As roofing professionals and business owners, we have all seen the articles discussing the “Great Resignation” our country is currently experiencing. It’s also quite possible you have felt the impact of this job market within your own business. If you haven’t felt the impact, count yourself lucky and remember that you should still be paying attention to what is going on because that could change at any moment.
If you are a roofing professional concerned about the Great Resignation, the Roofing Academy team is here to help. Keep reading below to learn a bit more about the phenomenon and what you can do to keep it from impacting you.
What is the Great Resignation?
The Great Resignation is a phenomenon that we are seeing across the United States. Workers, especially workers in the Millenial and Gen-Z generation, are extremely frustrated by the old standards set for employees in this country and they want a change. They want fair salaries that they can afford to live on, benefits packages that meet their needs, time off to spend with family, and a workplace that they enjoy spending time in.
These generations have realized that they are now the ones with the power and they do not have to stay in jobs that do not provide the things they are looking for. Because of that companies set in their ways are seeing extremely high rates of resignation and having a really hard time backfilling those roles. Companies determined to stick to the old standards of doing things are losing their shining stars to companies that value their employees.
What can you do to keep the Great Resignation from impacting you?
- Offer fair and competitive wages
Salary is one of the biggest reasons why employees leave a company and in this inflated economy, it is understandable. Roofing is hard labor and it is important to compensate your employees fairly for their time and the physical labor they do. Remember, if you are not adjusting wages to be competitive, they’ll find someone who is!
- Provide work-life balance and time off
The employee who is fine working 12 hour days, week after week, with no time off, or holidays is long gone. The new workforce values their personal time and if they do not feel they are able to have the work-life balance they want at your roofing company, they will find another one where they can.
- Don’t forget about benefits
Benefits are tricky and if your roofing company is smaller, they can be even trickier. There is no one size fits all solution and we don’t want to pretend like there is. However, you should absolutely be offering the best possible benefits that you can given the size, revenue, and age of your company.
- Get to know your team
Take time to sit down and get to know your team members. Who are they? What matters to them? What do they value? What are their career goals? How do they like to be recognized? Knowing your team can not only help you lead them better, but will also make them feel like they are not just a number to you, but that you care about them as a person.
- Be an honest and transparent leader
People do not feel like they are being lied to or only told half of the story. Be as honest and transparent as possible with your employees about business decisions and changes. Of course, you might not be able to share everything, but acknowledging when and why you can’t go into full detail is also a great way to make employees feel that you are leading with honesty and respecting them.
- Say thank you more often
Leaders drastically underestimate the power that a simple thank you has. When people are burnt out or frustrated at work, it is often because they do not feel appreciated. Start recognizing and thanking your employees for all that they do because without them, your business wouldn’t be what it is.
- If and when someone leaves, conduct exit interviews
Exit interviews are a great opportunity for you to learn something from your former employees. When employees sit down with leadership or HR on their last day, they are likely to be much more candid with their feedback than they might be when they are worried about their job security.
Ask for their open and honest feedback about their time working for you and why they are leaving. Then, use their feedback to make positive changes for your existing employees where possible.
You cannot expect every single person who works for you to work for you forever. Really, you shouldn’t want them to work for you forever. If they are a shining star, you should want them to learn and grow and chase their own dreams if they can’t do so as your employee.
Even though people will always leave, taking the advice above will help keep them around a little longer and be a place they may refer hardworking friends as well. If this post was helpful, a Roofing Academy Membership comes with plenty more just like it. Click here to learn more about our offerings for roofing professionals everywhere!