challenges and solutions for enhanced safety.

8. Implement a lockout tagout procedure for equipment

Many flooring businesses have a tool corral where team members check out the equipment they need for their projects. Working with malfunctioning tools can lead to injuries, so it’s important to establish a formal procedure for regularly inspecting equipment to ensure it is working properly. If it’s not, you want to tag it, disable it, and remove it from circulation until it’s repaired. This prevents a flooring installer from accidentally taking broken equipment to a jobsite.

By taking these steps, you can reduce workers’ comp insurance costs and protect your business.

To learn more or to brainstorm, reach out to the author. ■

The contents of this article are for general informational purposes only. Risk Strategies Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein. The recommendations herein are intended to provide insight based on currently available information for consideration and should be vetted against applicable legal and business needs before application to a specific client.

Bill Anderson, Karndean Designflooring CEO

Karndean Expands TopSelling Van Gogh Collection

Enduring style. Exceptional performance

The popular Van Gogh collection from luxury vinyl leader Karndean Designflooring just got even better, with the addition of nine new colorways. All are available in both glue down and rigid core for installation, and all are in stock now.

Each new Van Gogh look is inspired by wood from around the world, lovingly crafted to capture the distinctive textures and grain details that make them unique -with none of the maintenance required for hardwood flooring, and all of the performance of luxury vinyl.

From painted oak floorboards found in a Holland farmhouse to cedar planks salvaged from a private school in San Diego, every new Van Gogh colorway has a unique story, bringing the beautiful look and feel of hardwood into the home.

Introduced in 2001, Van Gogh quickly became a top-seller for Karndean, with retailers, designers and homeowners gravitating to what was then a larger, firstof-its-kind size—a 20 mil wear layer on 48” x 7” planks. Since then, Van Gogh has evolved into something few suppliers offer: a truly dual-format collection available in 26 colorways.

With an expert design team and the technology to authentically re-create colors, tones, grains and textures, Van Gogh is a uniquely Karndean collection. To learn more, go to karndean.com, hover on the “Inspiration” tab at the top, then click “New Products.” ■

Top left: Karndean’s new Light Country Oak colorway evokes a rustic farmhouse feel, while the herringbone pattern adds style and personality; Center left: inspired by reclaimed cedar boards salvaged from a private school in San Diego, Karndean’s new Natural School Cedar colorway brings warmth and character to the home; Above right: Inspiration for Karndean’s new Van Gogh colorways comes from around the world. In the case of Auburn Spotted Gum, the distinctive trees are native to the eastern seaboard of Australia; Above: Bottom left: Inspired by cedar boards salvaged from a private school in San Diego, Karndean’s new Smoked School Cedar colorway creates the look of reclaimed wood

Tom Jennings

Tom Jennings is a lifelong member of the flooring business. Since selling his family’s retail business in 2006, he has served the industry as an educator and speaker. He is a past board chairman of the WFCA and is currently the board chairman of WFCA Services, Inc. He may be reached at tomg.jennings@gmail.com

A Great Way to Shop

Frequent readers know I believe before we can be good customer service providers, we must first learn to be good customers ourselves. By that, I mean we must pay attention to how we are treated when we are spending our hard earned pay checks. By doing so, you will learn a tremendous amount about both the service provider and their management. Please allow me to share two very different recent experiences I had on the same very day.

My first stop was a large national grocery store. I stopped to mail packages at the customer service desk; a task we all perform regularly. Not far away, I observed someone in a business suit (likely a corporate manager) dressing down a small group of department managers for clearly not following some arcane procedure. Right on the sales floor in front of customers! The employees were all looking either at their shoes or the light fixtures while this little leadership school dropout was attempting to showcase his authority. (You can imagine their spirits when out of his presence). Managers like this are toxic. I couldn’t wait to get out of this store when the only reason I was there in the first place was to avoid going to the post office. Some choice!

My next stop was quite different. Needing to purchase a gift, I visited one of my wife’s favorite shops, Weaver’s Department Store in my hometown of Lawrence, Kansas. Upon entering, I was greeted by the general manager with a warm handshake and smile. Next, a sales associate personally walked me through the process of selecting items I have no qualifications to select. Once my decision was made, my purchases were gift wrapped at no additional charge!

The treatment was fantastic, and it appeared to be the de facto standard for everyone who walked in the door. The employees dealt with customers in the same happy, respectful and helpful fashion as their boss, and the cash register was clearly ringing. I spent at least twice as much as I had intended and left feeling great.

Is such customer service feasible in today’s economic condition? Perhaps I should mention the Weaver’s is the oldest department store west of the Mississippi River— founded in 1857! How many competitors do you think have come and gone in over 150 years? How many “new” forms of merchandising? How many recessions and depressions have occurred? How many wars?

Retail Training Expert

...we must pay attention to how we are treated when we are spending our hard earned pay checks. By doing so, you will learn a tremendous amount about both the service provider and their management.

There are two important lessons to be gained from relating these experiences: first of all, it is impossible for staff to treat their customers any better than the way they are treated themselves. It can’t consistently be done. We mirror the attitudes that we receive from above. Secondly, the best way for a local store to survive and thrive is to never forget the personal touch. Product alone is, will be, and always has been available for less elsewhere. Neither product nor price alone will attract every buyer.

Future generations will realize what past ones came to know. Being well served is still a great way to shop. How do your customers feel about their time spent with you? ■

...it is impossible for staff to treat their customers any better than the way they are treated themselves. It can’t consistently be done. We mirror the attitudes that we receive from above.

... the best way for a local store to survive and thrive is to never forget the personal touch. Product alone is, will be, and always has been available for less elsewhere. Neither product nor price alone will attract every buyer.

Investing in Innovation and Design

ENGINEERED FLOORS Emily

Morrow Finkell, Professional Product and Interior Designer, IIDA and Allied ASID and vice president of residential design for Engineered Floors says, "Have you seen our products?!?!? They’re gorgeous. I have a stack of my favorite swatches under my desk to share with my other interior designer friends. Keep in mind that my immediate family is in the construction business. To us, the foundations upon which they build are of utmost importance. It’s always much more than just the foundations, there are the footings, the re-bar and much more that meets the eye. Interior design and product design

are each like that as well, it’s what comes before you see the “pretty parts” that really makes whatever you build be better, more successful and hopefully more salable. That is the research, the experience, the instincts and intuition of what consumers want and need… a knowledge of the right colors, patterns, textures, species (all the finishes that go into interiors). Now that I’ve been in product development for twenty-plus years and interior design for thirty-seven years, my work should reflect that timelessness that fits the needs of the end user while using the ingredients, methods and processes for the best outcome.

Engineered Floors always has (and continues to) invest in innovation. Today it is no different, although perhaps today’s definition of innovation more broadly includes a keen focus on design leadership. ■

Below right: Timberstep's Wood Lux. Timberstep is inspired by nature and perfected by technology. Timberstep will compliment any home décor with itsreal wood texture, natural colorations, and visuals. Water proof installation option, AquaEdge™ technology seals the end of the planks to keep moisture out, Superior scratch resistance – AC4 rating; Below left: DW Select Davos. Davos introduces a soft, subtle pin dot pattern showing off striated colorations that are accentuated by an earth tone pallet offering an uplifting cozy feel for any room. DW Select, has become the leader in style, performance, and luxury. The DW Select collection delivers a flooring solution like no other.

