The home services industry is booming, and if you’re feeling the competition heat up, you’re not alone. In 2023, Yelp reported an 11% increase in new home services businesses—building on the previous record-breaking year. While this surge highlights growing demand, it also brings a hidden challenge: retaining your employees. In an expanding market, competition for skilled workers is fiercer than ever, and losing even one key team member can set your business back—big time.

When you factor in recruiting, onboarding, training, and lost productivity, replacing a skilled employee can cost up to two times their annual salary. That's a hit no pest control, lawn care, HVAC, electrical, or plumbing company can afford to take lightly.

But don't sweat it—we've put together 7 simple strategies to help you retain your top talent and motivate underperformers by showing your team how much they're valued and appreciated.

Let's jump in!

1. Recognize and Reward Excellence

Recognition is one of the most powerful ways—if not the most powerful—to retain top talent and inspire your team. Employees who feel appreciated for their hard work are more likely to stay engaged and committed to your business for the long haul. 

Make Recognition Specific

Publicly acknowledge high performers during team meetings or through leaderboards. Highlight specifics to make it meaningful, such as “Sarah completed 50 jobs this month with an impressive NPS of 70!”

Recognition tied to measurable achievements resonates more deeply with team members and sets the bar for underperformers.

Motivate with Rewards

Offer bonuses, enable tipping, or provide perks like an extra day off for top performance. For field workers, consider practical rewards like new boots, coats, or tools—things they’ll use proudly and associate with your appreciation.

Build Recognition into Your Day-to-Day

Don’t wait for formal reviews. Celebrate wins as they happen, whether completing a tricky job, earning a 5-star review, or going above and beyond for a customer. Real-time recognition shows your team that every effort counts.

When employees see that their work is valued, they're motivated to strive for excellence. Recognition doesn't just boost morale for those acknowledged—it sets a standard for others to follow, creating healthy competition and fostering ongoing motivation.

2. Celebrate Milestones

Recognizing milestones is a simple yet impactful way to boost morale and make employees feel valued—especially in industries like pest control, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and lawn care, where the work is often demanding, and team members are frequently on the move. Whether it’s a work anniversary, hitting a significant goal, or completing a challenging project, celebrating these moments helps create a positive and connected workplace culture.

Acknowledge Personal and Professional Achievements

From birthdays to certifications, acknowledging personal milestones shows employees you see them as more than just workers. On the professional side, celebrate work anniversaries, promotions, or performance milestones—like completing 100 service calls or earning a streak of 5-star reviews.

Make It Public

Celebrating milestones publicly during team meetings, through company newsletters, or on leaderboards helps spread positivity and creates shared wins. For example:

• Highlight a technician’s five-year work anniversary.

• Share a team’s achievement of meeting their quarterly NPS score goal in a company-wide email.

• Call out a technician during a company meeting when they achieve a certification.

Add a Personal Touch

Tailor the celebration to the employee’s preferences. Some might enjoy a shoutout in a team meeting, while others might appreciate a quieter setting such as a gift card, extra PTO, or even a handwritten note.

3. Foster a Sense of Ownership

Employees who feel a sense of ownership in your business are more motivated to stay loyal to your company. Empowering your team to see how their efforts contribute to the bigger picture builds pride, accountability, and a deeper connection to their work.

Show Employees Their Impact

Use tools like Applause’s leaderboards to show employees how their efforts directly influence the business. Applause matches customer reviews with individual employees so your team can quickly see which members drive the most value. For example:

• Highlight employees who consistently earn 5-star reviews and explain how their service builds the company’s reputation.

• Celebrate team members with the highest NPS scores and share how their contributions impact customer loyalty and retention.

• Create a friendly monthly competition between teams and reward the one with the most 5-star reviews in a month. 

When employees see clear connections between their work and the company’s success, they’re more inspired to take ownership of their roles.

Involve Employees in Business Decisions

Share your company’s goals and challenges, and ask for your team’s input. For example:

• Invite technicians to suggest ways to streamline scheduling or optimize service routes.

• Ask employees how tools or training could improve their performance and efficiency.

• Use employee feedback to identify opportunities for boosting customer satisfaction or addressing common pain points.

Employees who feel their insights are valued and acted upon are more likely to stay engaged and invested in the company’s success.

A sense of ownership inspires employees to take pride in their work and stay committed to your company’s mission. When they see how their contributions drive reviews, customer satisfaction, and overall business success, they’re more likely to feel engaged and stay for the long haul.

4. Address Underperformance with Empathy

Every business has its challenges, and underperforming employees are a reality in any industry. How you handle these situations can make or break morale. Addressing underperformance with empathy shows your commitment to helping employees improve rather than simply penalizing them. And, being clear and direct about expectations helps the rest of your team know what’s acceptable and what’s not. 

