“It’s so hard to find good help and to keep good people on staff.” This is the most common challenge I hear from contractors around the country. And without quality staff—both in the office and in the field—your sales and marketing efforts will suffer.
Because of the building industry’s low unemployment rate, employees and subs are tempted to move from one company to the next, leaving builders constantly searching for quality employees and trade contractors. In a market like this, it’s much smarter to retain quality employees than to have to go searching for new ones.
The first step to successful human resources is to eliminate the term “employee” from your vocabulary. Refer to your people as associates, team members, partners, staff, or “super people.” The point is that you must elevate their positions to much more than a wage-earning, clock-punching employee. Choose an empowering term for your team and have them take ownership of that term.
Here are a few more tips for keeping your employee-associates happy and motivated to work for you:
- Define expectations and outcomes clearly. The most satisfied employees know exactly what is expected of them and understand the ultimate goal of a particular project or job description. In other words, they can see the “big picture” for their position. Most importantly, they have managers or employers that allow them to find their own route toward those outcomes.
- Encourage continuing development. Employees who are encouraged to expand their personal and professional development appreciate their jobs even more. Seminars, ongoing certification programs, and personal coaches give employees an edge.
- Extend recognition and praise. These are essential building blocks for employee retention. Employees say they need a pat on the back at least once a week.
- Genuinely care about your employees. Employees say that when someone at work sincerely cares about them as a person, they tend to stay longer and have a much higher level of productivity.
- Salary and benefits are not the No. 1 reason that people stay at a company. Surprised? The fact is that employees say it is actually fifth on their list of top 10 reasons to stay at a company. Work environment, people issues, and growth opportunities rate much higher than money and benefits.
- Offer regular, quality feedback. Regular performance evaluations help the employee be focused and productive. Emphasis should be placed on the employee’s strengths and how best to use them.
- Nurture friendships at the office. Employers understand that loyalties between their personnel can foster company loyalty. Set up an environment in which friendships can be developed and are able to grow.
- Provide the right tools. Having the right resources and equipment for your people is essential. Simple things like adequate lighting, ergonomic furniture, product information guides, and networked computers allow your people to perform effectively and efficiently.
- Include employees in the decision-making process. Great employers consult with employees regularly to make sure their ideas are recognized. When their opinions count and credit is given to them for good ideas, employees tend to stay satisfied.
- Allow them to make a difference. When your team members feel a sense of mission and purpose, their jobs have meaning and significance. The best workplaces give employees a sense of purpose, help them feel they belong, and enable them to make a difference.
Keeping employee-associates happy is a challenge that you can win. When you apply the principles above you will build a dynamic team of people to support you and your bottom-line goals; their satisfaction will be your success.
Paul Montelongo has been a builder for more than 23 years and is a speaker and consultant to the construction industry. Visit Paul at www.contractorofchoice.com.
