Restoration logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Restoration logo
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products & Technologies
    • Submit Your Product
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
  • EDUCATION
    • KnowHow.
    • Podcasts
    • Trade Shows & Expos
    • Training & Certification
    • Webinars
    • Whitepapers
  • TOPICS
    • Water Damage
    • Fire & Smoke Damage
    • Mold
    • Contamination
    • Odor
    • Contents
    • Architecture
    • Catastrophe
    • Cleaning
  • BUSINESS
    • Managing Your Business
    • Insurance/Legal Matters
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • VIDEOS
    • Ask Annissa
    • Ask the Expert
    • Ironclad Marketing Minute
    • TradeTalks
    • Video Channel
  • INFOCENTER
    • Mold and Mycotoxins
  • THE EXPERIENCE
    • Convention & Trade Show
    • R&R Special Issue
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP
Insurance/Legal Matters in RestorationManaging Your Restoration Business

Hiring, Retaining, and Knowing when it's Time to Say 'Goodbye'

Are you confident in your bench?

By Brian Clark
Are you confident in your Bench?
May 8, 2019

We all know how hard it is to find good employees. We’ve all heard it: “People don’t want to work.”; “Don’t hire anyone younger than 30.”; “Everyone has an entitlement mentality.” Blah, blah, blah. 

The situation is both kind of funny, and kind of sad. We all have to laugh about some of the employees we have seen through the years — some of which were no fault of our own. There are liars out there, even a few con men — those with exaggerated resumes and over-rated value-to-employer perceptions.

Though we all agree on the difficulty of finding good employees, they are out there. Unfortunately, too many companies use this excuse to avoid writing and executing a comprehensive personnel plan. A plan feels useless “since there are no good people out there anyway.” It lets us off the hook of learning anything more than we already know. In return, this “planned failure” zaps our energy to look for greatness and gyps our company out of finding great employees. We also rob the would-be-great employees out of finding us.

Take Inventory

We have who we have at this time. Some of our employees are great. Some are good. Some are pretty good when they’re “on” (I love that one). Ultimately, the world spins fast, and things can come loose. People change. They move. Their spouse gets a great job out of town. We all suffer the fate of normal turnover at some level. This is more reason to work toward a team of great employees at all times because you never know when the fate of normal turnover will strike again.

The Battle

It can be chaos when we lose a good employee. And we’re really out of options if we have no replacements in mind. The battle for good people can be lost in many ways. Do we look for people only when we need them? Do we search with nothing more than an internet post...then wait and hope? Do we have a screening process prior to granting an interview? Do we use an interview guide or just ask whatever questions come to mind? Do we talk more than the interviewee?

The War

A bigger problem is losing the war. We can lose the war in two ways:

  1. We let this belief of good people are hard to find dissuade us from setting hiring goals (in sync with growth goals) in our company, and we fail to accept the responsibility to find them.
  2. We have such little faith in finding good people that we let our current employees erode the performance bar set for them.

Let’s look closer at #2 above. When we get lazy or careless in our personnel management (especially in recruiting), your team sees the stagnation. They see that you accept the bad along with the good instead of striving for “full-time awesome.” Your lack of recruiting and leadership can have a real effect on their productivity and attitudes. This is the error that can lead to the inmates running the asylum. We may find ourselves feeling so powerless that we begin to accept poorly performing, non-productive, and even counter-productive employees.

employee hiring practices

When the manager is unwilling to hold an employee’s feet to a standard (even if this means termination), the beginning of the end is here, and it’s a common cause of business failure. And, finally, now we can get to the business end of “When is it time to let them go?”

Why complicate this? The short answer is: When you are confident in your bench.

Managing Toward Greatness

If your team is managed toward greatness, the cancerous members will stand out. Between the energetic culture you build in your company and your ongoing recruiting efforts, confidence will make termination the natural step in the “development” of your bad employees. You will “promote” these employees right out the door — to go to work elsewhere.

The most important piece in personnel management decisions is objectivity. I state the obvious. Objectivity should be your constant goal in managing people, especially when things get rocky. By the time you reach the end of the road with an employee, plenty of objectivity and logical (possibly legal) cause for your decision to terminate should be in place, systematically documented and executed in the most professional manner possible.

I’m not trying to be a lawyer here. I am not a lawyer. I do not know every law in your state regarding employment, termination, discrimination, etc. I like to look at things as a dumb animal. I try to be a dumb animal as a practice. This has a way of keeping things simple, logical, and direct. I encourage it. But use lawyers when necessary.

I’d like to remind you that you didn’t decide to be self-employed for the chance to deal with low performers, attitudes, takers, lazies, and crooks. The vision of what you’re trying to build doesn’t likely include these. You have my permission and encouragement to get them out of your company.

When is it time to let them go? You now know. 

KEYWORDS: employee management employee retention employee training hiring and recruiting restoration business

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Brian Clark is president/CEO of Service Team of Professionals (STOP), a unique franchise in water, restoration, and biohazard.  STOP emerged from within the restoration industry as a business consulting firm known for building companies through in-depth interaction.  Clark is a seasoned consultant, business coach, and speaker. brian@stoprestoration.com

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • mold remediation

    Fighting Mold and Bacteria Damage

    Successful mold remediation can be multidisciplinary,...
    Contamination Restoration & Remediation​
    By: Josh Woolen
  • certifications and licenses for restoration professionals

    Certifications and Licenses Every Restoration Company Needs

    Restoration companies need to make sure they have the...
    Restoration Training/Education
    By: Sharon Elzarat
  • a wall covered in moss and fungus

    Zero Tolerance for Toxic Molds: Essential Steps for Successful Remediation

    Understanding the importance of zero tolerance for toxic...
    Mold Remediation
    By: Michael A. Pinto CSP, SMS, CMP, RTPE, FLS, ERS and Kendra Seymour
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Popular Stories

bed bug

How Cutting-Edge Bed Bug Tech is Changing the Game for Restoration Pros

particle count hands-on demonstration of a HEPA filter

The Truth About HEPA Filters

water on basement floor

How Much Water Causes Water Damage?

Submit Your New Product/Technology to R&R!

Would you like to promote a new restoration, remediation or cleaning product/technology with Restoration & Remediation? Fill out the question below to start your submission:

Events

September 3, 2025

The Experience Convention and Trade Show

The Experience Convention & Trade Show logoJoin us in Las Vegas for The Experience Convention & Trade Show, the leading event for cleaning, restoration, and remediation pros, packed with hands-on demos, expert speakers, and high-impact networking. Happening September 3–5, 2025 at Caesars Forum—this is where the industry comes to learn, connect, and grow!

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Doffing PPE

When you are doffing your PPE, do you sanitize between every step?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Cleaning, Restoration, Inspection, and Safety Glossary

The Cleaning, Restoration, Inspection, and Safety Glossary

The Cleaning, Restoration, Inspection, and Safety Glossary.

See More Products
Prepare for CATASTROPHE with R&R!

Related Articles

  • What to Do When It's Time to Say "Hit the Road, Jack"

    See More
  • restoration truck fleet

    It’s Not the Affiliation that Counts; It’s How YOU Run the Business

    See More
  • nurturing talent in the restoration industry

    When it Comes to Hiring, Nurture Your Silver Medalists

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • COVER pdf.jpg

    How to Get More Restoration Jobs in 14 Days... (ebook)

  • Cover.jpg

    How To Get More Water Damage Jobs (ebook)

See More Products
×

Stay ahead of the curve with our eNewsletters.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Submit a Press Release
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Reprints
    • Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing