Retaining A-Game Maintenance Workers

Maintenance people tend to do high-quality work, but some truly bring their A-game. They are the ones to whom others look for advice, the ones the plant engineer taps when some problem needs a near superhero, the ones whose work and demeanor set an example for others to follow. They are also the ones you can least afford to lose.

The thing is, A-game people are high achievers with high standards. The main reason they quit is they get frustrated with barriers to achievement and mediocrity. When they quit, you lose not only what they personally can do for you technically, but also the upward pull they exert on the entire  maintenance organization. If your organization wasn’t good enough for them, what message does that send to those they leave behind? Hint: “Try harder” isn’t it.

The HR function in the typical company addresses retention through pay and perks. Those tools tend to be standardized by metrics that don’t account for individual contribution — things like time in service, completed training, and the prevailing wage for a similar job title.

Retention tips

Here are things that individual managers, from the supervisor to the plant engineer, can do to help these people feel like sticking around:

• Write a letter of recommendation and give it to your A-game employee. When you give the letter to him, make it clear you don’t want him to leave and you aren’t aware of any pending layoffs: “I am doing this so you know how highly I think of you. I hope you never quit, but if you do, I will give you an updated letter with the current date.” This is counterintuitive, but it’s such a bold way to show you appreciate this person.
• If the worker asks for specific training, ask him to help you get approval. He can do this by quantifying which machines would save X downtime. Then go to production and convert the saved downtime into dollars of revenue. Don’t try to oversell; be accurate and then reduce the number by 20%. The next time you apply for training for this person, you can probably refer back to this training request and show how expectations were exceeded.
• Ask them to show you a task and why they are doing things a particular way. For example, how they are wiring a panel. Then really focus on what they say and what they show you. Doing this demonstrates that you value them for their A-game work. However, do this infrequently; it’s quality over quantity.
• Don’t follow the advice that you need to praise people frequently. This actually backfires, because to do this you have to highlight things that don’t really matter and try to pretend they do. Or you give vague compliments that show you aren’t sincere.

Instead, dig into a project or assignment and look for something specific that has broader implications. “Jim, I noticed that you made all the connections with insulated bullet connectors and made sure all the ones that supply power are female so there’s no contact in case of accidental disconnection of the two. If I can pull a few of the guys off assignment for a few minutes, would you mind explaining to them why this matters and showing them in this actual installation?”

Do you see how this approach can be very powerful?

• Expect mistakes. Even A-game people mess up sometimes. Managers and supervisors may be hesitant to say anything even if the A-game person reports the mistake, for fear of discouraging or insulting that person. It’s counterintuitive, but the better choice is to embrace the mistake. If your A-game person can make this mistake, what about everybody else? So, ask that person to think of a way to prevent the mistake. Use a strategy similar to the one for praise: ask your A-game person to show others what he learned in this process.
• Take input seriously. A-game people often identify systemic errors and how to solve them. Management often fails to listen. Make sure you do. Unsolved systemic errors cause the very frustration that gets these people looking for employment elsewhere. Those errors need not be purely technical, either.
• Nip negativity. People who bring their D-game to work often try to compensate by grumbling about the company, complaining about their work assignments, or disparaging others. They inject toxicity into the workplace, the same workplace you don’t want your A-game person to leave.

Another way they demean the workplace is by dressing poorly; for example, wearing scuffed shoes or stained clothes. They may also fail to clean their tools, clean up the area they’ve been working in, and work hard. All these negative behaviors are “loser” behaviors, and A-game people don’t like being around losers. Some of these behaviors can be legally tricky to address; discuss the individual’s D-game behavior with your HR representative before taking any action.