In 2020, the ongoing financial difficulties for the UK economy saw many electrical businesses putting their recruitment and growth plans on hold. However, as COVID-19 restrictions ease, the economy begins to grow again, and ambitious electrical companies can now revisit these plans and develop their business by expanding their team and becoming mentors.
How do you know when to grow your team?
- You want to spend less time working. If your work-life balance isn’t how it should be, and you want to spend less time ‘on the tools,’. Or, you want to spend more time working on your business rather than in it.
- You’re looking ahead to retirement. You may not be planning to hang up the tools for another 5 or 10 years, but if you’re thinking about retirement, you might want to consider what your business will look like after you leave.
- You want to build on growth. If your business has recently started to grow rapidly, you may need to increase your reach and capacity to capitalise on the momentum.
How much does it cost to grow your business?
In the UK, the average cost of recruitment is £3,000. However, this may be even higher when using a recruitment agency, with the average fee often being around 20-30% of the new employee’s salary.
Electrical trainees looking to build their practical skills portfolio can be a great addition to any electrical team. Additionally, this is a cost-effective recruitment method, as some training providers can match you with the right trainee for your business at no cost.
As an experienced electrician, you are likely to have all the skills you need to mentor a trainee successfully:
- Knowledge of the trade. Your practical ‘on the job’ experience and expertise will allow you to easily support trainees to develop their portfolios and build on the theory they’ve learnt in the classroom.
- Dedication to the trade. If you’re passionate about the trade and your work, you’ll find it enjoyable to share your craft with a trainee, inspiring them to feel the same.
- Patience and understanding. Like any teacher, you’ll need to have good patience and understanding. Electrical trainees are eager to learn and develop. As a result, they’ll often quickly pick up the basic skills required to do the job successfully.
- Desire to grow. Suppose you want to grow and develop your business. In that case, you’ll be motivated to work closely with trainees to help them develop, ensuring they offer the best possible service to your customers.
What are the benefits of recruiting a trainee?
- Trainees invest in themselves. As trainees fund their training, they are committed to their professional growth. This commitment means they will make a reliable and dedicated addition to any team.
- An adult trainee means ‘adult attitudes’. Many trainees have chosen to retrain in the electrical trade. As mature learners, they have lots of previous work experience and a mature attitude to working life.
- The right cultural fit. Adult trainees often have strong soft skills – usually developed further by training providers.
- Grow your reach. The bigger your team is, the wider your reach. This will allow you to delight more customers and grow your business further.
- Leave a learning legacy. Train the next generation of tradespeople and leave your mark on the industry.
Could you mentor a budding electrician?
As a seasoned electrician, you already have all the tools you need to mentor a trainee successfully. You can help them achieve their full qualification whilst growing and developing your business.
For information on how you could become a mentor, get in touch via 0121 638 0958 or by email at josh@options-skills.co.uk.