LEGAL MATTERS

The EEOC Is Targeting Discrimination in the Construction Industry: A Practical Guide to Limit Risks

TheU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the nation’s top enforcer of discrimination laws in the workplace, held a hearing last year to examine discrimination in the construction sector, especially against women and people of color. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, owners of companies in the construction industry are 85.9% male and 87.3% White. In its draft Strategic Enforcement Plan (“SEP”) for 2023 through 2027, the EEOC believes that the construction industry suffers from a systemic “lack of diversity” and has become an “area of particular concern.”

Jeffrey W. King, Jones Walker, LLP Outside General Counsel for the WFCA

Jeffrey King has more than 35 years’ experience in complex litigation with a focus on contracts, employment, construction, antitrust, intellectual property and health care. He serves as legal counsel for WFCA and other trade associations, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. For more information, contact him at (561) 278-0035 or jeffw@jkingesq.com.

Following the hearing, the EEOC began filing cases against construction contractors for harassment and racial discrimination. The cases are not limited to large national construction companies. In June 2022, the EEOC reached a $140,000 settlement with a local construction company to resolve claims of harassment and retaliation by Black employees for bringing complaints. In October 2022, a $500,000 settlement was reached with a plumbing company to resolve claims involving Spanish-speaking female employees who were subjected to sexual advances and retaliation. Recently, the EEOC announced a nearly $2.7 million default judgment against a Maryland-based construction staffing firm for refusing to hire female workers for demolition and as laborers. Late last year EEOC filed discrimination claims against a paving contractor and a HVAC and plumbing contractor alleging that their supervisors used racial slurs and berated Black and Hispanic employees. Regardless of size, flooring dealers and contractors should expect an aggressive EEOC undertaking unannounced visits to project sites, conducting more investigations, and bringing more claims of discrimination and harassment.

So, what can flooring dealers and contractors do to ensure they do not become the EEOC’s next target? As explained below, it comes down to creating an anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, taking complaints seriously, providing training to avoid discrimination and harassment, ensuring subcontractors contractually agree to comply with anti-sex and racial discrimination policies, and carrying enough employment practice liability insurance to cover potential claims.

In its draft Strategic Enforcement Plan (“SEP”) for 2023 through 2027, the EEOC believes that the construction industry suffers from a systemic “lack of diversity” and has become an “area of particular concern.”

1. Create and Communicate a Strong Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy

You need to have an anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy in place. The anti-harassment policy should:

● Prohibit discrimination based on sex, race, age, national origin, disability, religion, and all other characteristics protected by law;

● Define discrimination and harassment and provide examples of improper behavior;

● Explain the consequences of violating the policy;

● Set out the process for reporting and investigating complaints,

● Ensure that all complaints will promptly and impartially be investigated;

● Assure employees that the employer will protect the confidentiality of individuals who report discrimination or harassment or participate in an investigation to the greatest possible extent without compromising the scope of the investigation; and

● Proscribe any retaliation against employees who complain or participate in an investigation.

The policy should state that the company is committed to a discrimination and harassment-free workplace. The company should require all employees to follow its anti-discrimination policy and there is zero-tolerance for any misconduct.

2. Train Employees and Supervisors

It is not enough to simply have an anti-discrimination policy. An effective policy requires meaningful training of personnel. In fact, some states, like California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, and New York have statutes requiring sexual

The policy should state that the company is committed to a discrimination and harassmentfree workplace. The company should require all employees to follow its antidiscrimination policy and there is zerotolerance for any misconduct.

harassment training, as do Chicago and New York City. Upon hiring, and at least annually, all employees should receive a copy of the policy and be trained to understand their right to a workplace free from discrimination and their responsibility to conduct themselves professionally in accordance with the policy. Supervisors should be provided with additional training on how to recognize potential violations of the policy and when to elevate matters to designated officers with ultimate reporting obligations to the board. It is a good practice to have each employee sign a statement that they received, read, and agreed to follow the company’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy. If the company has an employee handbook, the anti-harassment policy should be included. Training can lessen the chances of becoming a target of EEOC.

3. Create a Reporting Process

A strong anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy is only half the equation. There must also be a complaint procedure. With the sensitive topic and personal nature of sexual harassment and racial discrimination, it is important to ensure employees are comfortable reporting inappropriate behavior. Failure of victim to report discrimination or harassment under the company’s process can often help defend against a claim and limit any liability.

Various reporting methods can be offered. Employers should consider allowing employees to complain directly to human resources, to a supervisor, or to an anonymous hotline. Employees should not be required to report any discrimination or harassment in person but should allow complaints by telephone or in writing. The key is to create an atmosphere where employees feel they can safely report any discrimination or harassment. For example, an employee should not be required to report any discrimination of harassment to their supervisor if the supervisor is the individual discriminating or harassing the employee. The flooring dealer and contractor should also consider posted notices about how to report harassment or discrimination.

4. Respond to Discrimination or Harassment Complaints Right Away

The employer should immediately investigate and address all allegations of discrimination or harassment. Prompt and decisive action will not only decrease or eliminate your organization’s liability, but it will also let employees know that this kind of inappropriate behavior has consequences and will not be tolerated. The employer must ensure impartiality in the process. In certain cases, which may mean hiring an outside consultant or legal counsel to conduct the investigation.

While the employer should be discreet, the investigation should be thorough. Without an impartial investigation that is respectful of all the parties, future inves-

The key is to create an atmosphere where employees feel they can safely report any discrimination or harassment. For example, an employee should not be required to report any discrimination of harassment to their supervisor if the supervisor is the individual discriminating or harassing the employee.

tigations will be hampered, fewer victims will report discrimination or harassment, and witnesses will be less likely to cooperate. Having an efficient and respectful process will demonstrate the commitment of the organization to those involved.

The employer should not make any snap judgments. Rather, it is important to obtain statements from the accuser, the alleged harasser and any witnesses, and work to corroborate the information and investigate. Give the employee alleged to have discriminated or harassed an opportunity to be heard. The investigation should not be stopped simply because the accuser suddenly says, “I don’t want to pursue it.” If the company has knowledge of allegations, it is obligated to investigate and root out discrimination or harassment. Failing to investigate can be seen as the company tolerating discrimination or harassment and be used as proof in the next complaint.

5. Prevent Retaliation

Many victims of discrimination or harassment do not come forward with their complaint because of fear of retaliation by the harasser or employer. Remind all people that the company strictly prohibits retaliation against any employee who reported discrimination or harassment or any employees who participate in an investigation. The employer must also monitor the situation to ensure that no retaliatory takes place. Retaliation is one of those things where “the coverup can be worse than the crime.”

Federal, state, and local laws prohibit an employer from treating employees adversely because they complained about alleged discrimination or harassment. Retaliation is not limited to situations where an employer fires an employee who previously complained. It can arise in other relatively common workplace situations, such as where an employee is demoted, passed over for a promotion, or otherwise suffers an adverse employment action.

Federal, state, and local laws prohibit an employer from treating employees adversely because they complained about alleged discrimination or harassment.

6. Nip Problems in the Bud

Supervising personnel should be aware of potential problems and react to them before any misconduct becomes chronic and creates liability. Even if conduct does not rise to the level of legal discrimination or harassment, any inappropriate behavior in the workplace should be called out before it escalates to illegal discrimination or harassment. It is also important that the company reminds everyone of the anti-discrimination and harassment policy before any company outings or parties—these are often breading grounds for discrimination or harassment claims.

7. Require Subcontractors to Comply with The Anti-discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy

A flooring dealer and contractor needs to require their subcontractors to comply with the company’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy. The subcontract should include a contractual obligation that the subcontractor take action to avoid harassment and discrimination. In addition, the contract should require the subcontractor to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the flooring dealer and contractor from any harassment and discrimination by the subcontractor and its employees. The contract should also require the subcontractor to immediately notify the dealer or contractor of any harassment and discrimination claims. If a subcontractor fails to provide the notification, that could give the dealer or contractor cover in a harassment claim.

