Hiring and supporting a maintenance professional in the apartment world was simple in the past. It generally consisted of: "Welcome to the team. Here are your keys."

There is much more to it in 2024—particularly if you want the technician to remain with your organization. With a shortage of maintenance professionals in the industry, procuring high-performing associates can be a competitive process. The competition sometimes includes other industries, as well, with some able to offer techs better introductory incentives.

In addition to the competition aspect, today's techs are an ambitious bunch. They want to know whether your organization will provide them with sufficient opportunities to grow along with proper training and development resources. They will inquire about innovative tech tools you have available to enhance their daily duties and whether their proportion of on-call hours will be reasonable.

According to DirectSupply, the turnover rate for maintenance professionals in all U.S. industries was a startling 28.4% in 2023, a mark that far exceeds the overall '23 turnover rate, which Forbes estimates at 3.8%. Fortunately, steps can be taken by the industry to offer maintenance associates a better working experience, one that enables them to cultivate their skills, advance their careers and provide them with more incentive to remain with the organization.

Provide the tools for success
Tech tools are a must for the modern tech. Nothing is more frustrating than performing a repair in an apartment home and then walking across the property back to maintenance headquarters, only to find out that a second task could have been handled in the same area. While laptops and tablets are now essentially required to perform daily duties, innovative maintenance portals are also becoming a must-have in the industry. These platforms enable residents to digitally submit service requests, instantly notify maintenance techs and enable them to respond within the portal. Any tech tool that streamlines the process and eliminates time-consuming busywork serves as an immediate bonus item.

Offer resources for career-path development
Many maintenance professionals not only want to perform well at their duties—they want to expand their craft and position themselves for career growth. In addition to offering in-house training for new associates, apartment operators should note that some of the larger home-building companies such as HD Supply, Lowe's, Chadwell Supply and others offer a multitude of free training classes.

Exercise compassion
Within some locales, a minus-10-degree day with a bone-chilling wind is fairly common. At others, temperatures above 110 are frequent occurrences in the summer. Regardless of the conditions, maintenance pros are constantly navigating them as the most active associates on the property. Operators can demonstrate that they understand the plight by exercising compassion and potentially offering treats and drinks that help combat the conditions.

Alleviate on-call hours
One of the primary complaints from multifamily maintenance associates is the burden of on-call hours. It prevents techs from straying too far away during their off-hours, and the possibility of a call is omnipresent. To recognize this commitment, operators should start by offering on-call bonuses, paying mileage for any after-hours visits to the property and, naturally, pay overtime. On the frontend, properties can implement a strong preventative maintenance program to ensure fewer breakdowns. Some operators have gotten innovative with regard to maintenance hours, as well, to help curb some of the on-call commitment.

Centralize when applicable
Centralization isn't always an option, but it can be for operators with multiple properties within a certain region. If four properties are within a 30-mile radius, for instance, operators can opt to have certain maintenance roles service multiple properties. While this might solely be the role of maintenance supervisor, the centralization can also pertain to specific functions.

For instance, it's crucial in today's market to turn homes as quickly as possible. For that to happen, parts and vendors must be set up perfectly—and someone has to be the point person to make sure everything is ready to go. The timing after move-out must work like a well-oiled machine, as a point person must do a pre-walk to determine any specific supply needs and then schedule painting, punching of the unit and the cleaning. If multiple communities can be overseen by one individual or team, it reduces the chances for any potential snags.

In summary, attracting and retaining employees in today's market can generally be difficult. On the maintenance front, it can be even more of a challenge. The apartment industry has certainly experienced this, but the steps above can help combat the trend and provide maintenance associates with the tools and incentives to remain in place.

Terry Chase is the Assistant Vice President of Maintenance for CAPREIT.