Spot the Red Flags

Replacing a technician takes time, money and training, and once they give notice, it’s often too late to fix what caused them to leave.

The good news is that most technicians don’t quit without warning. Changes in communication, engagement, work quality and attitude often begin weeks or even months before they start looking elsewhere.

Compensation is only part of what drives employees to resign, says Tyler Rasmussen, regional vice president of National Pool Partners. The rest often comes down to leadership, communication and workplace culture.

“When a pool company is seeing constant technician turnover, leadership needs to stop pointing at the labor market and take a hard look in the mirror first,” Rasmussen says. “The golden rule applies here more than anywhere: Treat your employees like you would have wanted to be treated when you were the one hauling a pool tote and hoses around, being chased by dogs, trying to stay hydrated, working overtime in the heat and balancing chemicals all day.”

Red flag No. 1: They stop engaging

Rasmussen says the biggest warning sign is when technicians stop giving feedback. Employees who once shared ideas or spoke up about problems may become quiet instead.

Other indicators include declining work quality, fewer service notes, skipped maintenance steps and fewer conversations with managers.

“When those metrics start trending the wrong way together, it’s usually a clear sign someone is heading toward the exit,” Rasmussen says. 

Rather than relying on instinct, he recommends watching field metrics such as callouts, late starts, overtime hours, route completion percentages, return visits and customer complaints. 

Red flag No. 2: Burnout becomes the norm 

Burnout often stems from poor leadership, unrealistic workloads, inadequate training and employees who don’t feel valued. 

“Techs stay where they feel supported, respected and actually listened to, not just where the pay is decent,” Rasmussen says. “Pool techs are out on their own all day, so if they feel ignored or left to figure everything out alone, burnout happens fast.”

Because technicians spend a lot of time solo, Rasmussen says their direct supervisor becomes “the company” to them.

A supervisor who communicates clearly, plans routes well and supports technicians in the field often has a greater impact on retention than compensation alone. Conversely, unrealistic route loading, poor route planning, excessive drive time, constant fire drills and micromanagement can quickly drive good employees away.

Red flag No. 3: Work starts crowding out life 

Dustin Anderson, co-owner of Precision Aquatics in Oceanside, California, approaches retention by first understanding what each employee needs outside of work to create positions that fit their personalities and circumstances. 

“Do you have to pick up your kid at a certain time? Do you prefer very early morning work so you can be off work early?” Anderson asks.

Rather than expecting every technician to follow the same schedule, Anderson adjusts workloads and start times to fit employees’ lives. Some begin work at 4 a.m., while others work four 10-hour days instead of five shorter shifts.

“Trying to be sympathetic to people’s odd schedules and make exceptions for them goes a long way,” Anderson says. 

He also encourages employees to prioritize family events without feeling guilty.

“You don’t have to beg and plead if your son’s graduating or your daughter has a basketball game,” he says. “That’s more important than any pool.”

Anderson also believes workload expectations and route density may have a greater influence on retention than many owners realize.

“I preach to my existing team and prospective employees that ‘I can work with you on workload and route density, and I can coach you on work-life balance,’ ” Anderson says.

Red flag No. 4: Communication starts disappearing 

In Anderson’s experience, technicians who are preparing to leave often stop volunteering for extra work, communicate less frequently and simply go through the motions.

Rasmussen says they may also stop documenting service thoroughly or responding promptly to managers.

According to Anderson, quiet withdrawal is often a warning sign that leadership has stopped investing in the relationship.

Rasmussen says another warning sign is when communication becomes one-sided. Managers who only speak to technicians when something goes wrong often miss opportunities to recognize good work or uncover frustrations before employees mentally check out.

Red flag No. 5: You keep blaming the labor market

Anderson says owners should pay close attention to turnover patterns.

“Sometimes it’s not them; it’s you,” Anderson says.

He believes leadership needs to honestly evaluate whether expectations are realistic instead of blaming bad employees.

“Nobody likes to just constantly come up short and be less than what is expected,” Anderson says. “They’ll end up leaving because it’s a terrible feeling to just be inadequate all the time.”

It’s rarely just about pay 

Compensation matters, Anderson says, but it’s rarely the whole story.

“There’s no amount of money that is worth working for somebody who you don’t get along with,” Anderson says.

Instead, he points to what he calls the “three Cs”: culture, communication and career growth.

“Those are more likely to be reasons for someone leaving than the last C: compensation,” Anderson says.

Listening before they leave

One of the simplest ways Anderson reinforces that technicians are heard is through a “Cut List.”

Whenever an employee dreads servicing a particular account because of an aggressive dog, a rude customer, 

poor property conditions or another recurring issue, Anderson asks them to add it to the running list.

He doesn’t promise every account will be dropped. He does promise to evaluate whether it’s still a good fit for the company, showing employees their concerns matter before frustration turns into resignation.

“If [it’s not] a good fit, we will move away from it because I want to work on accounts that my team wants to service,” Anderson says. “There’s nothing worse than having to service accounts that drive you nuts.”

Whether by paying attention to KPIs, listening to feedback or reevaluating expectations, Rasmussen and Anderson agree that turnover should rarely come as a surprise. Owners who recognize the warning signs early have the best chance of keeping good technicians.