8. Consider Insurance

All flooring dealers and contractors and their subcontractors need to carry the appropriate liability insurance against these kinds of claims. Flooring dealers and contractors may also want to consider obtaining employment practices liability insurance (EPLI). Flooring dealers and contractors should consult with their insurance broker to ensure they and their subcontractors have the appropriate insurance coverage.

9. Consult Counsel

An investigation into a claim of discrimination or harassment may result in taking action that impacts an employee’s job. An employee could be reprimanded, demoted, or fired. It is recommended that legal counsel be consulted regarding any decision. Moreover, with the increased focus on discrimination or harassment in the construction industry, all employers should consult with legal counsel to ensure that its company is taking appropriate steps to maintain a safe workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and other misconduct. The company’s anti- discrimination and anti-harassment policy should be reviewed by legal counsel at least annually to ensure it is up to date.

Even if conduct does not rise to the level of legal discrimination or harassment, any inappropriate behavior in the workplace should be called out before it escalates to illegal discrimination or harassment.

Conclusion

With the EEOC’s increased focus on the construction industry, it is time for all companies to review and update their anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies. It is not enough to have a policy—you must also communicate the policy to employees and enforce the policy. These steps will minimize the risks of discrimination and harassment claims and limit potential liability. A simple rule of thumb is to ensure that you and your employees avoid any conduct that you would find offensive if said or done to your spouse, children, parents, or friends. It is a good starting point for any anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy. ■

Notice: The information contained in this article is abridged from legislation, court decisions, and administrative rulings and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion and is not a substitute for the advice of counsel.

A simple rule of thumb is to ensure that you and your employees avoid any conduct that you would find offensive if said or done to your spouse, children, parents, or friends.

WAGNER METERS

The Tool That'll Improve the Lives of Flooring Installers

Ever put in a hardwood floor only to have the customer come back to you within a month or two, saying that the floorboards are cupping?

Of course, the customer assumes it’s your fault—not a fun position for you. Without a way to prove otherwise, you agree to fix the problem. As a result, it costs you money and takes away time you could spend on projects for other clients.

Don’t you wish the floor could have alerted you and the customer before the expensive failure happened? And before your reputation was put on the line? That’s what Floor Sentry® from Wagner Meters can do for you—and more!

Jason Spangler

Wagner Meters’ Flooring Sales Manager

Jason Spangler has more than 25 years’ experience in sales and sales management across a broad spectrum of industries. He has successfully launched a variety of products to the market, including the original Rapid RH® concrete moisture test.

Jason, who received an MBA from West Texas A&M University in November 2018, has extensive industry involvement, including the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), the International Certified Flooring Installers Association (CFI), and is Vice Chairman of Associations for The Flooring Contractors Association (FCICA). Call Wagner Meters today at (844) 533-9100 and ask for Jason or visit www.wagnermeters.com

Floor Sentry is a small device that monitors the temperature and relative humidity of a wood floor and sends alerts to a mobile device if those numbers go out of a desired range. Your customer will know about any environmental or moisture problems before they become a significant issue.

And more importantly, the responsibility of floor care will be on the customer— not you. Get to know this tool that can improve your life and prevent some expensive frustrations.

The purpose of Floor Sentry

Floor Sentry is a way to protect your work and get homeowners involved in floor maintenance. Its advanced technology continuously monitors the humidity and temperature of the floor and the subfloor. By catching a change in these conditions early on, you can prevent serious moisture-related issues.

What flooring professional wants to put lots of time into a wood floor installation only to have the customer blame them for big problems later on?

But are those issues really something to be concerned about? If those issues can ruin a beautiful floor and lead to unhappy customers, then yes.

Moisture damage is a common risk for hardwood floors, especially if they’re exposed to unfriendly ambient conditions or moisture inside your home or under the floor. When temperature and relative humidity change, the moisture content of the wood is affected. It may lead to problems, such as cupping or buckling, that require time and money to fix. But using Floor Sentry allows you to catch those issues before they begin.

Simply include Floor Sentry as a part of your floor installation package. Place one device approximately every 1,000 square feet of flooring and at least one on each level. Then, assist your customer in downloading the Wagner Sentry app and connecting via Bluetooth® to each Floor Sentry device in their floor. Once you’ve helped your customer set the correct ranges for temperature and relative humidity, the devices will take it from there! And here’s how you’ll benefit.

How Floor Sentry improves your life

For one, it’ll help protect the beautiful hardwood floor you’ve installed. When a shift in temperature and relative humidity occurs, your customer will know right away and be able to adjust the environment accordingly. Fewer chances of damage—saving you time and money!

Second, you can place the responsibility of monitoring the floor in your customer’s hands. They will receive alerts and notifications indicating when humidity and temperature conditions put the floor at risk. If humidity rises due to a seasonal shift, they’ll know to run a dehumidifier or air conditioning system to keep a stable environment for their floors.

As a result, they’ll respect you for taking precautions and educating them on floor maintenance. And they’ll be less likely to blame you, the installer, for problems that may arise. For example, they’ll recognize that those two weeks they turned off the heat during their winter vacation may have contributed to the moisture issue in their flooring—not an improper installation procedure on your part.

Floor Sentry is a small device that monitors the temperature and relative humidity of a wood floor and alerts your customer if conditions do not stay within a desired range.

When temperature and relative humidity change, the moisture content of the wood is affected. It may lead to problems, such as cupping or buckling, that require time and money to fix. But using Floor Sentry allows you to catch those issues before they begin.

Not only will Floor Sentry add value to your jobs and help you differentiate yourself from other flooring installers. It’ll also protect your reputation. Sound like a good fit for you? Here are some other things to know about it.

More about Floor Sentry

The Floor Sentry device by Wagner Meters is designed to fit into a small cavity on the underside of a hardwood floor plank. It comes with an installation template and instructions.

With both top and bottom sensors, Floor Sentry will monitor your floor and subfloor for temperature and relative humidity. You can define your desired ranges so that your customer will receive alerts or notifications when the values go outside this range.

The free, highly intuitive Wagner Sentry app, available for Android and iOS mobile devices, help you manage it all. You’ll be able to connect to all your Floor Sentry devices via Bluetooth and monitor them on the app. And no need to worry about storage or battery life!

Floor Sentry allows you to store over 16,000 readings, and each sensor has a long-life pre-installed battery that can last up to 8 years. The app includes an indicator of Floor Sentry’s battery health so that you can keep track of it, too.

Finally, if you run into any problems, Wagner Meters promises a 1-year warranty and lifetime customer support to ensure that your device is working as it should. We’re here to help make your life easier.

Floor Sentry gives you peace of mind

With Floor Sentry, you will have fewer catastrophes and less damage to your hard work. That means added value to your jobs and saved time and money.

Floor Sentry, with its advanced monitoring technology, will simplify your job as a flooring installer. At the same time, your customer will have the confidence to care for their flooring and protect it for many years. And you’ll enjoy peace of mind that your work and reputation are protected. What more could you ask for?

Make Floor Sentry part of your installation routine by visiting wagnermeters.com/floor-sentry. ■

With both top and bottom sensors, Floor Sentry will monitor your floor and subfloor for temperature and relative humidity. You can define your desired ranges so that your customer will receive alerts or notifications when the values go outside this range.

Floor Sentry is designed to fit easily into a small cavity on the underside of a wood floor plank.

Lewis Davis Senior Director of Technology and Research

What Do I Need to Participate in fcB2B?

