Gardens for All Supply Company $($GASC$)$ focuses on providing environmentally friendly supplies

and basic tools needed to be a successful gardener. GASC started with four full$-$time employees

and gradually grew to $57$ full$-$time and $33$ part$-$time employees. By the end of $2012,$ it had $90$

employees, the average age of which was $47.$ GASC's hiring and training had been successfully accomplished informally by the four co$-$owners and through family and friends, all of whom

had some knowledge of and commitment to gardening. Turnover was well below $10$ percent. By

the end of $2013,$ GASC had added $17$ employees, including $14$ in customer service and three in

the warehouse. The company focuses its recruitment efforts at local colleges and career fairs.

Thus, the average age of employees is $32.$ But with additional expansion planned for the coming year, the company needs to consider its staffing needs in light of multiple generations in the

workplace, specifically considering how the company can gain advantage by leveraging older

workers.

The partners know they need to quickly identify and resolve the issues in the customer service and retail

departments, including filling open positions, preferably with reliable employees who have gardening knowledge; reducing the rate of customer returns; and fixing any inventory issues. They also need to think about

the company's organizational structure and create several leadership positions because it is no longer possible to focus all their time on the operations of the business.

More importantly, Brian, Mattie, Sam and Tom feel that the core issue is the lack of understanding and focus

of the employees on the firm's commitment to $100$ percent customer satisfaction.

Summary question: GASC wants to expand its business, and the partners need to find the right kind of

workers. They are having difficulty finding talent, and they are losing experienced, older workers in crucial

customer relations positions. The partners overlook the contributions and underutilize their older employees.

The partners decide to ask several of their older workers for recommendations and conclude that the loss of

several of these individuals could potentially damage their business further. Do you agree that older workers

can convey the company's values to new hires, serve as role models for workplace behavior, be mentors in

knowledge transfer to younger employees and provide a ready resource for periodic workforce projects? How

would you make this case?

Discuss this case study and do analysis $?$