Many HVAC service providers lost significant revenue during the pandemic, and for some, it’s taking time to fully recover. If you’re in that situation, you may have put off hiring HVAC technicians, specifically new helpers, in an effort to reduce costs.
However, as you recover financially, it’s important to refocus on the big picture and think strategically. If you continue to neglect hiring younger HVAC technicians to seed your workforce, you’ll have a serious problem on your hands in a few years.
Let’s take a look at why it’s so important to optimize our workforce by continuously hiring and training new HVAC technicians.
SPOILER ALERT: there are immediate benefits to be gained along with the longer-term ones.
Don’t put off hiring HVAC technicians & helpers to seed the workforce
Here are just a few reasons why failing to hire new helpers is a decision that may come back to haunt you.
Older workers will still retire on schedule, or even sooner.
The pandemic has influenced many workers to retire early and even change careers. And those who are nearing retirement will still retire on schedule. If you don’t hire new helpers for a while, you will find yourself short of skilled workers in a couple of years’ time. At that point, it’s going to be very difficult to replace them.
You may lose the chance to capture your knowledge base.
If you don’t seed the workforce with young trainees now, you’re failing to capture the combined knowledge of your experienced workforce. If they retire without sharing what they know, you’ll lose the expertise that your customers want and need.
You’re forced to pay experienced workers to do simple work.
Lacking those first-year helpers, somebody still must do the simple tasks like changing filters and picking up supplies. That means you must use more experienced (and more highly paid) people to do these tasks, which also means they are not available to do more difficult work.
And, it means they are not as available to continue learning and growing their skills. Over time, you’ll find that you are paying more for less skilled work.
Your overtime costs may increase during the busy season.
When you forgo hiring younger HVAC technician trainees, fewer workers mean more overtime for everyone when demand increases.
All of these scenarios point to the same conclusion: hiring HVAC technicians to seed the workforce now will bring significant payoffs over time, even if they are not absolutely needed at the moment.
How to avoid losing the HVAC technicians you hire & train
One of the frustrations we hear from service providers, which can keep them from hiring new HVAC technicians, is the fear that new hires will leave after being trained.
Here are some tips for preventing that problem.
Set expectations when you hire.
When you’re hiring HVAC technician trainees, you are inviting people into a new industry and a completely new type of job, for most. It’s very smart to avoid any misunderstandings about what the job entails by setting expectations clearly from the outset.
During the hiring process, make sure candidates know if they will be expected to do overtime or forego time off during the busy season. Make sure they understand the physical nature of the work.
Also, let them know what the training process will be like, and how their skills and responsibilities will grow as they progress in their training. Doing this can reassure people who may be nervous about being asked to do work they don’t understand yet.
Finally, tell your new hires about how they can grow and advance in their careers.
These articles can help you set expectations with new hires and set them up for success.
HVAC Technician Apprenticeship: What to Expect in the First Year
How to Be a Valued Employee in HVAC Service
Promote the benefits of union.
Some employers have had technicians leave for non-union jobs that pay an extra dollar an hour. That’s a shame, not only for the employers but for the technicians, too. Many younger workers fail to understand that they’re giving up so much more than a few dollars a day when they lose their union benefits.
You can try to prevent this problem by making sure your technicians understand the value of their union benefits.
Here’s are more helpful articles you can share:
Get to Know Your NYC Refrigeration & HVAC Union: UA Local 638
HVAC Union vs. Non Union Jobs: Which Way Should You Go?
Make employees want to stay.
Satisfied employees generally aren’t looking to jump ship, even if they know they can make a little more money elsewhere. Quality of work life matters. The culture of your workplace, the way you treat your employees, and the opportunities you offer them can make a big difference in their job satisfaction and willingness to stay with you.
Here’s an article that can help you retain employees at all stages of their career.
Employee Retention Ideas: How to Keep Your Top Talent
Consider the alternative.
Without a doubt, it’s annoying when you lose someone after you have invested time and money in training them. However, it’s important to realize that, realistically, it’s a risk you have to take. After all, what’s the alternative? Having an inadequate and poorly-trained workforce. That’s a bigger problem that can threaten the survival of your business.
HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.
Learn about technical careers in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry, how to get hired and tips to build your career.