You have heard about fcB2B, but you want to know more about how to participate. Congratulations on taking the first step to becoming more efficient. Who can participate in fcB2B? Any company in the flooring industry that does business with another company. What do I need to participate in this program? That depends on your type of business. Let us break down the requirements for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

Manufacturers and Distributors

To participate, you need to have a computer system that contains your products and prices. Having this information stored in spreadsheets will make participating in fcB2B a little more difficult. You will need a way to translate your data into the fcB2B EDI format. That can either be a commercial translator, custom written translator, or a third-party EDI service provider. The first 2 options will require people skilled in transforming data into the EDI format. The last option may lead to faster implementation but will require additional costs. Another option is to use the new Non-EDI Product Catalog. This is a fcB2B standard spreadsheet format that can be imported by customers using a flooring specific software package that supports fcB2B imports. This spreadsheet allows the same attributes as the EDI version but in a much easier format to create and maintain. Providing the product catalog is a huge benefit for your customers. Allowing them to submit PO’s electronically can be a huge benefit for both you and your customers. Just because a PO is submitted electronically does not mean that you have lost control of this process. The same business rules that apply to your website order processing and your manual order processing can still apply to the fcB2B PO. Companies validate the PO prior to creating a live order and either suspend the order for someone to review, reject the order if it fails a validation, or create the order if correct. A PO Acknowledgement is created to convey the status and potential order number back to the customer. Providing ordering via your website may be beneficial for you, but your customer has multiple suppliers that they are placing orders for via multiple websites. This can be very inefficient for them to login and navigate through multiple sites just to place a single order. By making life easier for your customers, your sales may increase.

Providing ordering via your website may be beneficial for you, but your customer has multiple suppliers that they are placing orders for via multiple websites.

Whether you are generating 5 purchase orders a week or 500, you may find that using fcB2B will simplify your back office and make you more efficient

Retailers

To participate, you need to have a computer system that supports the fcB2B process. It can be the traditional automated process or an import process that supports the new fcB2B non-EDI product catalog. If you are using QuickBooks, you will need to upgrade to a true flooring specific software package. There are some packages that provide a stand-alone package for fcB2B process and allows QuickBooks to continue as your financial application. QuickBooks is a great application for what it does, but it’s not designed to support the level of detail that is provided by suppliers using the fcB2B standard. It also doesn’t allow you to generate PO’s using the fcB2B standard. Whether you are generating 5 purchase orders a week or 500, you may find that using fcB2B will simplify your back office and make you more efficient. fcB2B offers many business functions to streamline your entire business, from product and price changes to processing invoices to checking stock and placing reserves. Making your business more efficient can mean big savings for your bottom line.

Check the fcB2B website at https://fcb2b.info/connections/ to see if your suppliers are members. If your supplier is not showing to be a member, please complete this short survey (https://bit.ly/22fcB2Btps), so I can contact them about joining fcB2B to support their customers. You can also help by using the fcB2B Form Letter for Suppliers on the fcB2B website under the Resources > Files tab. This provides a template that you can download and send to your supplier or update to include a personalized note before sending.

Visit our website at www.fcb2b.info and click on the Resources tab to learn more about fcB2B. The Members > Connections tab has a listing of the members who support fcB2B.

Do you B2B? If not, why not? Contact me to find out how to be more efficient in your business.

Contact Lewis Davis at 706-217-1183 ext. 132 or via email at ldavis@wfca.org ■

QuickBooks is a great application for what it does, but it’s not designed to support the level of detail that is provided by suppliers using the fcB2B standard. It also doesn’t allow you to generate PO’s using the fcB2B standard.

ENGINEERED FLOORFLOORSED FCEF's Founding Sponsors

While the entire industry has felt the effects of the installation labor shortage for many years, it was the founding sponsors of the FCEF that first stood up to invest in a brighter future. We are incredibly thankful for the visionary leadership of the World Floor Covering Association, Mohawk Industries, Shaw Industries and Engineered Floors. Because of their original commitments, we have built a foundation of progress that we will build on for many years to come. ■

Flooring installation is more than a job, it’s a craft. Floors provide functional structure but also provide beauty to a space. Careers in flooring offer financial stability and fulfilling work. When it comes to trade careers, flooring installation may sometimes be overlooked, but is a key skill needed in virtually all construction and renovation projects.

OUR FOUNDING SPONSORS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The flooring installation shortage affects us all...and these companies are stepping up to save our industry. What is your company doing to make a difference?

RECRUITMENT, SCHOLARSHIPS & PLACEMENT FOR TOMORROW’S FLOORING CRAFTSMEN

Lisbeth Calandrino Flooring Specialist and Associate Publisher and Director of Social Media for Fabulous Floors Magazine

How to Help Your Salespeople Get Out of a Sales Funk

Thisweek I worked for a marketing company that sends out 1500–3000 mailers to car owners at a local dealership. The mailer has a substantial offer to the owner of a buyout of their car, which can be applied towards another car or a lease. My job is to talk with the customers about the offer before they meet with a salesperson.

I love the gig and am always excited and in a cheerful mood. Usually, we are swamped with customers but not this Saturday. It was unusually slow, and everyone, including the General Manager, was working on being in a bad mood. Last time, our ten salespeople sold 28 cars in total; ten cars would have been a big number.

The hours were going by, and things weren’t getting better. The General Manager’s attitude rubbed off on the entire sales team; things rapidly worsened.

You’ve probably seen this in your retail store; things are slow, moods turn sour, and energy disappears. Salespeople sit around, making excuses for the problem and not looking for a solution. The longer they do nothing, the worse everyone feels.

Understand how energy works. Every breath we take sends positive and negative energy into the world. My experience tells me that when I send positive energy, I attract the same and vice versa. This energy can change moods and give others a different perspective. This energy doesn’t change what has happened, but it can change the direction of the situation.

First, we should understand why these situations get us down and how we can change the outcome. What gets us down is our expectations of the world and how things should go. When the world goes our way, and we get what we want, we are happy. But, when our planned events go sour, so can our attitude. This sale was supposed to bring in many customers, just like it had been the week before, but it wasn’t. Everyone was expecting to make money, but it wasn’t going to happen. When it didn’t happen, they became paralyzed.

They expected that his was based on the outcome of previous sales; life doesn’t happen this way. You’ve probably heard that almost all investment literature warns potential investors that past performance does not guarantee future results. Life works the same way.

Consider that you’re on your way to a special dinner; you have a flat tire, causing you to be late, and while changing the tire, your jacket gets grease on it. You say my whole day is ruined, or things always go wrong when I plan something special! You forget cars have flat tires, traffic gets backed up, and jackets get dirty. It’s called “life happens.”

Don’t take everything that happens personally. Things are going on in the world; contrary to what we think, we aren’t the center of the universe. The center of the universe belongs to the universe, and it will do what it wants. We can’t always con-

You forget, cars have flat tires, traffic gets backed up and jackets get dirty. It’s called “life happens.”

trol what happens, but we can control our attitudes and emotions. We’ve all seen or heard stories about a person who has nothing and shows how he manages to get out of the situation and become a success. What he does is something different, and he doesn’t look back.

Pay attention to the hints given by the universe. In this case, the day is very hot; people have been cooped up for months, and buying a car may not be first on their list. Understanding how the universe works will help you deal with all situations. For example, this week was the first hot week, and the last thing you probably wanted to do was buy a car. Possibly your flat tire was caused because you weren’t paying attention to the fact that you needed a new one and were ignoring it.

Ask yourself, what can I do to salvage this day? What can I make happen? Do some prospecting, get on social media, and invite your tribe in.

