As I’m sure you’ve all noticed, we’ve had a lot of rain lately. As a result, a lot of little creatures, namely field mice, have found refuge in my garage.
Well, one night, my husband and daughter came home to find a 4-foot garter snake in the garage, and then saw it slither under a step, and disappear. The next morning, my husband creatively (and humanely) removed the snake from the garage, and let me know that our mouse problem was gone.
What’s the moral of the story, you ask? I have to say, had we eliminated the rodents when we first realized they were there, the snake would most likely not have come into the garage and given my family a huge fright. Of course, once all of these “fun” creatures were gone, we then had to begin the cleanup process.
The reality is that we see snakes and mice all the time in our workspaces. What can we do to make sure we are not cleaning up their messes long after they are gone?
Interview training – Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. It’s hard to know who or what is entering a garage. However, we do and should have control as to who enters our company. Proper training for managers will help them understand the importance of asking the right questions, and how to interpret answers applicants provide.
Performance management – who are we kidding? No matter how skilled we are at interviewing, unwanted creatures will enter our workplace. Proper processes to deal with non-performers, along with training for managers, will help ensure that the damage in your organization is kept to a minimum.
Sexual harassment training – Because sometimes, a snake is a snake and needs to be dealt with in a humane manner for all involved.
Is your organization as protected as it can be from mice and snakes? I thought so. So why not give The HR Team a call to discuss how we can keep your damage to a minimum? You can also enroll in our Virtual Training Programs.
PS: My family wanted me to mention the snake is still alive and slithering through Columbia.
