Contributed by: Robert More’ - BYLT Restoration 

People are the greatest asset a company can have. Good people gravitate to good culture which starts at the top.  

Techs want to be managed. They need to be managed; they will leave if they aren’t being managed. Employees coming into the restoration work force are looking for structure and organization. In the book by KnowHow, “ Why Workers Quit” they say that the new employees coming into a company are looking for high levels of structure on their on-boarding. They also say that today's worker isn’t looking to jump ship right away. They are looking to lay down roots and stay. Give them what they want. Be the company they want to be a part of from the beginning.
Become a process driven company.

People and their environment 

A violinist played 45 minutes on the New York subway. 4 people stopped and one clapped and they managed to raise 20 dollars.

The following night the same violinist played in one of the most recognized stages in the world and charged a minimum of $100 per entry.

The experiment proved that the extraordinary in an ordinary environment does not shine, it is not recognized. 

There are brilliant professionals who don't receive a reward according to their potential. Once they arm themselves with value and leave this kind of environment they thrive and grow.You see this all the time in sports. A good player on one team will just be a good player and thrive, but as soon as he/she’s traded to a better program and fits them. They end up being superstars. 

This reminds me of a previous owner I worked for. I was supported with getting the education I wanted as long as it made sense to the owner, but I didn’t feel free to employ what I had learned. I felt this way because the owner would listen to me. He just didn’t hear me, or take much value in what I said when it came to the industry or ideas.

It made me feel like we weren't on the same page at all. Because of this I just stopped giving my opinion. I didn’t feel my input was valued. I constantly felt that what I said wasn’t valid, and it ultimately created a riff between us. 

What I learned is that we had different values and views. It didn’t matter how much I learned, or how much I felt like I could contribute, the different values wouldn’t let us move forward together. 

 When a person is not in the right atmosphere people could walk by their side and not see how exceptional they are.

My biggest piece of advice is to just please make sure you are where you should be! 

I eventually was asked to leave that company. I ended up with a company that shares a lot of the views I do and has implemented a lot of the things I was trying to implement with the other owner and company. The company I ended up with has had major success with many of the things I had talked about. They have made me feel valued and listen to what I have to contribute.

Owners and leaders who do not know what motivates the Millennials (data from KnowHow’s says 24% Millennials accept jobs based on Culture) or Gen Z(same data says 25% Gen Z accepts based on salary) contributes to the turn over. A lot of the old school owners and managers believe that a Steady paycheck and benefits are enough for the newer generations of workers. These two generations of workers are motivated by more than  just the steady paycheck. Any company that can’t figure out  their individual employees will have a lot of turnover. Not a lot of Owners have even given these workers the chance to be heard; they consider their employees just labor.

So for the old school restorers trying to acquire the new generation of restorers or the next “Super Stars” and onboard them; you must figure  out where to look. How do you figure that out? Where are the newer generation of employees looking for work? Where  are they networking? Utilize your current newer workforce with a referral program. They know how they found you and how to find other quality workers as well. Embrace the future! Don’t  reject it! Listen to the up and comers when they speak! Don’t let your ego or arrogance be your downfall.

Leverage the next generation and don't think of them as a burden.  

Also, knowing your needs and having a clear job description will give you a good idea where to start as well.

I spoke with a business owner that had been in business about a year that has had success out of the gate. Not  just in terms of numbers, but with acquiring and retaining  talent in this “Great Resignation”. I asked him why he felt he had such success. He attributed  it to his focus on having a great culture; or one that focuses on doing right by the customer and his employees. To the extent that his employees want to do it each and every time. Doing it right creates a need for a training program which engages them even further. This culture of doing it right and right by the customer feeds his employees' need to want to help their fellow human in their time of need along with a passion for what they do. They have a culture of servant leadership. 

Being a servant leader doesn’t mean being weak, but being  someone who understands the needs of their people. True servant leader has the courage to lead and the empathy to support. With the newer generations you have to be a servant leader and plan or work backwards with Millennials and Gen Z. You have to start with the ”why.” By starting with why, you give them a purpose. They need to trust and understand the goal. If you believe in their personal growth and help them be successful,  they will believe in the company and help it grow and be successful. Get total by in.

Where I disagree with KnowHow’s assessment of their data is where they say technicians have less of a desire to move up in their career than office staff. Having come from the field myself and talking to the guys in the field everyday, I believe  this is where management/owners miss the mark; that's why they feel stuck. They are good at their trade. They want to move up. Unfortunately, they keep getting told they will, but because of the demand for  great techs in the field, they are being passed over. They are feeling like they are being punished for being great at their craft. 

Am I saying that all good techs will make good managers? Not at all! But just like any position, they need to be given the chance and set up for success! 

Managers and leaders that give great people a shot at advancement, and setting them up for success will never have to worry about employees leaving the company.

Employees quit managers, not companies