Are there small changes you can make now? For example, salespeople could call previously sold customers, ask about their purchase, and ask if they have a friend who can benefit from the sale or special event you’re holding. Just making the phone call will put you in control.

The key is to do something you can control, no matter how small. Successful people always have a backup plan. ■

For more info, check out Lisbeth Calandrino on Instagram or reach her at 518-495-5380. #lifewithLis #salestechniques #prospectingcustomers #understandingtheuniverse #backupplans #unresonableexpectations

WOMEN OF THE FLOORING BUSINESS

Michelle Winters and Lisbeth Calandrino recently hosted a GROW discussion for the WFCA. “I believe that women need their own forum to discuss topics that are important to them, says Lisbeth Calandrino, as more women own flooring businesses, they add another dimension to the discussion.” Things are really happening with an upcoming retreat and spa three-day event in Texas—coming up soon.

Michelle Winters, one of the founders, holds Thursday discussions in a private chat room for members that belong to the executive member group. For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.womenflooring.com/. “Women get to share the wins and challenges with other women in the flooring business, says Michelle, these meetings are very exhilarating.”

Women have been asking for sales training, so Lisbeth and Michelle are launching two new dynamite programs. “Are you looking to smash your sales quota?” One is a short intense, “Boot Camp—3 hours, and house and a 7-hour two-day session.” To learn more about it and sign up, https://www.womenflooring.com/upcoming-trainings/. These will be customize for all attendees and have follow-up coaching. (For more information, text Lisbeth at 518-495-5380.

Ask yourself, what can I do to salvage this day? What can I make happen? Do some prospecting, get on social media, invite your tribe in.

Freida Staten V.P. of Marketing, Communications & Membership

Powerful Ways to Improve Company Culture

All businesses have their own unique company culture. A company’s culture is the core of its day-to-day operations and has the potential to help a company thrive or cause it to suffer. Whether it fosters happiness, engagement, productivity, and success, whether it helps to retain and attract top talent, depends on how the organization builds and maintains its culture.

Retail businesses rely on the engagement and motivation of their employees to provide excellent customer service, maintain a positive work environment, and ultimately drive sales. But, most importantly, the quality of a company culture can directly impact customer satisfaction.

Company culture is never a one-size-fits-all solution. Not all business owners are fortunate enough to budget for providing gym memberships, free meals, or throwing big parties, but you can do plenty of cost-effective things to make the workplace a more fun, engaging, and rewarding environment for all employees.

Stay true to the core values of the business

The first step in getting the most out of your company culture is to evaluate how your culture, management style, and workplace environment align with your company values. Changing and improving company culture is a strategic project where the results won’t be seen overnight. It takes time and effort from all levels of a business. Given the scope involved, leaders need to remember the core values and missions of the business when exploring ways to enhance the organization’s current culture.

All businesses have things that make them unique, and these can help be the foundation of a great company culture. By aligning business values with the company culture, leaders can step in the right direction by setting employees and their company up for success.

Lead by example

Business owners and leaders should model the behaviors they want to see in their employees. By demonstrating a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and ethical conduct, leaders can help set the tone for the company culture.

Changing and improving company culture is a strategic project where the results won’t be seen overnight. It takes time and effort from all levels of a business.

JOIN A G.R.O.W. GROUP TODAY CAPITALIZE

ON THE POWER OF YOUR PEERS

As a flooring business owner, you are faced with unique challenges and decisions every day. The best advice for tackling your most challenging problems often comes from peers. G.R.O.W. groups allow our members from noncompeting markets to connect monthly with like-minded professionals who share their values, understand their challenges, hold them accountable, and encourage them to reach their goals. Visit wfca.org to learn more or email Josh Young at jyoung@wfca.org, to join a G.R.O.W. group.

Leadership

Led by: Scott Humphrey CEO, WFCA

Profit Matters

Led by: Steve Abernathy CFO, WFCA

Best Practices

Led by: Typhannie Watson Owner, Carpeting by Mike

Legal Issues

Led by: Jeff King General Counsel, WFCA

Technology

Led by: Lewis Davis Sr. Director of Technology & Research, WFCA

Installation for Sales People

Led by: Dave Garden Executive Director of Education, CFI

WFCA Benefits

Led by: Josh Young Engagement Specialist, WFCA

Insurance

Led by: Stacy Eickhoff, Senior V.P., Risk Strategies

Company Culture

Led by: Freida Staten, V.P. of Marketing, Communications & Membership, WFCA & Kathryn Baird, Owner, TK Fusion llc.

Supplier Q & A

Led by: Summer Turner VP of Sales, Huali USA

Women in Leadership

Led by: Michelle Winters and Lisbeth Calandrino

Women of the Flooring Business

Build strong employee relationships

Leadership is the foundation for a meaningful employee experience. As a result, leaders play a central role in shaping corporate culture. When leaders are mentors, actively advocate for employee development and proactively connect their employees with meaningful opportunities, employees and leaders feel more successful, become more deeply connected to one another, and contribute to a stronger workplace culture.

Foster open communication

An essential measure of the heart and soul of a company’s organizational culture is how its people communicate. It is not only the content of the communications that are important; the way leaders and teams choose to communicate sends a message. Words don’t cost anything but can earn you respect and appreciation.

Create an environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas. Encouraging open communication can help create a more collaborative and transparent work culture. This openness leads to greater collaboration, mentorship, and inspiration. Whether a project or company goal is a complete success or misses the desired outcomes, being transparent with the workforce and explaining what happened lets employees feel as if they are ingrained in a business’s success.

Empower staff members

Building a culture of employee empowerment means fostering an environment where employees are given the freedom and authority to adapt and respond in realtime with solutions that help the customer. This provides a high level of employee trust, openness to new ideas, open communication and a positive work environment, as well as decision-making that occurs at every level of the organization.

Recognize in public, coach in private

Appreciation and recognition are both critical appreciation is feeling valued for one’s unique point of view, attitude, talents, and contributions. Recognition, on the other hand, is the action of showing appreciation.

Openly share and recognize the successes of individuals, your teams, and your organization with everyone. Hearing the positive results of their hard work with employee recognition is a major motivation boost for the team. Acknowledge little wins like a new employee’s first sale or a positive online review. But do not forget to reward great attitude, too!

Celebrating little things is important, and it’s even better if you can show how much you appreciate them. Mailing a thank-you note to your employees doesn’t cost much at all but is heartfelt and shows that you took time. Other simple ideas include beginning staff meetings with acknowledgment, showcasing employees on social media, or starting an employee of the month program.

Business owners should create an employee and department rewards system that highlights employees who are performing at a high level and gives them something for their efforts. These rewards can be a bonus, an extra PTO day, gift cards, or a wide variety of other things that show employees you value them and their work.

On the other hand, nothing will kill employee motivation and company culture faster than embarrassing an employee in front of co-workers. Getting berated by a manager, whether in public or private, does nothing but instigate fear in the staff — and this is definitely something you do not want when you’re aiming to build a positive company culture.

Always ensure that line managers know the proper protocols regarding coaching their staff. Fear never helped establish a great company culture.

Create an environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas. Encouraging open communication can help create a more collaborative and transparent work culture.

Offer training and development opportunities

Attending workshops and continuing education programs (mentorship, leadership, skill building, current industry trends) lets employees continue learning within their expertise. This shows employees that the company is invested in their growth and development, which can help improve retention rates and overall job satisfaction.

Invest in benefits and office perks

The last several years have seen benefits and office perks play a greater role in employee happiness and company culture. Unfortunately, benefits are also an area where smaller employers can struggle due to the costs that are often associated with them.

