Maple Lane’s Policies And Guidelines – 2012

All staff members at Maple Lane are required to read this document and be prepared to discuss it, including any items of concern or confusion, with their interviewer(s) and sign the agreement where indicated.

Introduction
Maple Lane is a small, young company with a commitment to teamwork, professionalism, promotion from within, personal growth / career building, quality products, innovation and excellent customer service.  We believe that employees who consistently meet our expectations should be rewarded with bright futures as part of the Maple Lane team.

We believe that being a successful team depends partly upon each team member demonstrating professional respect for her/his co-workers. Like customers, your teammates deserve your understanding and common courtesy.  Gossip and criticizing your teammates is strongly discouraged.  If you are aware of a serious problem, you should consult with your supervisor.

Have Fun Working Hard!  Your success is dependent upon the work ethic of the rest of the team, just as their success is dependent upon your work ethic.  Everyone is expected to come to work with an upbeat, “go get ‘em” attitude every day.  Leave any personal problems behind and focus on your job.

Maintain professionalism while having fun. We believe that it’s everyone’s responsibility to make the workplace enjoyable.  At the same time, fun must be tempered with professional respect. Make sure that the fun part of the job doesn’t insult the company or your co-workers.

Take the initiative to make the business better.  Think about improving the business, research your ideas and share them with the owners.  Simple tasks do not have to be on a to-do list in order to get done.  If you know it ought to be done and you can spare the time, do it. 

The following sampling of Maple Lane’s policies and guidelines are intended to give you an understanding of our expectations and company culture.

1. Study & complete various training – You will be expected to study topics that will help you become more valuable and productive.  We strongly support, encourage and reward “self starters” – staff members who take the initiative to research, study and train themselves on their own.  Occasionally, we will expect you to study something that we specifically recommend.

2. Raises are earned by increasing your value, not by time.  Work to make yourself more valuable to Maple Lane and Maple Lane will reward you. We’ve actually given some staff members 3 raises in just 2 years and we’ve had others that went almost 4 years without a raise.  Those who make obvious progress and become more valuable will benefit the most.

3. Personal calls, text messaging, instant messaging and personal visits from family and friends are strongly discouraged.  Everyone has a true emergency from time to time and real emergencies are understandable.  Generally, however, you are expected to inform your family and friends that you are not to be contacted at work with the sorts of calls and messages that could wait.  If you answer more than 2 personal calls and/or send more than 2 personal text messages on a routine daily basis, you will be asked to turn your cell phone off and leave it in a designated place until you clock out.

4. Lunch and break times.  Normally, no one at Maple Lane works a full 8-hour day and, therefore, you are expected to be working at your job most of the time you are clocked in.
  • If you clock in at 11:30AM or after, you are not given a lunch break.
  • If you clock in before 11:30AM, you are expected to bring your lunch with you and take no more than a 25-minute break for lunch.  Do not have family or friends bring your lunch to you at work.
  • On rare occasions, you may request to leave for lunch and, if your supervisor gives you permission, you must clock out before you leave and clock back in within 45 minutes.
  • Breaks are to be kept to a minimum, normally no more than one 10-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Breaks will occur at various times determined by your supervisor.  If you are performing hard physical labor in excessive heat, your supervisor will allow more breaks.
  • Maple Lane expects the sales team to try to take breaks, including lunch, when there are enough of your teammates to service any customers.

5. Appearance & Packaging are Everything!  We sell beauty and it’s all about sales, even for the nursery crew.  Everyone is expected to take pride in the appearance of everything at Maple Lane.  We believe that sales are dependent upon having 1) quality products, 2) excellent appearance and 3) great customer service.  Success is dependent upon all 3 of these ingredients.
  • You are part of the package.  Look your best.  Appropriate professional attire will be discussed during your interview.  Nursery crew members are always expected to keep a clean, spare shirt at Maple Lane.  If hired, you will learn more about our target customers and you will be expected to present yourself to them in a manner that is professionally appropriate for serving them.
  • Don’t walk by trash or an item that is out of place.  Pick it up and dispose of it properly or put it where it belongs.
  • If you’re walking by a weed and you have 5 seconds to spare, pull it and throw it away.
  • Help us be organized, neat and tidy.  When you are done with a tool or supply, put it back where it goes.  If you’re not sure, ask.  If it doesn’t have a particular place, create one and tell others.
  • Everyone at Maple Lane is expected to keep the place clean.  (toilet, windows, floors, merchandise, grounds, etc.)  Everyone is expected to leave the restroom clean and presentable for our customers.
  • Every time you use the restroom, it should be clean when you leave, including the toilet and the sink.  Always be certain that there are adequate paper towels and toilet paper for the next several customers.  Men, please remember to put the toilet seat down.
  • Some tattoos or body piercing may be considered inappropriate.

6. Smoking and chewing tobacco is prohibited in or near the store, greenhouse and rest room.  It is discouraged and must be kept to a minimum and always out of sight of our customers.  Never leave a cigarette or cigar butt on the ground.  Put it out (or pick it up) and throw it away.

7. Punctuality is expected.  Be on time.  If you want to clock in or out, more than 10 minutes early or late, ask for permission in advance.

8. Repeated, unexcused absences will not be tolerated.  If you have a real emergency, are seriously ill, injured & unable to perform your duties, you are expected to notify us in advance of being absent.

9. The Customer is Always Right. (almost always) We are here to serve the customer with the utmost respect, courtesy, patience and friendly service, even those customers that can be difficult.  In rare cases, if you find a customer to be extremely rude or unreasonably difficult, notify your supervisor.

10. Respect the privacy of the owners.  Maple Lane’s nursery and garden center are located on a small farm along with the owners’ residence which is generally off limits.  When the owners are not in the nursery or garden center, please respect their privacy.

Most importantly, Maple Lane is about making the world a better, more beautiful, healthy place - now and for generations to come - by growing big, beautiful trees & shrubs, offering the best lawn & garden products, gifts and home & garden décor.  Maple Lane is also about having fun while working hard and rewarding excellent performance.

“I have carefully reviewed these policies and I agree to abide by them.”


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