Everyone talks about training and what a great thing it is, but do you really do it, and has your organization adapted to today’s marketplace? As frustrating as employees may be, you can’t run a contracting organization without them. Yes, there have been a lot of changes in the contracting world. The Internet, cell phones, better accounting programs, etc., have altered the way we work, but one thing remains the same: good work is done by good people. Apprenticeship has declined throughout the years, but the mindset still persists.
A “young people have to pay their dues” attitude still exists. While it may be fun to send helpers after left-handed monkey wrenches and it might seem like a rite of passage to make them perform menial tasks day after day, we need more craftspeople. We can’t run the risk of boring or running off good people just because of unrealistic practices and trade egos.