However, exploring ways to offer improved benefits and add new workplace perks can have positive impacts on workplace culture. Some of these can even be focused on showcasing the importance of work/life balance, an increasingly important benefit for younger employees. These can be as simple as:

● Free snacks and coffee (good coffee)

● Bring lunch or breakfast

● Offer two annual paid time-off days

● Company sports team/fantasy sports

● Tickets/Passes to local events

Support the community and employee causes

Local businesses are known for taking an active role in their communities, and doing so helps improve a company’s culture. Additionally, businesses are taking up charitable causes that are important to their employees, helping to raise awareness and money.

Volunteering together is a wonderful way to get involved and build team engagement.

Encourage teamwork

Employees thrive when they feel they belong to a strong workplace community. Promote teamwork by encouraging collaboration and shared responsibility. This can help build a sense of trust and camaraderie among employees, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity.

Company and team outings

Don’t undervalue the role team outings can have in not just company culture, but also employee morale. Events such as team lunches, company picnics, holiday parties, birthday gatherings, and company milestone celebrations are all incredibly valuable for employers, large and small.

Not all workplace games have to be costly or about team-building. Sometimes the point is just to have fun! They also help instill a sense of teamwork and help employees get to know their co-workers, which helps to build a healthy, positive workplace culture.

Provide regular feedback

Provide regular feedback to your employees and schedule regular and meaningful one-on-ones, “stay interviews.” This can include constructive criticism, positive reinforcement, and opportunities for growth and development. Regular feedback can help employees feel valued and supported, improving overall job satisfaction and motivation.

There is no finish line. An amazing organizational culture is a constant work in progress because as a company evolves, so do its people. So devote time to nurturing your company culture. Exemplify it in every way you can so that your team will be able to recognize and emulate it. But keep in mind building a culture of engaged, productive, and happy employees is worth the effort. ■

Not all workplace games have to be costly or about team-building. Sometimes the point is just to have fun! They also help instill a sense of teamwork and help employees get to know their co-workers, which helps to build a healthy, positive workplace culture.

QFLOORS Are You Selling at the Right Margin? The Technology That Helps You Know for Sure

Whencustomers come into your flooring store, and they are comparison shopping, how do you know whether you can “meet or beat” competitors’ pricing, without losing money, or leaving money on the table? What level of margin is too low?

Years ago, my father owned a successful, multi-location flooring business. His decades of experience in flooring gave him a good general sense for costs and margins. But occasionally, his intuitive “guesstimates” would end up costing him. He would sometimes forget that sales don’t always equate to profits, if you’re selling at too low of a margin.

This is why you should be aware of the profitability of the job every time you create a proposal. It will help save you from the majority of those unhappy surprises.

Job costing is the method where you gather your costs of doing a job (materials, installation, freight, commissions, taxes, etc.) as well as your shared overhead costs of just doing business, and you track how much you are selling the job for, and how much of a profit you will be making. Job costing can be done before, during, and after the completion of a job.

Co-founders Chad and Trent Ogden.

While flooring dealers usually recognize the importance of job costing, relatively few do it consistently. Why? Because they don’t have the technology that makes it simple and quick. It takes too much time to manually calculate, so it’s just not practical. Or, perhaps their system has not been accurate, or forces them to do it afterthe-fact and way down the road, when it’s too late to make much of a difference.

With QFloors software, job costing is easy, accurate, and pops up right on the sales order screen, as you are building your proposal. As you enter the line orders for materials and labor, you can open a box to the side that lists all of the related costs of a job, including the material, labor, estimated freight, commission, estimated taxes, indirect overhead costs, your profit and margins before and after commissions, etc. It’s convenient to have it on the same screen as your proposal, so you don’t have to guess, enter it into a calculator or spreadsheet, or toggle back and forth between windows.

So if you want to see what the difference will be between selling the job at a 40% margin or a 45% margin, just enter the desired margin on the whole job, and see the comparison. QFloors will change each line item’s contribution to the subtotal in order to hit the desired margin. Or if you have a customer who is negotiating price, who is telling you something like, “Do everything for $6000 and it’s a deal,” you can see what type of margin you’ll make with a total of $6000. Being able to see those numbers and play around with them before you close the sale is very valuable.

While it may seem like figuring out the formula for job costing is complicated and confusing, with a software tool like QFloors, it is simple. How is QFloors able to accurately job cost? How is it able to bring up recommended prices when you enter a product into the sales order? It starts when a dealer sets up their software.

You set up your product catalog, by importing B2B price lists electronically from your vendors. You also can import CSV files from non-B2B vendors, or enter manually one at a time. Once products are in the system, you enter standard labor rates for all of the different types of labor you might offer. A feature in QFloors’ product catalog allows you to quickly apply freight to different manufacturers by product type. So you can populate the freight fields on each product based upon the vendors’ or common carriers’ rates.

While flooring dealers usually recognize the importance of job costing, relatively few do it consistently. Why? Because they don’t have the technology that makes it simple and quick. It takes too much time to manually calculate, so it’s just not practical. Or, perhaps their system has not been accurate, or forces them to do it afterthe-fact and way down the road, when it’s too late to make much of a difference.

Once costs are in the system, QFloors has a retail price formula setup screen, to recommend retail MSRP based upon the cost inputs. If a particular product is not in your catalog when entering a proposal a salesperson can just type it in the sales order and manually enter in a unit cost on the fly without taking the time or waiting for someone else to add it to the catalog. If you have a special promotional price from a rep that is not reflected in your computer yet, this same feature allows you to change it immediately. You can set different gross profit margins, based upon costs. You also can set an unlimited number of retail price formulas in the system.

So when your customer is standing before you, waiting to hear a total price, you can pull that up quickly, easily and accurately. As you fill out the sales order, you enter the product and immediately see the cost and suggested retail price. And you don’t have to worry that you forgot to factor something into your price.

The job costing is right there on the same screen, so you can adjust as needed before finalizing. No more leaving money on the table.

QFloors also makes it simple to see an accurate picture of how much you made, after a sale is completed. You can go in and see the bills applied to the job, what the real costs were, and evaluate if you made what you thought you would make.

QFloors factors in indirect costs of doing business, such as warehouse, truck or installation costs. Credit card fees can be costed into jobs automatically after a credit card payment is made. With a new bill feature in QFloors, you can apply miscellaneous costs to a specific job by assigning bill line items directly to a sales order job cost.

Job costing is powerful both before a sale (so that you can get an idea of your margins) and after a sale (so you can see how close you were and make needed adjustments in the future).

In this time where comparison shopping seems to be on the rise, it’s more important than ever to know what your margins are and where they should stay. QFloors software helps make that easy and practical. ■

QFloors also makes it simple to see an accurate picture of how much you made, after a sale is completed. You can go in and see the bills applied to the job, what the real costs were, and evaluate if you made what you thought you would make.

METROFLOR

Presentation IS Everything!

“Our new Inception Reserve Showcase Display has been received with overwhelmingly positive feedback from our retail network. It takes up only 13 sq. ft. of showroom space but it shows 12 skus in an oversized sample size of 20” x 27”. Larger samples are important because they allow the buyer to see more of the design as well as color contrast from plank to plank and of course the embossing, which is one of the key attributes of Inception Reserve. Our new EIR (Embossed-In-Register) texture coupled with a super-matte finish is a real showstopper. And, unlike a standard stacker display, our Showcase Display is curved, which really invites the consumer to shop the fixture.” ■

At right: Inception Forest oak

Don’t Take Our Word For it... see what our customers are saying!

