Hiring is hard enough, so once you have employees, you want to do everything in your power to keep them — which is why it’s frustrating when workers choose to do a no show, no call. How do you hold on to your employees and increase employee retention? Industry professionals share their insights:
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THE QUESTION:
Luke Norris
Luke Pools | Cumming, Ga.
“Another no show, no call for a new employee today. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Does anyone have some groundbreaking ideas on how to get people to show up?”
THE ANSWERS:
David Sage
Alliance Pool Works | Tyler, Texas
“1. I try to hire only recommended people. I let my local group of FB friends know I’m hiring.
2. I tell them they will be tested. If they still show up, I give them an IQ test and a couple of “can you spot the differences” and brain teasers. It tells me a lot of what I’m working with. Whether they have drive or intelligence or not.
3. I don’t do weekends, holidays or past 6 p.m. in the summer anymore.
4. I have great employees, and I try to tell them “thank you” every day. I give them time off when they want it, and we all pick up the slack. Time is more valuable than money to this new generation. We are a “work family” — for real.
5. I won’t sacrifice a good employee for the sake of a customer. Loyalty goes a long way.
6. Read the book “Nuts.” It’s the best when learning how to manage people.”
Irven Mcgoohan
Splash Pool and Spa | Lawton, Okla.
“Try to hire more than you need, hire hire hire. Don’t depend on what you have. Tell the ones that are there if they don’t perform, you’ll cut hours. Keep hiring people. You can never have enough quality people.”
Francis Chambers
Dolphin Pools | Carpinteria, Calif.
“Pay on Mondays. It works. I promise!”
Wesley Lance
A & L Pool Service | High Bridge, N.J.
“I have 12 employees. I pay them well and provide them with health insurance, 401k, etc. I don’t have turnover. They show up and do the best they can. Without good employees, I would have nothing.”
Bernie Phelps
Rivertown Pool Service | Conway, S.C.
“I had one employee not show up today who actually doesn’t show up on a lot of Mondays. I finally told him if he didn’t get to work on time, he doesn’t have a job. I decided to put a time clock in my shop with an incentive: If you punch in by 6:20 a.m. and punch out everyday for a month, I’ll give a $50 bonus. I haven’t paid anything yet!”
Tony Arredondo
The Pool Guys of Tampa Bay | South Tampa, Fla.
“We offer a $500 sign-on bonus after 30 days. I am a very firm believer in rewarding good work ethic.”
Aaron Nagler
Rising Sun Pool & Spa | Victorville, Calif.
“It’s not easy. We have two fairly new part-time technicians. One is about to complete her 90-day probationary/training period. I’ve found that giving employees incentives, making them feel a part of the team and having good company structure makes things a lot easier.
You have to focus on the hiring process and choosing the right people. I chose a new technician (who had never done this kind of job before) over a candidate with 15 years of experience. Why? Because of attitude. While the guy with experience said all of the right things, I could tell that he had zero drive. The other candidate had worked her way up from cashier to assistant store manager at Panera Bread. So far, focusing on these types of potential team members has really worked out for us.”
