How to Show Appreciation for Technicians

With field service technicians in short supply and high demand in almost all industries and locations, retaining the technicians already on staff has never been more critical. A crucial goal is making people feel appreciated for their contributions and acknowledged for their hard work. 

Here at Next Technik, we strive to make everyone feel like a valuable part of the team in big and small ways. During team meetings, we start the call with a 5-minute group stretch and immediately follow it with our “high fives,” where people highlight each other’s big wins. At the end of the call, our UI/UX Manager leads All-Hands with a fun “Go Team” morality boost. Despite working remotely, our teams are in constant 1-to-1 contact, so no one works in isolation. We also frequently host meetups in our Denver offices, celebrating individual and team successes. 

Some variations of these strategies can work for any company eager to keep team morale and motivation high. Here’s what we recommend:

• Financial Rewards – Technicians take on complex and dangerous work for one reason above all: to earn an income. Paying people isn’t the only way to demonstrate appreciation. However, money talks, and companies willing to financially reward technicians for their hard work are sending a clear statement. Financial rewards can come through raises, bonuses, or incentive structures. They can also come indirectly through better benefits or perks like child-care stipends or free gym memberships. With any approach, the key is to make the reward feel substantial enough to be meaningful but still small enough not to elevate labor costs too high. 
• Professional Development – Every facet of field service is evolving right now, and technicians value the opportunity to gain new skills and certifications that could advance their careers, especially at the entry-level or apprentice ranks. Companies can pay for people to attend classes/training or have seasoned technicians mentor new staff. They can also create opportunities for people to advance in the company and prioritize promoting from within so that people see a future at their current employer. 
• Work/Life Balance – The pandemic has permanently shifted attitudes about work, and technicians now expect a better work/life balance. Companies that lean into this trend rather than fighting against it demonstrate that they care about their technician’s health and well-being and are willing to adjust the company around it, not the other way around. It’s easy to tell people they’re appreciated, but strides like these turn gratitude into something that improves their lives. 
• Company Culture – Showing people they’re appreciated should not be rare; people should feel it daily in everything they do. Consistency is vital because companies that value employees in some ways but not in others will have a hard time convincing anyone they care. The company culture – the mission, values, and character underlying everything – should emphasize the technician’s starring role in the company’s success. 
• Tools of the Trade – Technicians in the field depend on the tools and equipment provided for everything from working safely to making the most of their time. Being asked to work with outdated or insufficient tools can cause resentment among technicians. Alternately, providing tools that help them work smarter and safer makes every job run smoother, sending a clear message that their employer values their time and wants their workday to feature as little friction as possible. Across field service, the tools of the trade are increasingly technological, with the almost universal expectation that people in the field can use their devices to access data and digital tools. 

Remember that making people feel appreciated helps with many things beyond employee retention. Technicians deciding where to work will generally pick the employers that treat them better, also making this a recruiting strategy. Plus, technicians are the “face” of the company for the client, and technicians who feel an affinity with their employer will be better representatives of the company – leading to superior customer service at most minor and potentially extra sales. The reality is that field service providers have every incentive to treasure their team and no incentive not to. How can the Next Service FSM software help with that effort? Contact us to explore the answer.