Every multifamily employer has felt the sting of dealing with a low response to an advertised entry-level maintenance position post. Qualified individuals expect to be paid higher wages and unqualified individuals can sometimes result in an undesirable hire. So, how do you bring good talent into entry-level positions with lower pay?
The answer is, you have a clear-cut promotional strategy in place that shows a potential employee their path to success (and higher pay).
We are all familiar with pay being “dependent on experience, ” but how about pay being “dependent on performance? ” By switching this wording on a job posting you can advertise the potential for higher pay, and grab the attention of motivated candidates, while still keeping a low financial risk on a new hire. Below we have detailed the key elements of an appropriate promotional program for your new, entry level maintenance team member.
1. Clearly Defined Timeline
When you are presenting a promotional strategy in exchange for being hired at entry-level pay, you need to include a clearly defined timeline so the candidate understands how long it would take to achieve their desired level of pay. Not only will this show the candidate that you are serious about getting them what they want, you will also keep yourself accountable on the promise you are making to the employee. It is very easy to let time slip by while an employee becomes more disgruntled over a perceived unkempt promise made at the time of their hire.
2. Transparent Benchmarks
Along with a timeline, you need to present the benchmarks the employee would need to hit to be considered for a promotion to the next level. The benchmarks should be unique to your company, but could include certain certifications, days worked, performance review scores, and/or maintenance project(s) completed. The benchmarks should be attached to the defined timeline so the employee knows what they have to do, and by what dates they have to do them, to get their desired promotion.
3. Pre-Scheduled Performance Reviews
The best way to keep track of an employee’s promotional journey is by conducting regular performance reviews. The performance reviews will contain all the elements needed to achieve a promotion to the next level. When an employee is brought onboard, they should know the dates of upcoming performance reviews, and what will be examined during each review. Ideally, each review (depending on frequency) will result in a promotion and/or an increase in pay. When you hire your new employee they should be able to see when, and by how much, their pay could increase by looking at the performance review schedule.
Developing and executing a clear-cut promotional strategy will not only result in a higher success rate in hiring for entry-level positions, but can also result in higher productivity from those you hire, and a better job satisfaction rate among your staff. The good thing is that you can put in the extra effort to develop the program now and replicate over and over for all your new hires in the future!