business management
20
MICA MESSENGER
L
ast month, I wrote about my 
flooded apartment and how 
sometimes the tools of the 
trade aren’t the only things that 
matter; trust, transparency and 
communication are just as important. 
That story highlighted one thing that 
can’t be understated in this industry: 
the importance of showing up when 
things go wrong.
That same idea applies to a major 
challenge facing the industry today: 
employee retention.
We can talk all day about labor 
shortages, generational gaps and 
rising wages; those are very real, 
very pressing concerns! But, keeping 
valued workers is just as important 
as attracting new ones. Not only that, 
companies with high turnover rates 
are likely to be looked at through 
a microscope by any prospective 
employees. Why do so many people 
leave? Is management doing something 
wrong? Is that the kind of place I want 
to work?
Running a business is hard, especially 
when it means ensuring that customers 
and workers stay happy. Sometimes, 
those two goals contradict each other. 
A client might want immediate service 
at the exact moment your team needs a 
break. A customer may expect rock-
bottom pricing while your technicians 
deserve a raise. You want to bend over 
backward to protect your reputation, 
but not at the cost of burning out the 
people who make that reputation 
possible.
That tension is real, and every 
contractor feels it at some point. Finding 
balance means walking a tightrope 
between doing what keeps your 
customers coming back, and doing 
what keeps your employees happy to 
keep going out to get the job done.
It’s about more than policies and 
procedures. It’s about clarity and 
consistency. Are your techs empowered 
to say no to unreasonable requests? 
Do they feel supported when a client 
pushes back? Do your customers 
understand the value behind your 
pricing, and the fact that your team 
isn’t just delivering a service, they’re 
delivering their skill, time and care?
It’s also about trust on both sides of 
the equation. When customers know 
you take care of your team, that trust 
carries through in the quality of the 
work. And, when employees know 
they’re not expected to sacrifice their 
mental health or personal life to meet 
impossible expectations, they respond 
with loyalty and pride.
MORE THAN A 
PAYCHECK:
WHY RETENTION STARTS 
WITH RESPECT
Kristen Bayles
P&M Magazine Associate Editor

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.