Twenty & Oak Floors on Instagram: "Look what’s new from Metroflor — the RESERVE COLLECTION. Waterproof, rigid core, 20 mil #LVP floors with stunning visuals that are perfect for any room in the home. We just love the color palette! This gorgeous flooring is also FloorScore and ASSURE Certified. Learn more about the Reserve collection and order samples of your favorite colors on our website: https://bit. ly/40xxPLM #newfloors #flooringideas #lvp #luxuryvinylplank #luxuryvinylfloors #twentyandoak #metroflor #newfloorsforspring"

Inception Reserve Distributor & Sales

Contacts:

Distributor Contacts:

Herregan Distributers, Inc.: 800-325-2625

Ohio Vallley Flooring: 800-955-7224

The Belknap White Group: 800-283-7500

William M. Bird: 800-922-2287

Adleta Corporation: 800-423-5382

Reader's Wholesale Distributors, Ltd.: 800-766-0001

Metroflor Representatives:

Keith Kannapel

Tri-West, Herregan, Ohio Valley Flooring

kkannapel@metroflor.com

(812) 406-8188

Kevin Parker

Wm. Bird, BWA--Haines

kparker@metroflor.com

(706) 296-1886

Tommy Johnson

Adleta, Reader’s

Wholesale

tjohnson@metroflor.com

(682) 300-9132

Michelle Esposito

Metroflor Sales Support

michelle@metroflor.com

(203) 523-27846

Floorco Inc. on Instagram: "Brand new gorgeous LVT from @metroflorlvt. 7” and 9” wide planks at an affordable price. Samples are available in our showroom. Call us at 985-809-3000 for pricing. Link for website https://www.metroflor.com/ shop/products/?category=waterproof-floors&brand=inception&collection=reserve&sortBy=product-asc #floorco #floor #floorcovering #lvt #vinylflooring #metrofloors"

WITH CHIPD

The Program

As WFCA’s newest endorsed partner, CHIPD provides cost-effective, and timesaving, state-of-the-art online payment solutions to leverage technology to accelerate payments, increase cash flow, decrease accounts receivables (AR), and reduce office interruptions and administrative costs.

www.ChipdPay.com

With over 20 years of experience in merchant payment processing, CHIPD understands how to navigate high transaction volumes, chargebacks and other factors affecting the flooring industry.

CHIPD Payment Gateway

Giving your customers different payment options allows you to accept payments easier and faster. This solution allows for payments at the front desk, over the phone, across

office locations, the ability to set up recurring payments AND customer payments from your website, allowing them to pay anytime, at their convenience, 24/7! The CHIPD Gateway also allows multiple businesses to have credit card processing funds deposited into separate checking accounts through one system. All your reports in one spot!

Approval Process

CHIPD makes it as easy as possible to get your new account up and running quickly. Credit card processing is a banking product, therefore sponsoring banks and processors are required to meet certain federal mandates. As part of the USA Patriot Act, passed in 2001, banks are REQUIRED to get certain information, like social security numbers and financial information.

As a WFCA member, CHIPD offers you a payment processing program tailored to your business needs:

• The ability to accept credit, debit and mobile wallet payments

• Competitive processing costs

• Extremely competitive processing rates

• No long term contract

• 24/7 customer support

• Businesses can use existing equipment

• Cutting edge credit card hardware available to purchase or lease

• Variety of add-on services available including gift card and loyalty card programs

Savings

Members can save an average of $8,000 in fees per year.

100% HIGH DENSITY MEMORY FOAM CARPET CUSHION

The World’s Best Carpet Cushion

products for residential and commercial applications that are safe for humans and the environment for over 25 years.

Santa Monica Series

100% HIGH DENSITY MEMORY FOAM CARPET CUSHION

Santa Monica is a collection of coastal wood visuals available in eight beautiful styles. It is 100% waterproof, and made with an SPC core for added durability. It features a 12 mil wear layer and a UNICLIC Locking System for ease-of-installation. It has an IXPE attached underlayment for added acoustical benefits. Designed with 7-inch plank widths, a matte finish, and a painted bevel to complement current design trends.

Made of 100% high density memory foam, Healthier Choice Carpet Cushion offers the luxurious comfort you want while providing the support your carpet needs.

Healthier Choice Cushion’s dense, micro-cellular structure cushions every step by acting like millions of tiny shock absorbers, all owing your carpet to look newer and last longer.

Vineyard Series

The appearance retention warranty for any brand of residential carpet is instantly doubled when installed over Healthier Choic e Carpet Cushion.

The only carpet cushion to be awarded the UL GREENGUARD ® Gold Certification for indoor air quality as an extremely low VOC emitting product.

Vineyard is a waterproof, rigid core flooring featuring 7-inch planks with painted bevels for an authentic wood floor appearance. The beautiful hardwood visuals fill the room with warmth and character. The Vineyard Collection is manufactured to the highest standards and features a UniClic™ locking system and a commercial-grade wear-layer for lasting durability and scratch resistance. Perfect for the busy family with children and pets.

Healthier Choice Cushion is infused with Ultra-Fresh ® antimicrobial protection to prevent the growth of harmful mold, mildew and bacteria.

Stone Reflections Series

A revolutionary Breathable Moisture Barrier keeps liquid spills from penetrating down into the cushion while allowing moisture vapor to escape.

Stone Reflections is a waterproof, rigid core flooring in a 12-inch by 24-inch tile format with painted bevels for an authentic natural stone appearance. These beautiful stone visuals fill the room with elegance. The Stone Reflections Collection is manufactured to the highest standards and features a UniClic™ locking system and a commercial-grade wear-layer for lasting durability and scratch resistance. Perfect for the busy family with children and pets. Saves time and money compared to traditional grouted tile installations. ■

The only carpet cushion made with more than 50% soybean oil and natural minerals which reduces the use of fossil fuels while supporting sustainable alternatives.

NEVERCRUSH

...it's coming

Experience the Power of Primo

Has a lifetime waterproof warranty

Allows for normal household maintenance (no strict time limits)

Has a lifetime waterproof warranty (Entire product- not just topcoat)

Has a lifetime waterproof warranty (Does not rely on locking system or topcoat to protect the product)

Can be cut in any length or any angle and will remain 100% waterproof

No need to caulk edges

Ideal for the whole house, even bathrooms and kitchens

Our moldings are 100%waterproof and are included in your warranty

FLOOR ED FCEF's Corporate Sponsors

Our corporate sponsors play an important role in supporting the work of the FCEF. Not only do they support the mission of the foundation with financial backing, they assist with the donation of flooring materials, tools and supplies. This generosity is incredibly important as we replicate the technical college program in communities nationwide. We thank our corporate sponsors for setting an example for the rest of the industry to follow. FECF Basic Flooring Installation Program Credit Toward NWFA and CFI Certifications Now Available

The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) announces the support of two prominent industry organizations — The Certified Flooring Installer (CFI) program and the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) who have helped develop the curriculum for the FCEF’s Basic Flooring Installation program, Now, these organizations will offer credit toward their certifications for students completing these programs. ■

Versatrim’s Innovative Approach to Molding Solutions

Since 1998, Versatrim, now located in Henderson, North Carolina, has proudly been making quality products in their manufacturing facility. Versatrim’s innovative approach to molding solutions and its ability to coordinate with most of the top colors in the vinyl, LVT, WPC, and laminate flooring industry, has guided the company to the forefront as a leading manufacturer of floor moldings. Versatrim’s goal is to make sure customers get a high-quality product at a reasonable price with quick production.

This year, the company introduced several new products including:

◆ RSN low-profile stair nose, which can be installed flush or overlap.

◆ Versaflex flexible moldings, available in seven popular shapes which are paintable and stainable.

