Field Employee Retention at CommTech Global starts with our staff communication efforts, continued training and education for our field and inspection technicians, instilling high-caliber conflict resolution skills, and working together – because we all succeed when we are connected.

With such a physical and geographic disconnect, how can other companies engage their field support employees? How can those that are traveling to worksites and have no home office feel connected to their company? Here are a few examples of what you can do to retain field talent and keep employees happy.

1. Positive Onboarding – employees that are not going to regularly be in an office setting will only have so much face-to-face interaction with business administration. To close the divide, start with a welcoming onboarding process to eliminate any fears of exclusion. Our newly hired fulltime employees are introduced to our company’s key players (which is everyone, we really love our employees), given a physical site tour and explanation of company culture, and copies of employee rules and regulations. We discuss our benefit structure, important phone numbers and emails to have on hand to stay connected, what current and future projects and expectations will look like and it never hurts to have a welcome gift of company swag.
2. Communication – it must be open, honest and transparent. It can be difficult to maintain consistent communication with employees in the field – especially when some worksites are not internet accessible. Create a simple strategy to stay connected — whether it is email or communication software like Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Slack, Zoom or Skype. Create consistent communication  methods to notify all employees of the happenings within and outside the company. This includes human resource updates, employee celebrations, upcoming holidays, employee recognition and even share pictures of what employees are doing on worksites.
3. Competitive Pay – I know this should be at the top of the list for some, but it still is in the top 3! Offer the best you can for your field employees, and if possible, retention incentives can be in the form of a bonus structure or higher per diem. Money talks and it’s loud!
4. Leadership – Field Supervisors understand they are the main source of communication and a sounding board for their field employees. Supervisors should have their team’s best interest when it comes to work environment, safety, happiness and engagement. This may look like an open ear to vent to, not micromanaging certain employees. It helps protect the physical and mental needs of employees, it’s an understanding of life/work balance and tracking time and accessibility to tools and other machinery needed.

These are merely suggestions and is not a guarantee to have 100% retention, but it will boost employee morale and overall work experience. CommTech Global offers competitive pay and employee incentives for our field team – celebrating employee recognition and work anniversary bonus structure, and a work/life balance. We have an extremely low turnover rate and highly sought-after talent.

Simply put, create a company culture that is unmatched – a place where employees WANT to work. Hire the right people and treat them well.