This is the second in a 5-part series about specific strategies you can use in order to retain your best construction employees. You can find the first installment, concerning passing on your vision here.
Train your team
Construction company owners who receive passion as well as performance from their employees are the ones who hire teachable people, train them well, and then give them the autonomy to make decisions.
In order to engage your people there must be ongoing training and education. The different areas which you should address include:
Teaching practical skills which keep up with the newest tools and best practices in your particular piece of the construction pie.
Instruction concerning up-to-date supplies for your industry.
Guidance concerning the use of computers as well as the systems and apps your company uses.
Training for building leadership and supervisory skills.
Coaching about the newest safety guidelines and paraphernalia.
Additionally, you may wish to consider developing a program concerning team building.
For your sake
Brad Humphrey, writing at For Construction Pros has a well thought out message concerning why you must take or make time to train your people. He gives plenty of examples concerning sources for obtaining training materials or classes, as well as suggestions about the various people who can provide the hands-on training.
Typically, people will comply with rules, policies, and requests when they understand the reasons as well as the expected outcomes.
For their sake
Showing your employees that you care about their personal as well as professional growth, giving them a roadmap to advancement and success will cultivate an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Training provides career pathways. You are giving them tools to improve themselves. Training that helps employees grow their skills and knowledge to better perform their current job is appreciated as a benefit. It is seen as a gesture that the company cares about their employees. Employee training creates a full-blown, all-out environment of support from your company. It empowers your employees to deliver more and be more confident. Employees who are valued feel more satisfaction concerning their jobs.
Coming full circle
Better trained employees leads to increased rates of success on projects.
Success breeds general satisfaction at work.
Satisfaction leads to more commitment.
A committed employee will be willing to do his or her work when adversity strikes, when there is a last-minute push, when searching for a better way to accomplish a task, when someone needs to step to the plate, when there is an opportunity for more responsibility.
Your turn
Develop a plan which includes the various areas in which your employees need further training, a way to accomplish each type of needed training, and a way to follow-up to be sure the training has been effective.