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Miami, Fla.—Happy Floors, an importer and distributor of porcelain and ceramic tiles, has expanded its offering into the SPC space with its new Easy Luxury rigid core products. “We at Happy Floors took our expertise in creating stunning tile visuals with realistic textures and applied it to SPC production,” said Tressa Samdal, director of Easy Luxury marketing and product management. “It was not enough to just be in the SPC business. We had to stand out from the crowd by creating uniquely beautiful looks. Our Maui collection is inspired by some of the most exotic trees that grow on the islands of Hawaii and our Kalos Stone collection replicates a notable Greek stone with linear veining.” Easy Luxury offers a 20-mil wear layer, designer PVC film, an SPC core and a high-density 1.5mm-thick IXPE underlayment—each of its four layers adding to its intrinsic value, the company said. Mindful of families with children and pets, Happy Floors developed Easy Luxury’s wear layer to be UV, wear, scratch and stain resistant. Installation of Easy Luxury was developed to be quick and easy. Easy Luxury’s single action installation system means there is no need for leveling, thinset, grouting or detailed clean up. The line features Välinge’s 5G click system. It is simple to use and has a tight grip that ensures the install will stay in place. With Easy Luxury consumers can “place, click and go” their way to high quality floors. Each Easy Luxury collection was selected and carefully colored to create looks that are uniquely beautiful. Available in four wood-look designs—Cambridge, Chateau, Hampton and Maui—each are available in a range of neutral colors from white to dark brown as well as a bold blue option. The wood looks are available in 7 x 48 planks. The line’s stone-look design collection, Kalos Stone, is available in a range of neutral colors from white to dark gray with its own signature Happy Floors blue design as well. It is available in 12 x 24. Trims available for Easy Luxury collections include quarter round, t-molding, reducer, end cap, overlap stair nose and flush stair nose. Suitable applications for Easy Luxury include interior residential and light commercial projects and floor application. The post Happy Floors expands into SPC appeared first on Floor Covering News. Happy Floors expands into SPC Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr Happy Floors expands into SPC
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Solon, Ohio—For its second annual ‘Doing Good Together Week’ celebration, Tarkett said it has planned a number of engaging events filled with discussion, service and collaboration. The company will also host a series of virtual learning labs and CEUs designed for action toward circular economy and united community. It has also partnered with Feeding America and Food Banks Canada to help provide meals to families in need. From its commitment to producing healthier, more sustainable products, to the company’s passion for giving back to the communities in which it operates, Tarkett said it is serious about doing good every day in more than 100 countries where its products are sold. “Globally, Tarkett has aligned our principle of social responsibility with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” said Libby Gillen, vice president, sustainability and A&D, Tarkett North America. “One of those targets is good health and wellbeing, which we work to apply at the local level in the communities where we live and work. Due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the strain on our economy, Tarkett North America will focus on hunger and the wellbeing of our neighbors through a fundraiser with Feeding America and Food Bank Canada.” In addition to community service, the week is also dedicated to sharing the many ways Tarkett is working to provide healthier, more sustainable flooring solutions that reduce climate impact. “At Tarkett, we are committed to being both safe and circular—creating solutions made with good, healthy, raw materials and designing them to have an end of use rather than an end of life. Sustainability is not just a practice—it is part of our DNA,” said Millicent McLane, vice president, sustainability and A&D, Tarkett North America. “People are in the center of everything we do, starting with creating solutions made with healthy materials and designing them to embrace our circular economy principals.” Join Tarkett for virtual discussions about designing healthier, more supportive spaces – together. Doing Good Together Week programming will include: Learning Lab: Circular economyGuided by Cradle to Cradle principles, learn how Tarkett is designing its products to fit safely back into a circular economy at their end of use. Date: Monday, November 16 Time: 11-11:30 a.m. EST Presenter: Libby Gillen, vice president, sustainability and A&D Click here to register CEU: Improving indoor air quality in the built environmentThis course will provide a general overview of how indoor air quality (IAQ) is defined and quantified today, and how poor IAQ can impact the health and safety of occupants. Date: Tuesday, November 17 Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m. EST Presenter: Libby Gillen, vice president, sustainability and A&D Click here to register Date: Thursday, November 19 Time: 2-3 p.m. EST Presenter: Sarah Robinson, manager, product sustainability Click here to register Learning Lab: Designing in full circleLet’s talk about how to