I was talking to a client recently (let’s call him Captain X) who had just started a new role and was finding his feet with his employer (Company X). As he sat down with his team individually, he asked about training and asked how they encourage the junior members to improve and progress within the company. The response was disappointing.
He went onto tell me the company “didn’t do training as we don’t like to train people up for them to leave” to which Captain X’s response was “if that’s how things work here, I think you’ve employed the wrong guy”. Well said Sir.
I not only congratulated Captain X for his response but I also walked away from our meeting with this niggling feeling of frustration that such logic even exists anymore. Now don’t get me wrong, this has since been nipped in the bud, and training is now very much part of the agenda at Company X! But it led me to think, how many other companies have this attitude? But more importantly, actually believe it?!
Construction is a fantastic industry to be part of but there are huge candidate shortages across the board, whether that be Brickies, Site Managers, Plumbers, Engineers or Quantity Surveyor’s to name a few!! It’s a common misconception that employee’s motivators are money related but that is actually rarely the case. More often than not, it’s down to how that person feels in their role. Are they valued within the team? Do you offer everything you can as an employer? Like training, supporting them in gaining their relevant qualifications or even supporting their need to finish at 4pm every Wednesday to pick up the kids from school.
At the grand old age of 33, I have worked for a few companies. Some moves were down to relocation or change in career, one was just a lack of understanding in the role (enter my year as an Investment Banking Assistant in London…..I was nothing short of terrible, had no clue what I was doing but loved my team!). Others, however, were simply down to how the company was managed and how I felt working there.
I am coming up to 3 years at Girling Jones in April of this year and I can honestly say it was the best decision I ever made, for many reasons, but predominantly because of how I am treated as an employee. I have been encouraged from day one, made to believe I am valued and that I have the ability to progress as much as I want to, dependant on the work I wish to put in.
A simple resolve? Look after your staff, and the rest will follow….
Or in the words of Francesca Dutfield “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to”. (She may have stolen that)