During my years in the maintenance management field, I’ve learn a lot from watching the management strategies of our MPulse customers.
Nick is one of those customers. He has a knack for finding—and keeping—good maintenance employees. Recently I asked him about his secret.
“It’s hard to find good people these days,” Nick said. “So when you do, you want to make sure you don’t give them a reason to leave you.”
Nick’s strategy for keeping good maintenance techs once he finds them?
“My maintenance strategy? Invest in your people” he said.
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Invest in Maintenance Employees, Invest in Your Bottom Line
Nick admits he doesn’t hire based on skill level. Instead, he looks for aptitude and a willingness to learn.
“You can teach skills,” he said. “But it’s hard to work with someone who’s not interested in learning.”
Once he hires the right people, however, his job has just begun.
“Over the years, I’ve learned employees don’t leave jobs, they leave managers,” he said. “It’s my job to help them understand the value of their contributions. I share our big picture goals. I ask for their opinions and their concerns. Cultivating a connection to our company and its mission creates a sense of pride that makes it much more than a job.”
Position Your Employees for Success with the Right Tools
Part of investing in your maintenance team is making sure they have the right tools to do their jobs. And CMMS software is the best tool you’ve got to keep your maintenance team productive and efficient.
Over the years, Nick has watched as CMMS software shifted from a “nice to have” to a “must have” in their maintenance department.
“Our younger employees come in assuming this type of technology is part of the job,” he said. “We’ve moved away from technology resistance in the older generations to the expectation that we’ll keep our technology updated.”
Nick also believes training is a tool. When he sends team members to off-site trainings, he has them share their experience with other team members, like an in-house apprentice program. “It takes time,” Nick said. “But it pays big dividends in the long run.”
Nick is very aware of his team’s ability to affect the financial performance of his organization. He sees professional development as an investment in the future of the entire organization.
“Our organization’s success depends on our people,” he said. “Investing in our employees is a strategy to improve everyone’s future.”
What’s your strategy for finding and keeping good maintenance employees? Leave a comment below or contact me.
