Not Enough Opportunity for Advancement

According to the 2019 PCT/NPMA Workplace Survey, 81 percent of pest management employees said it was important to advance in their careers over time but only 50 percent were satisfied with the promotion opportunities at their place of work.

This is what motivated Rachel Alexander Mendes to switch jobs. In March 2019, she joined Advantage Pest Control because she liked the family atmosphere and “I felt the opportunity at this place was better.” Mendes has since taken on a more managerial role. “It’s awesome. I feel like I’m more trusted,” she said of her new responsibilities.

At the company where she previously worked, Mendes said she often felt micromanaged, a common frustration shared on employer-review websites Glassdoor and Indeed by many former pest control company employees.

Large companies generally have more opportunities for advancement. “Due to our company structure and the size of each of our offices, there are many opportunities for growth and promotion,” said Shay Runion, chief human resources officer at Arrow Exterminators in Atlanta.

Employees aren’t concerned about losing their jobs any time soon. Eighty-one percent said they were satisfied with their job security, found the survey.

Alec Rogers of Neff Exterminating said his boss would like him to make pest management his career. “At this point I guess I feel the same way,” said Rogers, who previously held a number of other jobs.

Most employees (88 percent) do not expect to lose their jobs to new technology in the next three years. That was a concern for Rogers when he worked at a large fulfillment warehouse in Phoenix. Today, though, new technology like tablets and up-to-date software only helps make his day more productive, he said.