specify functional, healthy materials that can be recycled and repurposed at the end of use. Date: Wednesday, November 18 Time: 4-4:30 p.m. EST Presenter: Millicent McLane, vice president, sustainability and A&D Click here to register Learning Lab: Healthy materials for healthy habitsJoin us for a discussion around the selection of healthy materials and relating them to our daily behaviors. Date: Thursday, November 19 Time: 11-1:30 a.m. EST Presenter: Dhruv Raina, director, product stewardship Click here to register To make an online donation to Feeding America or Food Banks Canada, visit here. The post Tarkett celebrates ‘Doing Good Together Week’ appeared first on Floor Covering News. Tarkett celebrates ‘Doing Good Together Week’ Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr Tarkett celebrates ‘Doing Good Together Week’ By Reginald Tucker Despite all the havoc that COVID-19 has wreaked on the world, the U.S. economy is on track for a full and robust recovery. That was the forecast that Brian Beaulieu, chief economist for ITR Economics, conveyed to attendees who participated in day two of the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors’ (NAFCD) Virtual Xperience conference. In his keynote presentation, “Economic Guidance in an Uncertain Economy,” Beaulieu—who has presented at numerous NAFCD conferences over the years—referenced a variety of leading market indicators and business trends that support his belief that the United States will weather the storm that is the coronavirus. That is, he said, as long as governors around the country don’t resort to the crippling shutdowns that stalled an otherwise strong American economy. “We just came through what we affectionately called the “silly season,” and we call it that because it’s the Presidential Election cycle and all sorts of nonsensical things get said and expressed by politicians of both sides of the aisle during the season,” Beaulieu told attendees. “I just want to straighten away a few things, because while it isn’t going to matter to you for 2021, it’s going to matter to your thinking and your perceptions as you think about the next eight years. I think it’s important to step back from all the noise and look at the reality.” Following are some of the highlights from his presentation. Foreign domestic investment in the U.S. is on the rise“In 2019, the U.S. was the No. 1 recipient of foreign direct investment on the planet,” Beaulieu said. (See table.) “What that is telling you is that, investors are setting up new businesses or buying business assets already in the United States. We’re the No. 1 destination for investment, and along with that comes jobs. We’re the country people are betting on. So, if the world is betting on us, shouldn’t we be betting on ourselves?” Changing demographics favor the U.S. workforceITR Economics said that, beginning in 2021, China will begin losing 100 million workers every 15 years. That means they’re going to lose about 200 million workers over the course of the next 30 years. “You don’t turn demographic trends around on a dime,” Beaulieu said. “The trend represents a hollowing out of China’s ability to maintain their current economic status and their manufacturing status as well. They’re just not going to be as good as we are in terms of adapting and adopting, creating, inventing new technologies, automation, AI, etc.—that technological edge that belongs to the U.S.” Meanwhile, the demographic trend in the U.S. is trending positive. “According to the United Nations, our population will continue to grow through the year 2100,” Beaulieu said. “We’re going to be gaining more and more consumers, while China is going to have fewer consumers.” The U.S. economy will survive the coronavirus pandemicThe difference between the most recent economic downturn and past recessions, Beaulieu said, is the pandemic was a natural disaster—not an economic collapse. To that end, the recovery is expected to be quicker and more robust. “The economic collapse came because of the human reaction to the pandemic,” Beaulieu explained. “This means we have the ability to recover and the economy doesn’t have to heal itself. At ITR we have studied a lot of natural disasters—clearly not as big as a global pandemic. But one of the rules we have learned is that economic fundamentals will dominate. Once we are past the natural disaster—when the vaccine is ubiquitous, for example—economic fundamentals will dominate.” What impact will a Biden presidency have on the economy?“There’s a lot of concern about President Biden and how that might turn the economy into a recessionary environment,” Beaulieu said. “I want to ensure you that there’s no basis for that. Look back to the time when we had the president and both the Senate and the House aligned under Democrats, from Kennedy through Johnson. And then in the late ’70s there’s another period of alignment, and then in the mid-90s another period of alignment. Bottom line: When you have ‘blue on blue,’ as it’s called, or ‘red on red’ you don’t really see any change in retail sales. You’d be hard pressed to prove that anybody is going to go into a funk if it’s blue on blue or the economy is going to go into a recession or our markets are going to suffer.” The impact of Senate races on the economy“If the Republicans control all of Congress, the stock market does better than if the Democrats controlled all of Congress,” Beaulieu said. “When it split between the two, which is what a lot of people seem to be hoping for, a Senate driven by