Clear Plans and Team-Oriented Cultures Build Talent

Restoration firms live in a very task-oriented and time-sensitive world, which is why taking the time to find the right employees and ensure they are well-trained are of the utmost importance. Replacing employees can cost companies thousands of dollars, including not only salaries and benefits but also the costs of onboarding and lost productivity. Turnover costs for a manager can cost 150 percent of their salary or more, according to a study from the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley. This is why it is so important that restoration firms plan ahead and hire well at the outset.

The Right Job Description Keeps the Business Running Smoothly

Like the task-oriented industry, job descriptions should outline the key responsibilities of each role in the firm. There will be tasks that fall outside of those responsibilities for each employee, but most of the bullet-point list should be encompassing. Companies also need to update these descriptions regularly with input from employees who do the work. Experts say this improves accountability and understanding of everyone’s role within the company.

Clear job descriptions and chains of accountability can make it simpler to find who is responsible for good work that should be praised and whose poor performance needs to be corrected. Restoration professionals juggle a breadth of responsibilities on a number of jobs, including estimating, equipment maintenance and accounting. They also need to be able to handle emergencies and high-volume jobs while adhering to procedures, standards and best practices.

Identifying Talent

Restoration firms need workers who not only have manual labor skills and technical knowledge but also industrial skills and people intelligence. In many cases, firms would be better to hire talent from related service industries where they do not have direct restoration experience. Hiring a restoration professional from another firm may lead to shortcuts that cost the company money in terms of material, lost time and reputational damage, but hiring talent from other industries can lead to fresh perspectives. The best candidates, say experts, are those who are honest, hardworking and willing to learn.

6 Tips for Finding Talent

1. After engaging with followers online, restoration firms can use social media to post new job listings.
2. Tell employees when you’re looking for new talent, communicate what job you’re looking to fill and offer them an incentive for finding the right fit.
3. Keep an eye open for talent when you’re off duty and engaging with the community, so you can tap the resource when the time is right.
4. Ensure your company sets itself apart in all of its dealings to make a good impression on interviewees before they walk in the door.
5. Create a hiring process, interview process and a checklist to use throughout the hiring process, and tweak it if they do not lead to the best talent.
6. Provide ongoing training for all new employees and regular check-ins to see if they are comfortable and thriving.

Attracting Talent

Many potential candidates will receive multiple offers, and those offers can come quickly. Restoration firms need to find ways to set themselves apart from the competition. Keep the best candidates engaged throughout the vetting process, and stay aware of what candidates are looking for in a company and work environment. Millennial candidates, in particular, need to be convinced that the restoration and cleaning sector is best suited to their priorities for flexible work schedules and that it can connect them to their communities. Interviews with these candidates also should explore their career goals and work habits, as well as what types of challenges they may face in the field if they are hired.

4 Tips for Onboarding Talent

1. Don’t assume new hires know the lingo and best practices; speak in terms they understand and explain tasks in detail when needed.
2. Ensure orientation is fun and engaging, making the new hire feel like part of the team.
3. Write down and make accessible all policies and procedures, including dress codes, codes of conduct, etc.
4. Move beyond the paperwork and ensure new hires meet everyone on the team, including managers.

Employee Retention

Although money is not the only benefit you can offer new hires, it is a big component and must be comparable with competitors’ salary and benefits packages. Experience, certifications and education, and previous work history should be taken into account when determining wages, but employers also need to consider if they want to pay out bonuses for individual or companywide performance. Additionally, restoration firms need an employee retention plan to guide new hires and coach them along their career. These plans include how to recruit new hires and interview them, as well as steps for developing policies, training staff, improving morale and refining management skills.

Lynn E. Krafft, owner of Krafft Cleaning in New York, says starting workers on smaller jobs allows them to prove themselves before they are moved on to tasks that require more time and experience. Retention teams can help address problems encountered on the job more quickly, and they can meet regularly or at the end of a project, encouraging workers to provide feedback and self-evaluations about their job satisfaction and their roles in the company.

Managers should pay close attention to worker feedback for innovative ideas and areas for improvement. These teams can provide managers with the on-the-ground connection they need to address workers’ challenges and provide positive reinforcement for daily successes.

Restoration firms that build solid organizational structures and a team-oriented environment where every voice matters are likely to be the most successful in hiring talent and retaining them over the long term.