Managing Maintenance Misfits

Asking this important question may help solve the problem.

June 15, 2021

Some very skilled and intelligent people work in maintenance but probably shouldn’t. Unfortunately, the hiring process typically focuses on identifying skills instead of attitudes, and the prospective employee often does not know what he or she is getting into. The result is a mismatch that gives the company subpar performance while stalling the employee’s career — or perhaps damaging it with termination.

What if the person has been in the job for a long time, and you now realize the hire was not a good fit? Maybe this person was hired before you come on board — and is now your headache.

Strongly suggesting that person find a different job will cause angst and ill will. Instead, ask what three things most annoy him or her about the job. If you can change one of them, you’ll probably turn this person around. If you can’t change any of those, admit defeat and say something like, “I wouldn’t blame you for hiring on somewhere else. If you decide to do that, I will of course support your decision.”

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.