Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine January 2022

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2022

have to come back unless the feds pass the BBB bill which looks somewhat unlikely at present. So how can that be good. Well, Someone is going to hire those folks and we, the HVACR industry, have a shot at a fair share. To hire our portion, we have to recruit, recruit, recruit--like booths at homes shows, county fairs, high school career days. Some of our ad money has to be spent advertising the industry and your unique position. The Association chapters can work together to get the message to those potential recruits. We have to develop training and compensation plans similar to apprenticeship even if we don’t subscribe to DOL as yet. After all, we are competing with compensation plans that blow your mind. One contractor told me that a Colonel Sanders in his town was paying $20 per hour. Now that is extreme; however, $12 to $15 is becoming quite the norm for entry level fast food. We can’t be at that level and expect to hire the best of those interested in working with their hands and their minds. Our recruitment requires benefits and a plan for advancement--again, similar to what apprenticeship offers. It isn’t rocket science. If we want career minded folks we have to offer a career path, not just an easy job to get hired into. The following is a sample of a Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Chart. It has been around for generations but it is time we took a fresh look at it. We need to see how our industry and our companies fit into the pyramid of growth and personal satisfaction.

What do we want and what it takes to keep us satisfied in our lives and our careers.

Level One

Physiological needs is what it takes to put us in the house, drive the car, buy the food, and clothing that will keep us happy. It is basic and varies from person to person. One person may be happy with Ramen noodles while another needs foie gras and pate’. This is where the “pay scale” comes in. How long can you keep a person at starting level and them stay with you? How fast and how high will you have to go to keep a 20 year technician. I have seen the pay scale take off like a rocket in the last year but physiological needs are only the foundation of life’s satisfaction pyramid. Safety needs include health insurance, sick leave, disability, even retirement. Once the individual’s level one physiological needs are met, they start thinking about level two, safety and security needs. So money hires and if your not careful, the employer may think that is all that matters; however, the employee needs more. They need good pay but they also need security. Level Two