How to Attract (and Retain) Top HVAC Employees

6 Tips from the Rheem Human Resources Team on How to Find the Best Employees

It has been a hard time for hiring. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the HVAC industry will have a slower than average growth rate at just 5% from 2020 to 2030.

For contractors, finding the right HVAC employees is essential to servicing the community and good business. Amidst a challenging hiring season, we asked the Rheem human resources team for tips on how to attract the right candidates—and what you need to do to retain them year over year. Here’s what they said.

1. Invest in employee growth. 94% of employees say they would stay at their companies longer if they invested in their career development. So, create an employee development plan that gives team members a clear career path and provide mentorship opportunities that allow employees to grow their skills and leadership potential.

2. Provide leadership training. You’ve heard the phrase “people don’t quit jobs; they quit bosses.” A focus on management training can help team members become better leaders and mentors. There are many online resources for employee development through websites like LinkedIn Learning or Udemy. Support these learning activities and encourage your team to seek them out.
3. Recognize employee contributions. About 68% of HR professionals say that employee recognition is important for retention, yet most organizations lack recognition programs. Finding ways to show employees that their work is valued can improve overall workplace happiness. Set an annual employee recognition event or provide anniversary gifts to promote company longevity.
   
4. Put emphasis on the interview process. Interviewing new candidates can be a time-consuming process, but finding the right fit is key. Don’t hire the first person you interview—make sure that they have the right skills for the job and potential for growth. Use a standardized interview form so questions are consistent across candidates so that you can drill into specific hard and soft skills needed for the perfect fit.

5. Be clear about expectations. Engaged employees who work at companies that understand their goals are more likely to stay and bring passion to their work. Setting job expectations, direction and purpose, along with providing the resources employees’ need to get the job done, can improve retention.
   
6. Promote strong team relationships. Another top reason employees leave a job: poor team dynamics. However, when employees develop a strong relationship with their teammates, their satisfaction at work increases by nearly 50%. Be it through quarterly team outings or regular outside-of-work meetups, make an effort to bring your team together to connect and have fun away from work.

 
At the end of the business day, it’s your employees that step up every day and put their best foot forward for your company, customers and community. Although it can be challenging to find the right employees, putting the right processes in place can help guarantee that you’ll find team members who can get the job done and stay for the long haul.