the Republicans and the House stays with the Democrats, we’ll see slower stock price growth, but it’s a lot closer to the Republicans dominating. What tends to do better when it’s blue on blue is housing starts. So, in our space, put aside all the other reasons why you want to go one way or the other with your party affiliation. From a purely business standpoint, driving construction—particularly residential construction—it’s not a bad thing.” Encouraging signs fuel optimism“Our dashboard of leading indicators for the U.S. economy is quite positive right now,” Beaulieu said (See chart). “This is overwhelming evidence that the economy is poised for growth and it will take a political decision to stop this growth. But left to our own devices, we are good to go. So even if they do stall us again or shut us down again, what this is telling you is that there’s this latent ability to grow that came back very quickly following the second quarter shutdown and is showing you what we are capable of doing. This economy of ours naturally will grow.” When do you predict the economy will return to pre-COVID-19 levels?“By late 2022, we will have recouped all the ground that we have lost,” Beaulieu said. “The states, airline industry and tourism, etc., are not likely to come back fast. So that’s a drag and is keeping us on the slow growth path. In 2023, we’re likely to see a dip in GDP for one quarter and then the rest of the year we expect to see a rise in 2023 and likely 2024 (See chart). For people who are reluctant to believe that or buy into that, if it’s COVID-19 driven I get that. But if it’s because you’re still shellshocked at what the economy went through, I’m urging you to go back to 2009 and ask yourself, ‘What do you wish you had realized back then? What do you wish you had done sooner in order to capitalize on that rising trend that was upon us? What do you lament not doing?’ This is the time to be asking yourself those retroactive questions. Even if you’re still reticent about employing more people, go lay out the plans anyway so that as soon as you feel better about the COVID-19 situation you’ll be ready to go. I urge you to do that. It will put you ahead of the competition.” (Look for more coverage of the inaugural NAFCD conference on fcnews.net) The post NAFCD ‘Xperience’ Day 2: ITR Economics sees bright future ahead appeared first on Floor Covering News. NAFCD ‘Xperience’ Day 2: ITR Economics sees bright future ahead Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr NAFCD ‘Xperience’ Day 2: ITR Economics sees bright future ahead By Megan Salzano As retail owners across the country look toward retirement, attracting a new generation of employees has become paramount to a store’s longevity. Those searching for the best candidates should consider a dip into the millennial pool—the generation’s current numbers show its members will soon make up a large portion of the workforce, and retailers should be tapping that potential. However, attracting and retaining a millennial staff can be somewhat tricky, as the generation has skirted the traditions of generations past and espoused new needs within the workplace. The key to this generation, experts say, is first acknowledging you need them and then adapting to their workplace wants. Why millennials matterWhile millennials may have been saddled with less-than-flattering labels surrounding their work ethic by the generations before them, much of the generation has dispelled such stereotypes and even helped create a more proactive workforce. “The workforce in general has evolved thanks to the millennial generation,” said Mike Fromm, chief human resources officer, Shaw Industries. “This group has encouraged more feedback, work/life balance and quick advancement in the companies where they work. These characteristics are also impacting change in other working generations, and employers need to be aware of these changes.” When it comes to impacting other generations, Marsha Everton, principal, The AIMsights Group, noted, “Millennials are known for their interest in having a job that ignites their passion and allows them to make a difference. What surprised us is the boomers outscored the millennials on both these job requirements. Appealing to millennials will also increase your employment appeal to boomers.” Millennials are not only evolving the workforce and the needs of that workforce, but their sheer numbers mean they are an important part of recruitment. According to the Korn Ferry Institute, the U.S. the labor force is 161 million—of that number, 56 million are millennials; 53 million are Gen Xers; 41 million are baby boomers; and the rest is a small number of the silent generation. In addition, every day boomers retire and more millennials join the workforce. “I often find it helpful to remind people that millennials are now older than many people think,” Everton said. “The older millennials have moved into a new life stage—they are getting married, buying homes, having children and doing all the ‘adult’ things that include substantial financial responsibilities. Reliable income is a critical component of this new life stage. To grow or even maintain your business, you must recruit and retain them.” When it comes to what millennials bring to the retailing table, Fromm said an associate from this generation can help catalyze new thinking and provide a lifeline for consumers. “For flooring, an industry that has been around for decades, it’s vital to encourage those with different perspectives to speak