Have Honest, Supportive Conversations

Sit down with the employee to understand the root of the issue. Are they struggling with training, overwhelmed by their workload, or facing personal challenges? Listening can uncover barriers and help you create an improvement plan.

Set Clear, Achievable Goals

Work together to establish specific, realistic goals for improvement. Set Clear Expectations to ensure these goals are measurable and tied to performance benchmarks like customer satisfaction or number of completed jobs. 

Provide Ongoing Support

Check-in regularly to track progress and provide encouragement. Try pairing the employee with a mentor or offer additional training if needed. Showing employees that you’re invested in their success can reignite motivation and loyalty.

When underperformance is met with support rather than punishment, you foster trust and create growth opportunities—both for the employee and your business.

5. Solicit Feedback Regularly 

Your employees are on the front lines daily—communicating with customers, troubleshooting on-site issues, working in the hot sun, and managing tight schedules. Their insights are invaluable. Whether it’s about processes, policies, or customer interactions, regularly asking for feedback shows your team that you value their input—and are willing to act on it.

Soliciting feedback takes it further by proactively seeking your team’s ideas and concerns.

Create Opportunities for Feedback

• One-on-Ones: Schedule regular check-ins with employees to discuss their challenges, ideas, and concerns.

• Team Meetings: Open the floor for suggestions and foster group discussions.

• Anonymous Surveys: Give employees a safe space to share honest feedback about workplace issues or improvements.

Act on Feedback

Collecting feedback is not enough—you need to show employees you’re listening. Acknowledge their suggestions, share your plans to address concerns, and follow through on improvements.

When employees feel heard, they’re more engaged, loyal, and invested in your home services company’s success. Plus, their insights can uncover opportunities for efficiency and better customer service.

6. Create a Positive Work Environment 

A great work environment isn’t just about physical space—especially when most of your team is on the road. For home service employees, who drive from job to job, fostering a culture where they feel safe, respected, and valued is even more critical. When your team feels connected to the company, they’ll be more engaged and less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Foster Open Communication

Encourage your employees to share feedback and ideas without fear of judgment. Host regular team meetings, one-on-ones, or anonymous surveys to gather input and show them you’re truly listening.

Promote Teamwork 

Teamwork thrives when employees feel connected and motivated to support one another. Start by organizing team-building activities to strengthen relationships and camaraderie.

Take it a step further with leaderboards that promote healthy competition and fun. Celebrate individual achievements while encouraging team collaboration. Recognizing group efforts—like the crew with the highest NPS score or the most jobs completed—reinforces the importance of working together toward shared goals.

Applause’s leaderboard feature motivates employees by tracking performance metrics in real time. Use it to highlight top performers, foster camaraderie, and make success a shared experience for everyone.

7. Provide Continuous Training 

Your employees are your most valuable asset, and investing in their growth is a win-win. Continuous training not only helps your team hone their skills, but it also shows that you’re invested in their long-term success. Employees who see a future with your company are more likely to stay engaged and loyal. 

Offer Hands-On Training 

Technical skills are the backbone of the home services industry. Offering hands-on training for new tools, techniques, and certifications relevant to your employees' roles shows that you’re invested in their career growth and want to see them succeed.

Expand Beyond Technical Skills

Soft skills, like customer service and communication, are just as necessary as technical expertise. Host workshops and provide actionable feedback to help your team:

• Build rapport with customers.

• Handle challenging situations with professionalism.

• Upsell services naturally and effectively.

With NPS insights, Applause gives your employees instant feedback on how customers perceive their service. Sharing these insights helps your team identify strengths and areas for improvement, making soft skills training more targeted and impactful.

Final Thoughts

Your team is the backbone of your business, and investing in them is one of the smartest decisions you can make. In a competitive market, where employees have more options than ever, creating a workplace that values and motivates your people isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for your long-term success.

Not all retention strategies will work the same for every team or individual. Experiment with the ideas we’ve shared and tailor them to your unique culture and goals. Recognizing achievements, fostering ownership, and offering continuous training may resonate differently across your team—but the key is to stay adaptable and keep refining your approach.

Tools like Applause can simplify retention by providing actionable insights into your customer experience through NPS surveys—matching customer ratings with employees for targeted praise and coaching—and motivating your team with bonuses, tips, and recognition. With the right strategies, you can build a culture that not only attracts top talent but keeps them engaged and inspired for years to come.

Ready to see how Applause can help you keep your team engaged and your business thriving? Schedule a demo today and discover how easy it can be to create a culture of excellence that keeps your best employees motivated and on the track to success.