interview. Nelson similarly asks about the climbing systems they use and any rigging equipment they’ve worked with. At Hughes, climbers undergo a proba- tionary hire period. “Anybody I hire, we do have a 60-day probationary period,” Nelson said. “If they’re a climber, that’s their test climbing period.” WELL-MAINTAINED EQUIPMENT MATTERS The quality and maintenance of equip- ment can influence a climber’s decision to join a company. A company that pro- vides high-quality gear and maintains it well signals a commitment to the safety of its crews. “Equipment is important,” Bowser said. “Breakdowns take time out of their [the crew’s] day. Frayed ropes could break if they’re in a tree.” Nelson emphasized that Hughes pri- oritizes having new equipment, and his crews notice when other tree care companies don’t meet those standards. “To me, that’s huge,” Nelson said. “It makes the guys feel safe knowing they’re going up in [the newest] stuff.” Chambrelli added that SavATree issues new equipment on an employee’s first day. KEEPING GOOD PEOPLE Once climbers are hired and trained, every company wants to keep them because replacing the investment and skill is difficult. Bowser said Almstead only hires five or six climbers each year. “That’s partly because there aren’t a lot of very experienced climbers,” she said. Everyone involved in hiring said safety is the most important thing to climb- ers, even before pay or any other perks.
While job perks are crucial, hiring staff concurs that the most important aspect of the job for climbers is safety.
“Money aside, safety is number one,” Bowser said. “It’s always number one for a good climber. They will run from a place that’s unsafe.” According to Nelson, along with safe- ty, Hughes focuses on investing re- sources into their staff. They spend time together outside the regular work schedule at offsite events and have a quarterly breakfast for everyone in the company.
Hughes also sends several employees to conferences each year so they can learn and gain exposure to new tech- niques and strategies. In addition, Chambrelli said career advancement and continued education are core components of SavATree’s tal- ent retention. “I think the reason people stay at SavATree is our dedication to the peo- ple,” he said. “We want them to be able to thrive in an environment.”
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