up,” he explained. “Consumers relate to sales associates with whom they have shared life experiences, and retailers should recognize the importance of hiring millennials as they can connect with other millennials in the floor buying process. We know the process can be daunting. However, having a millennial sales associate who can relate to this new generation of consumers can lead to sales success. Any organization not actively recruiting this generation is missing a large portion of talent, which can hinder their business’ growth.” What millennials wantSo what is it that retailers need to keep in mind when trying to recruit millennials? Experts say it comes down to cultural, employment and leadership factors, and each are able to be tailored to not only the millennial mindset but that of the evolving needs of every generation within the workforce today. When it comes to the cultural aspects of the job, experts believe the No. 1 factor is respect. “Millennials—and all generations, especially boomers—want to feel valued,” Everton said. “They want to know that the company will listen to them and take action based on their input. They want to be acknowledged as a person—not a number—with recognition of what makes them unique.” Shaw’s Fromm echoed those sentiments, noting, “We have found the environments millennials work best in are those that are accepting and empowering. Millennials don’t want to be seen as a demographic with little to contribute based on their age; they want to be seen by companies as a demographic with potential.” It’s not just recognition that millennials crave. According to Matt Beaudreau of The Center for Generational Kinetics, millennials also embrace transparency within an organization, an obvious local impact and a clear organizational stance on social issues that identify with their own. When it comes to the employment factors that can impact a retailer’s success with millennials, those relate more to aspects such as a “work/life balance” and other direct impacts to an employee’s working life an employer can make. For instance, money. “Money matters. ‘Good’ money is the top requirement for millennials as well as all generations,” Everton said. “We also found as the millennials get older, good benefits become a more important requirement—part of moving into the adult-life stage.” Millennials also place a high priority on flexible hours. While that fact may inspire hesitation from employers, experts say it shouldn’t. “This doesn’t mean they want to work less hours; rather, they may spread their work out over the day,” Beaudreau said. Millennials are also looking for a company or job that will allow them to grow professionally and personally. “Any company can help them with the former, but it’s growing personally that sets employers a cut above,” Shaw’s Fromm said. He added that millennials seek to understand what steps and paths they need to take to be successful at a company. “We’ve learned that creating an outlined, formalized process for professional growth and advancement is key to millennial success. This generation will be more outspoken about this need than previous generations and desire opportunities for smaller, potentially faster advancements.” When it comes to leadership factors, Fromm said millennials truly believe in the adage stating the best leaders are those who lead by example. This generation, he said, wants to see a leader be successful in their role so they know what it takes to advance in the company. Millennials also prefer approachable, inclusive leaders to more formal, inaccessible leadership. “Leaders who empower and hold themselves and their millennial employees accountable for their performance will have the most success in working with this generation.” A shifting retail strategyIn order to attract and retain millennials, some retailers may need to shift their hiring and business strategies to entice this new generation of employees. Beaudreau noted one of the smartest things an organization can do is invest in a leadership development and mentorship program. “Millennials are taking on many management roles at this point, and they truly want to impact the organization,” he explained. “Many of them feel like there is a disconnect with their organization, though, and an assigned mentor can help them to develop their own leadership skills.” Another way for retailers to adapt business practices for millennial employees is to revamp performance review processes. As Shaw’s Fromm explained: “Millennials prefer frequent feedback and clearly defined strategies for success. Spending dedicated one-on-one time coaching and providing feedback for a millennial employee will cost very little but have a positive impact.” Managers and employers should take into consideration what millennials need/want from their employment and evolve their workplace strategies to meet those needs when possible. “Recognize them,” Everton said. “Respect and listen to them—and take action that shows that you listened. Also, communicate frequently with transparency and authenticity; invite them to collaborate in achieving your clearly stated strategy and goals; provide the training and guidance they need to grow in their careers; offer competitive compensation and benefits; and smile like you enjoy your job, too.” However, even if a retailer intends to implement new strategies within the business plan to attract new employees, attraction begins with getting millennials interested in the organization in the first place. On that issue