It’s care and dedication to seeing his team succeed that’s brought Greg Reinhart such business success. Since first opening the doors 15 years ago, Rhino Labour has developed a reputation for supplying skilled and dependable workers as a temporary labour services agency.

Like so many business owners, COVID-19 has challenged Greg to reimagine aspects of his business for the safety of those he works with. Instead of dwelling on the negative, Greg is using the opportunity to consider how the changes he had to make could benefit Rhino Labour in the long run.

We caught up with Greg to learn more about his business and his strategies for adjusting through COVID-19.

Island Savings: Tell us, what inspired you to start Rhino Labour?
Greg Reinhart: Well, I went to school to become a teacher. I quickly realized that teaching in the traditional sense wasn’t for me, but I still wanted to give something back. I discovered that helping people find employment was immensely rewarding, and with that Rhino Labour was born.

Three years after we opened our first branch we realized there was a need in the Nanaimo area, so we expanded to serve this community as well. We then opened our third branch in Westshore just three years ago. We’ve now helped thousands of people find employment, and that’s a great feeling.

IS: I imagine you’ve cultivated strong relationships with your clients—the companies you work with—in that time.
GR: It’s true. We have close personal relationships with many of our clients—I like to say that they’re not clients, they’re friends. It’s these trusting relationships that helped to build Rhino Labour. When we send associates out the door, I want our clients to know that we care about their business. That’s where our slogan, “People you can depend on,” comes from.

IS: Tell me, why do some of your clients prefer to hire someone on a temporary basis, instead of full-time?
GR: Our clients appreciate that we look after the Worker’s Compensation down to the T4s—they are Rhino employees. So, if your organization is taking on a temporary project, you can bring in a crew to get the job done without having to lay them off once it’s over. It’s a win-win for everyone.

On the flip side, if a client is looking to hire employees on a full-time basis, we pair them with people who are seeking full-time employment. We try to help our associates further their career goals by matching them with the types of jobs they’re looking for.   

IS: There seems to be a misconception that people seek temporary work because they can’t find full time employment. Isn’t it true that some people just prefer flexibility with their schedules?
GR: That’s correct, everyone has a different story. Some people look to temporary employment as a means to securing full-time work, while others prefer to stay on a temporary basis. We see lots of young people who are interested in the trades but undecided on what area specifically they want to pursue. Through temporary work, they can be exposed to different types of work. It gives them a flavour for each, so they’re better equipped to decide the direction they want to take with their career.

IS: I imagine COVID-19 had an impact on your associates. Can you tell us, how were you affected?  
GR: COVID-19 caught us all off guard. Our associates used to come in first thing in the morning, gathering in groups of 10 to 20 to 30 people. Obviously, that can’t happen anymore. As a result of the new restrictions, we’ve been pre-dispatching our associates and organizing them differently so they’re not together in large groups. We’ve really looked at the pandemic as an opportunity to review and better streamline our systems, to evolve as a company.

IS: Can you elaborate on that? What other areas of your business have evolved as a result of COVID-19?
GR: When COVID first started, my goal was not to dwell in the moment, but instead understand the problem, adhere to the new regulations in place, and look down the road to understand how we can be better from this. We wanted to find a way to make Rhino Labour a better company for our clients, our associates and of course a safe place to work for our staff. And I think we’ve been moving in the right direction.

As an example, we’re now doing electronic time keeping whereas previously our associates would track their hours with a paper ticket. And, thanks to Island Savings, our associates don’t have to come back to the office when they’re done their workday. Instead, we e-Transfer their pay right to their account. What we’ve done is create a full circle system that’s more streamlined, saves time and energy for our associates, and allows us to be more efficient as a business.

Hear Greg and Island Savings business banking advisor, Brittany Bird, speak more about Rhino Labour and the effects of COVID-19 in this video.