As with any business, retention and turnover are part of the construction industry. How long operators stay with a company can sometimes say a lot about the environment. But is there more to it than that? Looking a little further you can find out there might be.
When you find out that a heavy equipment1 or construction company has high turnover, consider the size of the company. Large outfits, with a lot of operators, are self-insured. This allows them to hire a lot of new operators, sometimes straight out of school. As with any new job, some may not last, whether it’s due to accidents, a change of heart, or just not being up to the task. So, because large companies are often hiring a bulk of the newest operators, they can tend to see a higher turnover rate than smaller companies that require more experienced operators.
On the other hand, once an operator has gained the necessary skills and experience, they may find themselves presented with an opportunity to work for another company that allows them better benefits, or a vehicle more to their liking. These types of benefits can be hard to turn down for some, causing them to want to leave to join that new team.
At the end of the day, while a high turnover rate may seem suspicious, take it with a grain of salt, and look at the situations that the companies might be in.
Do you have questions about choosing a company to work for? Or maybe questions about starting your career as a heavy equipment operator? Let us know! We’d love to help!