Beaudreau posed the following questions: “Are you public about your mission? Are you actively and openly giving back to others in your community? Are the people who work for you feeling empowered and valued? If the answers to those questions are yes, then how do you show it?” From a millennial point of view, utilizing platforms like video, social media, etc., give dealers the greatest possible reach to impact the perception of an organization. “Once you get them on board, utilizing the strategies mentioned above will help you retain them for the long haul,” Beaudreau explained. While hiring a new generation of employees and evolving long-held workplace practices may seem daunting, experts say independent retailers may already have a leg up on attracting this generation to the industry. “People work for people, not companies,” Everton said. “The independent retailers have a potential advantage in their more personal environments to nurture those relationships that keep us happily or at least meaningfully employed. In that smaller environment, the owner can frame the employment opportunity as having the benefit of being part of a smaller, more elite group—especially if they also offer the freedom to bring innovative ideas to the business. It’s what makes most of us happy.” In the end, millennials aren’t as different as they seem. “It is imperative that businesses not single them out or view them negatively,” Fromm stated. “They bring new energy, creativity and unique perceptions to businesses. This new generation of millennials can—and will—contribute to business success, and it is vital that Shaw, as an innovative, adaptive and strategic company, recognizes the value millennials bring to the workplace.” The post How to attract Millennials to the workplace appeared first on Floor Covering News. How to attract Millennials to the workplace Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr How to attract Millennials to the workplace Dalton--Piet Dossche will retire from his day-to-day management responsibilities at Shaw Industries effective Dec. 31 and will transition to his new role as a member of its board of directors. “Piet and USFloors have had a tremendous impact on our business over the last few years,” said Vance Bell, chairman and CEO. “Piet has spurred innovation and growth across our entire hard surface portfolio. We are better as a company due to his time and influence here.” Bell said Dossche will continue to influence the company’s hard surface direction. “Piet is transitioning from an operating role to a more strategic position,” Bell said. “He will continue to be a trusted advisor on market trends, innovation and opportunities across the global flooring market. I look forward to our continued partnership.” Dossche referred to the last four years at Shaw as “tremendous,” as he spearheaded the successful integration. “In my new capacity, I will be in a better position to look from the outside in at the organization. I will guide and advise and provide direction when I see opportunity for growth and expansion. It’s an exciting opportunity to remain meaningful to the company.” The founder of USFloors, which was acquired by Shaw in late 2016, Dossche has had a legendary career in the flooring industry. He launched USFloors in 2001, after an executive and leadership decade at Beaulieu of America. The turning point came in 2013 with the creation of COREtec, which fueled the company’s dramatic growth. As president of USFloors and executive vice president of Shaw, Dossche was an entrepreneurial change agent helping drive strategic, profitable growth across the company. He was a key architect and partner with Shaw’s residential leadership, creating the recent sales structure transformation. Dossche has been instrumental in Shaw’s rapid hard surface growth and has helped guide USFloors International to a growing market position in Europe. “When Shaw acquired USFloors four years ago, both parties saw the opportunity of combining the fastest growing company and brand leader in the fastest growing segment of the flooring business with Shaw’s broad market presence, logistics network, technology and financial strength,” Bell said. “Piet worked tirelessly and selflessly to help integrate USFloors into the Shaw organization to create maximum synergies for both companies. Certainly, we have seen the results with our growth and market share in this category. The COREtec brand is an integral and permanent pillar of the branding strategy for our company.” Dossche added, “The team is well positioned. There are exciting things in the works from a product point of view and a brand point of view. The timing couldn’t be any better. We transition on a high note with many good things still ahead of us.” The post Piet Dossche to transition from his current role at Shaw appeared first on Floor Covering News. Piet Dossche to transition from his current role at Shaw Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr Piet Dossche to transition from his current role at Shaw Distributor conference rolls out ‘virtual’ welcome matBy Reginald Tucker The coronavirus pandemic forced many in-person trade shows and conferences to either postpone, reschedule or outright cancel their events this year, but it didn’t stop others from using a little creativity—and a whole lot of technology—to offer industry members an opportunity to convene virtually. Such was the case with the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD), which held its annual virtual conference in