◆ Versatrim Adhesive, a wet-set, early grab, fast curing formula. It is low odor and easy to clean, leaving no surface residue or hazing, even once dried. It provides an excellent bond for moldings and is the only molding adhesive you will need!

Later this quarter, Versatrim will launch a new e-Commerce on-line shopping platform with improved functionality and ease of use applications to help streamline the on-line order entry process. The new site will be a scalable robust platform that helps simplify backend complexities, highlights our high-end product offering, and enhances the customer journey.

Versatrim’s standard molding offerings also include twelve different profiles: SlimTrim, Slim Cap, T-Molding, Reducer, End Cap, Round Stair Nose, VersaEdge Standard, Wall Base, Colonial Base, Base Shoe, and Quarter Round, most of which are offered in Standard or waterproof. Versatrim transitions provide coverage for nearly any flooring thickness. They take the headache and guesswork out of the equation when it comes to laminate moldings, by providing customers with samples to assist them in selling the product. Versatrim coordinates with all floors, is easy to sell, and easy to install!

For 25 years, our entire team at Versatrim has been dedicated to delivering the very highest quality products, superior service, and value for our customers. “As we celebrate Versatrim’s 25th anniversary milestone this year, we are proud of the achievements we have made. Geographic expansion, investment in manufacturing, and acquisitions are on the table for Versatrim’s growth, and we look forward to the next 25+ years of accomplishments.” said Keith Medick, President, and CEO of Versatrim, LLC ■

Versatrim transitions provide coverage for nearly any flooring thickness.

They take the headache and guesswork out of the equation when it comes to laminate moldings, by providing customers with samples to assist them in selling the product.

FLOOR ED

NTCA May Education: 20 Workshops, 4 Regional Events and 1 Art Glass Panel Trainings

NTCA trainers will be out in force in May, bringing 20 three-hour workshops, four full-day regional training events, and one two-day Art Glass Panel trainings to locations around the country.

Workshops: Nevada, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Utah, Louisiana, Idaho, Texas, North Carolina

NTCA’s 20 May workshops will blanket the country. These free standards-based workshops puts you in touch with peers and industry experts as your learn new skills and information, enjoy a catered meal from local eateries, and a chance to win valuable prizes.

The three-hour afternoon or evening events are open to tile installers and contractors, as well as sales personnel and the A&D community—anyone who wants to learn more about standards-based installation practices.

Each NTCA Workshop is presented by NTCA Technical Trainers who have been installing tile themselves for many years or who still maintain their tile installation business. Workshops—made possible

through the support of generous sponsors who believe in elevating the industry through education—feature one of the following topics:

● Ins and Outs of Layout for Contractors

● Tile Matters – Best Practices for the Pros

● Failures – Could It Be Me?

● Tile Technology – Adhesives, Trowels, Lippage

NTCA will be at these locations in May:

● 5/2 – Arizona Tile, Reno, NV

● 5/2 – Floor & Decor, Farmingdale, NY

● 5/3 – Daltile, Syracuse, NY

● 5/9 – Floor & Decor, West Hartford, CT

● 5/10 – Floor & Decor, Danbury, CT

● 5/11 – The Tile Shop, Norwalk, CT

● 5/16 – Floor & Decor, Avon, CT

● 5/16 – Daltile, Orem, UT

● 5/16 – Daltile, Shreveport, LA

● 5/17 – Floor & Décor, Bellingham, MA

● 5/17 – Floor & Décor, Salt Lake City, UT

● 5/17 – Floor & Décor, Lafayette, LA

● 5/18 – Floor & Décor, Dorchester, MA

● 5/18 – Florida Tile, Boise, ID

● 5/18 – Floor & Décor, Humble, TX

● 5/23 – Floor & Décor, Wilmington, NC

● 5/24 – Best Tile, Charlotte, NC

● 5/25 – Floor & Décor, Mooresville, NC

● 5/30 – Best Tile, Durham, NC

● 5/31 – Best Tile, Raleigh, NC

Fine tune your skills and attend one of these NTCA workshops. For full information on each event, click https://bit.ly/3TsR8Tk to visit the Event Calendar on the NTCA website, where you can register.

NTCA Trainer Matt Welner coaches an attendee to the Tile Matters

NTCA Workshop at Daltile in Richmond.

Regional Training: Georgia and Florida Contractors can learn about GPTP installation and Substrate Prep/Large-Format Tile installation during four free day-long NTCA Regional Training Events in Georgia and Florida. Get details and register at https://bit.ly/3TsR8Tk .

● 5/4 – Substrate Prep & Large-Format Tile: Sponsored and hosted by Floor & Decor, Savannah, GA.

● 5/11 – GPTP Installation: Sponsored by Crossville, hosted by Crossville Studios, Doral, FL.

● 5/18 – GPTP Installation: Sponsored by Crossville, hosted by Crossville Studios, Orlando, FL.

● 5/25 – GPTP Installation: Sponsored and hosted by Daltile, Sarasota, FL.

The Substrate Preparation and Large-Format Tile Training will show you how to use the ANSI A 108 standards and TCNA Handbook to address real world challenges in hands-on installations focusing on substrate examination and preparation for setting large-format tile. The program will address:

● ANSI standards and how to apply them

● How to use the TCNA Handbook

● Different substrates and standards that apply to them

● Substrate preparation

● Setting large-format tile

The GPTP/Slabs Training equips you to install porcelain panels with confidence and accuracy. Learn new tile industry standards and methods for installing GPTP, how GPTP is made, where it can be used, and special tools, setting materials and techniques required to install it. This program will emphasize:

● Introduction to tile industry standards

● Use of ANSI A108.19 to install Gauged Porcelain Tile and Panels

● Use of specialty tools and setting materials to install GPTP

● Working with a team to install GPTP

Art Glass Panel Installation Training: Miami, FL

This two-day intensive that equips qualified tile contractors to install luxurious, high-end Vetrite glass tile panels from Sicis. Qualified contractors must sign up for both days. Attendees who fully complete all course requirements will be eligible for manufacturer certification for Art Glass Panel installation and will be placed on a preferred installer/contractor list. They will also receive a Certificate of Course Completion from the NTCA.

● 5/3-5/4 – Sponsored by SICIS, hosted by Innovative Surfaces, Miami, FL

Get details and register here for the Art Glass Panel Installation Training: https://bit.ly/40FuHwX Attendees of NTCA’s Art Glass Panel Installation program will experience an advanced training program where they will:

● Learn about glass of many types

● Will gain the knowledge, ability and confidence to understand, handle, fabricate and install very large art glass panels to create custom installations on walls in interior wet and dry areas using a direct bond adhesive method following manufacturer instructions.

Demand is high and class size is limited, so register early. If the class is full, your registration will be added to the waiting list and you will be contacted if a space opens. Consult the NTCA Event Calendar at https://bit. ly/3TsR8Tk for details .

Learning to work with art glass tile panels at the specialized 2-day training conducted by NTCA

The FCEF program is developed to work in a variety of ways:

$100 A MONTH CAN SAVE OUR INDUSTRY...

IF EVERY RETAILER STEPS UP WE CAN SOLVE OUR INSTALLATION SHORTAGE CRISIS.

“We need every retailer in the industry to step up and donate monthly like DeGraaf Interiors. That support allows the FCEF to build local trade school programs AND raise awareness about the flooring craftsman career. I’m stepping up...are you?”

DEB DEGRAAF Owner, DeGraaf Interiors Board Member, FCEF

STEP UP today by signing up to donate monthly online at FCEF.org/Donate

RECRUITMENT, SCHOLARSHIPS & PLACEMENT FOR TOMORROW’S FLOORING CRAFTSMEN