Behind every successful HVAC business is the team putting in the daily work. But in reality, building a thriving, profitable team is much easier said than done. That’s because it takes effort, support and commitment from the top, all the way down, to create a culture (and team) set up for success in today’s industry.
So how do you create an impactful team and future-proof a service business for today and tomorrow? The answer is two-fold: Invest in the current team and create opportunities for the next generation of service professionals. This not only empowers employees to grow and upskill, but also enables recruitment of new professionals coming up through the trades.
After decades in the HVAC industry coaching and training, the following best practices help build a healthy team that can boost the bottom line.
Focus on the team
It’s crucial to support everyone — whether tin the office or out in the field — and provide training on the soft and hard skills required to get the job done and be successful. There are four ways to show a team you’re committed to them and their future.
1) Invest in the team. If you’re not willing to invest in your people then the business will suffer — especially in an industry evolving as fast as the HVAC industry. Training is the key to keeping up with technology advancements and helping employees level up their skill sets. But remember, don’t over-train — too much training can lead to overload.
2) Plan for training. There never seems to be a good time (or budget) for training but it’s up to owners and managers to prioritize the time and protect it for the sake of employees. And, sometimes you need to be willing to fly people out of town for training — this is what it takes to steer teams toward collective goals.
3) Talk about training. Before employees go to training, meet with them and discuss what they want to get out of the experience. Then don’t forget to debrief after the training to find out if expectations were met and talk about how to put the learnings into action.
4) Follow up with the team. It’s not effective to send your team to training and never talk about it again — but it happens all of the time. Don’t let training go to waste by not checking in or seeing the progress in action. Collaborate with employees and regularly talk to them about their goals and career paths.
When setting the bar high and committing to providing your team with the training and skills needed to achieve in the HVAC industry, all will reap the benefits.
Create opportunities for apprentices
Many of today’s professionals attend trade schools to learn technical skills and master their trades. While there is not a lack of skilled tradespeople out there, there is a gap in finding them and nurturing their talent. It’s necessary to rethink how to recruit members of the team.
There are three ways to recruit up-and-coming service professionals:
1) Connect with guidance counselors. Technical skills may not be part of a high school curriculum, but there are still students who want to learn the trades. Reach out to guidance counselors at high schools to make a connection and open the lines of communication.
2) Partner with trade schools. For a direct line to service professionals in training, collaborate with and offer apprenticeship programs to trade schools. Sponsor events and provide opportunities for graduates to join your team.
3) Build a university. If possible, starting a university to train and grow talent is the best way to go. By offering a 4-5 month training course, you can help train employees to finetune their trades and learn the business from the source. What’s more, it allows trainees to embark on a career with advancement and opportunity.
Working in the HVAC industry, you must keep one eye on the present, and another on the future. This is why I tell my teams to train and empower employees to be their very best and provide opportunities for those coming up in the ranks — whether in school or learning on the job. That’s how to build teams strong enough to withstand the challenges we face in the future and grow the business to reach its full potential.
John Conway is chief operating officer of Redwood Services.
Image by Freepik