conjunction with the National Building Materials Distributors Association (NBMDA). The NAFCD/NBMDA Virtual Xperience kicked off in earnest on Nov. 10, the same start date of the original in-person event that was scheduled to take place at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. More than 450 distribution professionals registered for the online event, which included a mix of live presentations from familiar faces who have presented at previous NAFCD conferences as well as a virtual showroom featuring more than 40 vendors. “We are disappointed that we could not meet members in person this year, but we have put together a productive and energizing event for members,” Dunn Rasbury, NAFCD president, told participants at the start of the day one program. That sentiment was echoed by Tom O’Neill, president of NBMDA, who joined Rasbury in welcoming attendees. “Coming off strong attendance in New Orleans last year, we started 2020 with collaborative planning and marketing between the two associations. As we are all aware, planning came to a halt this summer when it was clear we were not going to be able to safely meet in person. But that didn’t stop our volunteers and staff from working to create a strong virtual program and exhibit hall designed to facilitate new learning and business opportunities. I congratulate all involved in the planning of this event and acknowledge all who are participating online to take advantage of this valuable educational and networking opportunity.” Kevin Gammonley, NAFCD executive vice president, said the virtual Xperience event achieved a number of objectives, namely: facilitating connections between executives with the flooring distribution community in the fall time frame in the absence of its in-person event; delivering distributor-specific education and content to an audience that is relevant to the current business environment; broadening its reach within member firms in order to engage individuals who do not regularly attend our in-person annual convention; and experiment with a virtual convention to assess members interests, perceptions and expectations relative to receiving education, information and connections to provide research and analysis for future planning. “Distribution executives are excited about the opportunity to efficiently and cost-effectively expose their teams to distribution-specific education and learning,” Gammonley stated. “Suppliers are happy to support distributor education whether it’s an in-person event or virtual learning. Distribution professionals are growing more and more comfortable accessing virtual content and education, but they are anxious to reconnect in-person with their industry peers and trading partners.” Following are some highlights from opening day: NAFCD outlined the list of accomplishments the association made in 2020, starting with the launch of its Emerging Distribution Leaders program. The program was designed specifically for career-oriented professionals who are being groomed as being future leaders within their firms. Nearly 100 distribution professionals from member firms attended the inaugural conference last week. “The Leaders Program targets a new audience for NAFCD,” Gammonley said. “The future leaders of flooring distribution are hungry to access education and content to help them grow in their current positions and gain insights on how to propel their career paths.” NAFCD also continued to make strides in its efforts to build upon its industry intelligence and market communications programming via its Hub & Spoke initiative. This value information hub, which sits on the NAFCD website, serves as a central source for updates on products, essential goods as well as services, lending programs, small business PPP loans, the CARES Act and more. “We also cover topics such as HR policies, economic trends, sales and marketing strategies and leadership in times of crisis,” Rasbury explained. “This hub continues to be updated as new information becomes available to our distributor community through our partners at the National Association of Wholesale Distribution and keeps us updated on what’s coming out of Washington.” Expanding access to essential market research is also another area of focus for NAFCD, and it has become even more valuable during uncertain times. To that end, Rasbury said, the association has strengthened partnerships with learning firms such as the Cleveland Research Company and Virginia Tech. New for 2020, the association launched the NAFCD economic advisor in partnership with ITR Economics, a highly respected firm known for its spot-on forecasts and thorough understanding of the nuances of not only the U.S. economy but also the global market. Working in conjunction with ITR, NAFCD provides members with a quarterly report that offers a macroeconomic outlook, investor updates, industry analysis across eight market sectors, leading indicator snapshots and employment data. “This has provided helpful insights particularly in light of the pandemic,” Rasbury said. Also this year, NAFCD launched a cross-industry compensation survey that provides members with a detailed analysis of compensation and benefits benchmarks for the distribution sector. The group also formed a new partnership with ProKeep, a software company that specializes in the development of high-tech messaging platforms. “Customers of distribution have a growing interest in expanding communication options within their distributor suppliers beyond the traditional mediums,” Rasbury