applicants, few stick around for the interview process. And those who do, he said, “barely last six months or more.”
“That's a lot of wasted time for a small business,” Neill said.
And if you can keep them, can you actually get them to do the job?
An overwhelming majority of those surveyed said that reliability issues — laziness and poor work ethic — are their top complaints about the workers they hire.
They are “truly not prepared for the obvious: moderate hard work in the outdoors,” said Chase Cummings of Trophy Pools and Service in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Pool service can be a tough job, and employers are looking for service techs who take pride in their work, complete tasks without being asked twice, and do so with a smile.
However, from where the pool industry sits right now, this is a difficult ask. Many employers may not be offering benefits that actually motivate some younger workers. While many jobs offer competitive wages, only 6.7% of businesses surveyed said they offer paid time off, which is a popular request for younger generations. This may be among the reasons so many employees turn away from their employers and begin the job hunt once more. In fact, 24% of pool professionals surveyed stated that job hopping is an issue with today’s applicants.
A significant number of people said something to the effect of, “the younger kids never work out — 30 to 35 is preferred.”
One employer said he prefers to hire those who are looking for a second career: “We have had terrible success with the Gen Z employees we have had.”
That said, 46% of companies surveyed still stick to hiring those under 30 because of the physical demands of the job. Some employers, however, said that the age of an employee does not matter but rather the content of their character.
For Julian Miller of Advanced Pool Service in East Northport, New York, age isn’t really a factor.
“If an employee is willing and able, we can teach him whatever he needs to know,” Miller said.
Attitudes like Miller’s, as well
What business owners offer to incentivize employment.
as providing a familial, close-knit workplace environment, actually do seem to be among the best incentives to attract and keep those willing to work. David Hastings, who has 2530 full-time employees and 250+ seasonal workers, says that in addition to paying higher-thanaverage wages, he also provides: Flexibility in work hours, 11 paid holidays including their birthday, free lunches every Friday for the office staff in summer season, three to four BBQ's seasonally, and many more smaller perks.
Like other business owners with numerous employees, there is one more thing that Hastings said he offers that may be more important than anything else: “A great working culture that is more relaxed and family-like and great support for the work they do.”
Problem areas that employers have with employees.
