Many dispensary owners don’t dedicate enough time and energy to new budtender training. While it might seem like a good idea to cut down the training process and just teach new budtenders on the job, this can lead to frustration and high turnover rates.

Budtender retention is a growing problem in the cannabis industry. A recent survey found that 55% of budtenders had left the cannabis world behind for a position in a different industry in just one year.

Providing poor training for your budtenders can make them less confident on the sales floor and lead to mistakes. Employees may stop feeling enthusiastic about coming to work and mentally check out. Plus, budtenders won’t know enough about your products to sell them to your clients, losing you money.

If you want to keep your budtenders on your staff long-term, while also creating a positive work environment, follow these 4 budtender training tips properly from the start.

When your new budtender arrives for their first day on the job, they’ll be excited to see the sales floor, learn about your products, and understand your mission. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get bogged down completing forms and dealing with logistical issues during their first shift or two instead.

Making the paperwork portion of budtender training as simple as possible can have a huge impact on your retention rates. Your onboarding process is the first interaction a budtender will have with your company after they’re hired, so it’s ideal to make a positive first impression.

Employees who undergo effective onboarding are 69% more likely to stay with an employer for at least three years, and 58% more likely to stay on for more than three years. Plus, a standardized employee onboarding process can lead to 50% greater productivity over haphazard procedures.

To make the onboarding process easier, leverage HR cannabis software like KayaPush. Their onboarding and employee management software allows your new budtenders to fill out their forms digitally, speeding up the process and ensuring documents and certifications don’t get lost. Plus, their HCM software helps you manage job applicants, track employee performance, and store your company’s operating procedures securely.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are the important documents, systems, protocols, and processes you use to manage your cannabis dispensary on a daily basis. Creating SOPs that your employees can easily follow will make your dispensary more efficient and more profitable.

Developing and documenting SOPs makes future training much easier for both your manager and your new employee. Since all of the rules and processes of your dispensary are documented, every new budtender will be trained the same way, which will ensure your customers experience the same level of service every time they visit your dispensary.

Every single one of your budtenders needs to be a cannabis expert if you want to provide the best service possible to your customers. Unfortunately, many dispensary owners fail to include comprehensive cannabis education during the budtender training process.

Don’t assume your new budtenders are cannabis experts. Even if they consume marijuana, they still need to be educated about the specific items you stock and what to recommend to customers with different goals. Some basic knowledge of sativa vs. indica, terpenes, and different strains can be valuable, too.

When people don’t find their job meaningful, they’re much more likely to become complacent, slack off on the job, or quit prematurely. One way to increase budtender retention is to stress your company’s mission and values during budtender training.

Let new hires know the ways that your cannabis dispensary differs from competitors in the area. Tell them stories about how your current staff have helped customers with medical conditions or other needs. Be open about why you started your dispensary in the first place.

Making your mission personal to your employees can really help your dispensary thrive. Research shows that just a 10% improvement in your employees’ connection with your dispensary’s mission can lead to an 8.1% decrease in turnover and a 4.4% increase in profitability, so purpose-based budtender training is definitely worth your time.

Proper budtender training is key to retaining your employees. If you can create realistic expectations, provide consistent SOPs, and demonstrate the amazing work you do for your customers, your budtenders will be exceptional employees for years to come.

KayaPush offers comprehensive software that will help train and retain your new employees. Their scheduling solutions make it easy for your budtenders to manage their timesheets while also saving you up to 10 hours per week. Plus, the software can help you manage payroll, track job applicants, and review your labor vs. sales reports. Book a free demo and level up your budtender training today!