said. “ProKeep has developed a texting platform designed exclusively for distributors to help their customers.” Focus on demographicsAnother day one highlight of the NAFCD Xperience conference was a keynote presentation from returning speaker Ken Gronbach, president of KGC Direct, which specializes in the study of demographics and how changing trends stand to impact various cultures and economies. In his 60-minute talk, Gronbach covered a wide range of issues, from the COVID-19 pandemic to birth and mortality rates around the globe. But one of his main takeaways was the positive impact Millennials have on the U.S. workforce as well as the need for continued diversification in the workplace. “Today’s talent pool is the best one you’ve ever, ever had,” he told owners and managers in attendance. “The big challenge is you’re going to have three generations in the labor force—baby boomers, Generation X (36-55) and Generation Y (16-35). Remember, a lot of the baby boomers (ages 56 to 75) have not left the labor force yet. Three generations in the workforce that haven’t left you yet, haven’t left you for a reason—and that is because they’ve been able to keep their jobs. How? Because they know something special, but they are going to be exiting the labor force at the rate of about 4 million a year.” Gronbach’s advice to owners and managers is to “find out what’s between their ears and get that information and train the younger workers. Don’t let them leave without sharing what they know.” Gronbach also advised distributors to invest heavily in training, hiring and IT—all of which, he said, creates a stronger, more skilled workforce and robust technological tools and operating systems. This, he stressed, will help companies better compete in a rapidly changing world. (Look for ongoing coverage of NAFCD’s first virtual Xperience conference on fcnews.net.) The post NAFCD Xperience: Day 1 appeared first on Floor Covering News. NAFCD Xperience: Day 1 Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr NAFCD Xperience: Day 1 Manchester, N.H.—This year, in honor of Veterans Day and in lieu of the annual Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5K, Carpet One Floor & Home has organized a virtual 5K walk for local stores to participate within their own communities. The virtual 5K walk encourages store owners and employees to explore local memorials, monuments and firehouses in their towns that they may not have had the chance to visit until this Veterans Day. Local stores are encouraged to take photos as they explore their community and to map their complete journey to share with the Carpet One community. “It was great to be able to visit these forgotten places that I have driven past so many times and never had the opportunity to just stop and sit at,” said Theresa Fisher, senior vice president of visual merchandising and brand development for CCA Global Partners. “This is a way for us to bridge our commitment to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, using Veterans Day as a reason to honor our veterans but also honor those who lost their life.” Along with the memorial walk, Carpet One Floor & Home has reached out to all of its employees and members to ask for donations to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation. The Tunnel to Towers foundation supports first responders and military through the foundation’s Smart Home program organization. This organization builds smart homes for the most catastrophically injured veterans. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5K Run & Walk in New York City was canceled. The annual run honors the sacrifice of Firefighter Stephen Siller who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. The event also celebrates the lives of the 343 FDNY firefighters, 71 law enforcement officers and thousands of civilians who lost their lives that day. Last year, Carpet One Floor & Home’s 5K team was the top fundraiser for the run, raising $326,905 for the foundation. The post Carpet One honors Veterans Day with virtual 5K appeared first on Floor Covering News. Carpet One honors Veterans Day with virtual 5K Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr Carpet One honors Veterans Day with virtual 5K Manchester, N.H.—CCA Global has revamped Fast Start, its extensive training program for sales professionals, with a new virtual platform designed to train and retain new employees. “Retaining talented sales pros is a nationwide issue long faced by our industry, but it’s never been so critical as it is right now,” said Nicole Harding, vice president of CCA Global University, who led the effort to create the new virtual curriculum. “It is extremely critical to keep good people and ensure they are successful. This course does all of that. We pride ourselves in being a great place to work and in bringing out individuals’ best strengths. This course is highly personalized with personality assessments, one-on-one selling scenarios and feedback sessions. We want to set our team members up for success with the best foundation we can offer from the start.” The virtual five-day course provides sales professionals at all experience levels skills to understand the standards of performance, how to improve interactions with customers and build their book of business, boost key sales metrics such as close rate and average ticket, strengthen their brand knowledge and learn best practices on gaining integral referrals and reviews. Modeled after CCA Global’s in-person training program, the