Making Managers

The building service contracting industry is plagued by high turnover. Workers may drop out for a job with better hours, public interaction, less physical labor and of course, more pay. Even the best employees might jump ship before they are given the chance to be promoted.

But for those employees who stick around, train them and allow them to grow into managers and supervisors. Managers and supervisors have greater responsibilities than other employees. They are in charge of a team and have to make sure everyone works together to accomplish the tasks at hand.

Promotions, recognition and raises will give employees the incentive to work harder and the desire to expand their role. A promoted employee already knows the current system and has a proven track record of accomplishments with the company.

However, if the talent isn’t there, BSCs will have to bring in new help. Looking outside the company can help freshen up a stale system. If leadership is promoted from within all the time, a company can miss out on new ideas and become stuck in a rut, says Darin Hargraves, training supervisor, Anchorage School District, Alaska.

Once the right candidates are identified, BSCs need to train them to be effective managers and then keep them there. With these steps, contractors will have a better chance of breaking the turnover cycle.

Where to look
If building service contractors want to look internally for their next manager, they will have to start at the front lines. To keep good candidates in the fold, inform new recruits that with hard work comes the chance for future promotions. And when those positions open up, BSCs need to make sure they follow through with their offer.

When employees see their colleagues promoted into managerial positions, it will inspire them to work harder, says Matt Sullivan, president, Coastal Building Maintenance, Miami.

Create an upward mobility ladder that will encourage employees to improve their work performance and stay with the company longer, says William R. Griffin, president, Cleaning Consultant Services, Inc., Seattle.

“If they do what we want, they can get what they want,” he adds.

With such a model in place, BSCs should help prepare the workers for the climb.

“If you’re engaged with your people, they will in turn be engaged with their job,” says John Luthy, president of The Futures Corporation, a consulting firm in Boise, Idaho.

There are times, however, when promoting from within isn’t an option. If the current help isn’t capable of handling the new responsibilities, don’t force a promotion.

For contractors who have to look outside their company, now might be a good time to do it. A high unemployment rate tends to send more candidates into the service industry, giving contractors a better shot at hiring stronger managerial candidates.

With so many people looking for work, BSCs should consider candidates who take the initiative to find a job, instead of checking the local unemployment office.

“The unemployed are not your best resource,” says Ron Finken, CEO, Accurate Building Maintenance, Las Vegas. “They are unemployed for a reason.”

“I want people who are going after a job, people who are really serious about getting a job,” adds Pat McClure, consultant, HLH Systems, Dublin, Ohio.

Placing ads on job Web sites or in industry-specific magazines can provide good candidate leads, she says.

Sometimes, finding the right candidate means a little extra searching by the BSC.

For instance, Finken’s Las Vegas market is highly competitive. Casinos and hotels take away many of his best candidates. Therefore, if he comes across potential employees himself at places like Burger King or McDonald’s, he tries to lure them in with better benefits and incentives.

Training counts
Hiring is just the start of the process. Once the employee is a part of the company, training will help BSCs make sure they get a good return on their investment.

Many companies will throw their employees into the job to see if they will sink or swim. But this kind of on-the-job training isn’t necessarily the best approach.

“If they sink, you have to start over,” says McClure. “But for a little nurturing up front, the employee will embrace the vision and image of the company, be more productive, and you keep them a little longer.”

For effective training, contractors have a couple options. Some BSCs prefer to use an outside training company or seminars to handle the new training. While beneficial, the cost of travel, hotel and the training itself is too high for others to consider.

“You would make quite an investment for someone who might leave you,” says Griffin.”

For capable BSCs, training can be just as effective when handled within the company.

“[Training] doesn’t need to be complex or expensive. It just needs to be there,” says Luthy.

Start the training process by talking about the company’s goals. This is essential for people new to the organization, but also serves as a helpful reminder for long-time employees.

“Vision and mission is something we need managers to understand,” says McClure. “People get frustrated when they don’t know what’s expected of them.”

When workers understand the company’s goals, they will take the initiative to help the company meet them, she continues. For example, if you tell someone to mop the bathroom of a school, they will simply mop it. But if you tell them that you’re mopping to make sure the children don’t get sick, they will work harder and figure out better ways to perform their task.

Next, put them through custodial training. Though managers may not clean everyday, there are times when their employees may not show up and they will need to make up the difference, says Griffin. Plus, managers need to know what chemicals and cleaning methods work best with each job, adds Sullivan.

After that comes the actual managerial training. Teach new managers how to coach employees, perform reviews, and give feedback (both positive and correctional). It is helpful to have someone in a managerial or similar role handle this process rather than a book or manual, says Griffin.

“You don’t get any character from [a manual]. A lot of things can’t be put in writing,” he adds.

Then give follow-up training. Griffin suggests giving employees books or articles about managing. Set up a schedule and list of topics to talk about. This will keep the lines of communication open between managers and keep focused on getting better at their job, he adds.

Judging success
Unfortunately, no matter how much work a building service contractor puts in to mentoring managers, not all of them will work out. Some managers may leave on their own, but others just might not be right for the job.

“The job of a supervisor is to get results and achieve goals of the organization,” says Hargraves. “If they aren’t, maybe they need more help or more training.”

Success can be measured by turnover of employees and accounts, quality of work, number of injuries, number of complaints, and if the supervisor inspires other employees to become leaders themselves.

When a supervisor provides input and support to the company and goes beyond the expectations and responsibilities of his job, you know you hired a good supervisor, says Griffin.

To keep managers from leaving, use the same cycle of recognition and incentives that gives promising front-line workers a sense that advancement is possible.

“You hope there is enough enrichment and fulfillment in the job itself that they will want to stay,” says McClure. “Someone can always come along and offer them more money, but more money doesn’t always equal a better job. Get them to feel that they are entrepreneurs and that they are making decisions, making a difference.”