Every spring I think about one constant obstacle faced by onsite system installers: Finding new workers to either replace someone who’s resigned or retired, or to build a new crew to answer growing demand for their services.

The situation is kind of like the classic 1993 Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day, isn’t it? You know the story about weatherman Phil Conners who is trapped in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, home of another Phil, the famous groundhog who every year predicts when winter will end. Caught in a time loop, the weatherman wakes up every morning only to realize it’s Groundhog Day again and he’s powerless to turn the calendar forward.

In the world of installers — or just about any skilled trade — you are Phil Conners, and every day you wake up facing the same frustrating challenge: finding new helpers. And just like Groundhog Day, the problem comes around every year at the end of winter. So how can you break through this constant short-staffing issue and build the business the way you’ve always wanted to?

Nobody says it’s going to be easy, but overcoming small-business challenges seldom is. But let’s see if we can make some suggestions to help you reach your goal to serve more customers in the upcoming busy season.

THE PROBLEM

First, it’s always good to know what you’re up against. We already know there is a graying of the installer workforce. You’ve probably seen this in your ranks. Your most seasoned technicians and machine operators are in their 50s and 60s and the end of the career is in sight for them. Or you’ve already lost a few of those valued employees and you’re feeling the pinch — both in losing their expertise and strong work ethic.

According to the construction workforce staffing website www.skillwork.com, there would be a need for a projected 1 million new construction-related workers if building trends continue to grow. It noted that in 2021, construction spending was set to increase to $1.45 trillion.

A recent Milwaukee Tool report noted that three out of four tradespeople viewed the labor shortage as a problem. It noted that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said 88% of contractors were having moderate to high levels of difficulty hiring skilled workers. That report gave a familiar explanation to explain the shortage. It noted that since 1980, college enrollments are up by more than 60%, partly owing to a lack of respect for the skilled trades and a misconception that college offers a path to higher pay.

The financial and pay issues have been widely reported. Those who go the university route sometimes wind up in careers making more money, but the four-year degrees create an average student debt of about $30,000 and an average base pay of about $45,000 upon graduation. But as Milwaukee Tool reported, the average pay for traditional trades is $50,000 and up with less time spent in the classroom and less student debt accrued.

TOUT THE INDUSTRY

Based on the growing demand for wastewater services and the limitless career opportunities, installers have a good story to tell. It’s up to us as an industry to make sure that message is received by the quality candidates you want to reach. Following up on some research of my own, here are some suggested strategies for recruiting new installers into the fold:

Keep it in the family

Draw upon your existing team to find that next great crew. Get your workers involved in the recruiting process, helping create job descriptions, lists of skills and traits they would like to see in job candidates. Start an employee referral program. This means offering your employees a bonus of some type if they bring in a friend or family member to apply for a job. For example, you might offer a $200 reward to any employee who refers a candidate who is hired and successfully completes six months of service. Sometimes the best networking will be through the workers who have been doing a good job for you all along.

Boost your benefits

The best way to find new workers might be by making the job and your company more attractive for workers. Raise wages above what is being paid for other similar jobs in your area. Add health and life insurance coverage or improve on the coverages you currently offer. Think outside the box to offer fringe benefits that would make your company stand out from other jobs in the trades. Things like clothing allowances, new work boots every year, quarterly bonuses or profit sharing for top performers and the like will show you value employees and build your reputation as a generous employer.

Find some flexibility

Especially for younger workers, free time can be even a bigger motivator than money. People with young families and priorities in personal pursuits crave a flexible work schedule. And just because free time is important to them doesn’t mean they would not be great workers for you. Many younger workers, the millenials and Generation Z, are able to manage their priorities and deliver for both their families and their employers. Installers traditionally are sun-up to sundown workers during the busy summer season, but there is a balance where you should be able to offer a flexible schedule to more workers and still be able to meet the needs of your customers.

Use social channels

To find fresh faces, you need to take your message where potential workers are hanging out. Promote your job openings through online recruiting sites like Indeed and Zip Recruiter, but also hit Facebook, Craigslist, TikTok or Instagram. If you’re not familiar with the latest social media trends, don’t be afraid to ask your staff for advice on where and how to generate a buzz for your business. Better yet, offer incentives for your crew to post videos demonstrating what they do for a living or talking about what a great place your company is to work. Always be on the lookout for ways to increase the exposure of your company to new people.

Support career growth

Always show that new employees can find advancement opportunities in your company. Look for ways to promote helpers to crew leader positions, and crew leaders to job supervisors. Offer to pay for continuing education, whether that’s training through a state association or sending employees back to school to get a degree in soils or certification for operating a new piece of equipment or installing a new advanced treatment technology. Encourage and pay for your staff to attend your state’s trade association conferences or the WWETT Show so they can see the vast potential of the industry.

Seek women and minorities

Although women and minorities make up more than half of the workforce, they do not necessarily gravitate to the wastewater industry in numbers to match. Write your job postings to be gender-neutral and encouraging to nontraditional workers. To reach people with diverse backgrounds, create posts in different languages. Offer language training programs for potential workers who are not fluent English speakers. After you hire your first woman technician, for instance, it should become easier to recruit a second, third and so on.

Go back to school

Look for ways to partner with a local high school or trade school to promote jobs in wastewater. Seek out teachers in the trades and offer to speak to classes or provide field trip opportunities where you can show the work you do. Think about offering a day of work experience or a paid internship for students who want to explore the field.

BREAK THE CYCLE

Just like weatherman Phil Conners eventually found his way beyond Groundhog Day, we need to get past the chronic worker shortage in the wastewater industry. Your company is depending on it. Your customers are depending on it. The world — with so many people utilizing decentralized wastewater treatment — depends on it.

Try new tricks and techniques to recruit new members to your team. Then let the rest of us know how you did it.