The installation technicians at Pool Covers Inc. could literally see the writing on the wall. At the company's monthly meeting in September, employees reviewed financials together, projecting the numbers on the wall.
One figure stood out to pool-cover installer Christopher Darling: Sales of pool covers for new construction plunged 49% in September from August, two months ahead of the typical seasonal dropoff and much steeper. What's more, employees learned that the company's bank turned down the loan request that the company needed to get through its slow season. Managers asked employees for alternatives to layoffs.