Fast Start team said it researched best-in-class tactics for virtual team learning before recently taking the program live. The most recent training session featuring the new virtual platform garnered the largest Fast Start attendance for the company to date. “I learned so much during the day, could do the homework at night and get rest in my own bed,” said recent participant, Courtney Akel, Akels Carpet One, Little Rock, Ark. “Having the speakers was amazing. I could not say enough good things about this program. I will encourage future sales associates to participate.” The updated virtual Fast Start combines 32 hours of Zoom time, more than 20 online university classes and 10 presenters and speakers. “We combined homework, team assignments and local store activities with support and access from the top vendors in the flooring industry,” Harding said. “We have our multiple flooring divisions learning the rules of the trade and brand-specific information.” The post CCA Global revamps training program appeared first on Floor Covering News. CCA Global revamps training program Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr CCA Global revamps training program Washington, D.C.—The recovery of the overall labor market continued in October but at a slow pace, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). In October, 638,000 non-farm payroll jobs were added, and the unemployment rate fell to 6.9%. However, October residential construction employment was 11,500 higher than a year ago, marking the first year-over-year gain since the recession of 2020, the NAHB reported. Residential construction employment rose by 23,800 in October to 2.9 million as housing remains a bright spot of the recovery. Total construction industry (both residential and nonresidential) employment totaled 7.3 million in October. After the economy lost 22.2 million jobs in March and April due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain it, about 12.1 million jobs have been created in the past six months, indicating the economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic gradually. In October, total nonfarm employment was 10.1 million lower than its February level. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate declined by 1 percentage point to 6.9% in October. The number of unemployed persons declined by 1.5 million to 11.1 million. Both statistics have declined for six consecutive months. The labor force participation rate, the proportion of the population either looking for a job or already with a job, increased by 0.3 percentage point to 61.7% in October and 1.7 percentage points lower than the February level. Leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade and construction had the significant job gains in October. Additionally, according to the Household Survey supplemental data, which come from questions added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) since May 2020, in October, 21.2% of employed persons teleworked or worked at home in the last 4 weeks specifically because of the coronavirus pandemic, down from 22.7% in September. Employment in the overall construction sector increased by 84,000 in October, after a revised increase of 35,000 jobs in September. The number of residential construction jobs rose by 23,800 in October, after an increase of 24,000 in September. Residential construction employment now stands at 2.9 million in October, broken down as 835,000 builders and 2.1 million residential specialty trade contractors. The six-month moving average of job gains for residential construction is 70,783 a month. Over the last 12 months, home builders and remodelers added 11,500 jobs on a net basis. It was the first time that residential construction employment surpassed the level from one year ago since March 2020, although employment in the sector remains below its total from the pre-recession months of early 2020. Since the low point following the Great Recession, residential construction has gained 951,500 positions. In October, the unemployment rate for construction workers dropped to 8.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis, from 8.7% in September. After hit 16.1% in April due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate for construction workers has been trending downward for the past six months. The post Residential construction a bright spot in economic recovery appeared first on Floor Covering News. Residential construction a bright spot in economic recovery Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr Residential construction a bright spot in economic recovery Toronto, Ontario—Torlys is continuing to make investments in its sales force and expand coverage with the recent addition of John Zilney in the role of territory manager, Northern Ontario. Backed with more than 20 years of industry experience, Zilney will bring valuable knowledge that will support Torlys growth, the company said. “John has a history of excellent performance and developing strong relationships,” said Jason Walker, Torlys regional sales manager Ontario & national accounts. “He has also demonstrated a tremendous ability to overcome obstacles. His extensive flooring knowledge will contribute to our goal of delivering the best innovation and service to our partners in all channels of this exciting industry.” The post Torlys expands Eastern sales team appeared first on Floor Covering News. Torlys expands Eastern sales team Source: https://fcnews.net via Tumblr Torlys expands Eastern sales team |