Solutions for the Great Resignation in Pest Control

The labor market is tight and getting more competitive by the day. According to Forbes, 60% of business owners are reporting a critical lack of workers and more than 20% of companies are currently operating without enough employees to meet demand. Service industries are seeing some of the largest gaps in job openings versus qualified applicants. Plus, the reservation wage for some segments to return has risen by 26% from last year.

To add to this challenge, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 3% of the workforce is quitting each month. These workers are not leaving due to lack of childcare or fear of COVID exposure, but to change their lifestyles and seek remote positions.

These realities are making it difficult for many pest control companies to attract and retain employees and keep up with increasing demand. Slingshot has outlined several effective solutions to help you recruit, hire and manage a loyal team.

Make sure your employees feel valued so you don’t leave the back door open. One of the best ways to do this is through regular recognition and feedback. Let your employees know that their contributions are valued and give them feedback on how they can improve.

Create a positive work environment. With only 21% of employees feeling engaged according to Society for Human Resource Management, make sure you have a good team dynamic, provide adequate training and development programs, and definitely prioritize fun.

Having a diverse workforce leads to better decision making. Diverse teams come up with more innovative solutions and are able to tackle challenges in more creative ways. In fact, a recent study has found that companies with more diverse management teams have 19% higher revenue due to innovation.

There are many sources for recruiting employees, including online job sites, employment agencies, professional associations and your own website. Take advantage of as many sources as possible to attract a large pool of qualified candidates. Don’t forget to consistently review and actively manage your hiring platforms to keep listings current.

Offering competitive benefits is a key factor in attracting and retaining employees. Besides insurance and time off, more and more providers are offering 401(k) plans and signing bonuses, which hadn’t been the norm until recently. Some companies are scaling pay multiple times a year in order to retain talent or offering same-day pay. Lastly, promote flexibility and work-life balance to show employees you value their time.

As the labor shortage continues to impact pest control companies, it’s important for owners to consider new solutions. Partnering with an answering service such as Slingshot can also help with staffing needs. Slingshot will ensure that calls are answered promptly, sell your services and schedule your customers 24/7. Go to getslingshot.com to learn more.