This Podcast Is Episode Number 463, And It's About Best Construction Employee Retention Secrets Revealed Most construction workers are good decent people who enjoy working with their hands making, building, repairing, remodeling, and fixing homes and commercial buildings.   Good construction workers will not tolerate chaos or unfair labor practices. They will try out many construction companies until they find a contractor with a system. Preferably with documented processes and procedures.   Desirable construction workers have these five traits in common: High Self Esteem Strong Work Ethic Always Learning Loyal To Family And Friends Law Abiding Citizen Traditionally, employers have relied on giving employees raises to retain their staff and reward them for being hard-working and loyal. Raises can get expensive, and there is often an upper limit for what you can offer to increase salaries and wages.  Keeping your employees happy makes business sense. You want to keep your good employees, and it costs money to find, hire and train new staff. Beyond that, satisfied construction workers who feel valued are more motivated and productive.  Here are some ways to keep your staff happy that don't rely on higher salaries: Offer flexible work arrangements Not everyone wants or can work a regular Monday to Friday from 9 to 5. Some people have family priorities or other commitments that keep them busy during normal business hours. If it makes sense for your construction business, consider flexible work arrangements for office staff, such as compressed workweeks (longer days in exchange for more days off), varied start and end times, or job-sharing arrangements. Remote work is another option that employees may want to take advantage of.  Not only will your in-office employees appreciate flexible work arrangements, your customers and clients may also benefit from your business having increased availability.  Pay for professional development Good construction workers want to improve their skills and grow professionally. Often, other priorities get in the way of upgrading skills. Paying for professional development, for example, having a fund people can access or bringing in experts to run workshops, shows your staff you care enough to invest in them. Meanwhile, your business benefits by having staff trained on the newest procedures and technologies.  Encourage work-life balance Employees want a fulfilling life, but it isn't easy to balance work life and home life. Having an employer that encourages a work-life balance makes it more accessible. Avoid messaging (texting, phoning, or emailing) employees after work hours and clarify that people enjoy their personal time. Encourage employees to take their sick leave and use their vacation days. Be a role model by striving for work-life balance yourself.  Be transparent Being open and honest with your workers fosters a sense of trust and belonging among your staff. Have regular meetings where you discuss your organization's goals, strengths, and challenges and receive input and feedback from your team. This encourages engagement and shows your workers that their perspective is valuable.  Having a set of values that applies to your staff Sometimes organizations create noble values that they apply to their customers, but they don't use them to their workers. Employees see clients and customers being treated well but wonder why those same values don't apply to them. Create a set of values that applies to your staff. Set out how you want your team to feel. Do you want them to feel valued? Supported? What does that look like in your organization? Ask your staff what they need It's challenging to come up with solutions that everyone will find meaningful. Ask your staff what would be valuable to them–and what would make them happy enough to stay. For example, they may be pleased with additional vacation days or more banked sick time. Listen...