In 2022 the world is the workers proverbial oyster. With the "Great Resignation" storming big business, companies are desperately trying to hang onto the employees they have, and creatively bring on qualified workers to replace the ones they lost! Many HVAC companies are outsourcing to other states, in order to obtain enough workers to carry the weight of their work load.
So what makes relocating "worth it"? Working for SkillCat and also as a service tech simultaneously, I've learned quite a bit about what the worker wants out of this deal. First and foremost, BETTER PAY! No one is going to uproot themselves and their family to work at a job where the starting pay isn't significantly higher than what they make at home. The pay scale would absolutely depend on various things including location, skill set, and how far they're relocating, but to give a base idea, 5 dollars more per hour is the rough 'magic number' for most lead techs I've spoken to.
The next barrier for the company to break is relocation assistance. There are many ways a company can help with relocation, and those who choose to offer assistance can boost their reputation by appearing as though they are willing to pay for the best of the best in their field. Typical packages can span anywhere between just moving services (where the company pays for packing, travel and unpacking) to lease breaking assistance, and sometimes even temporary or long term rental lodging agreements. The size of your package (no pun intended) should be attractive to hopeful workers, fit your companies budget, and comply with all IRS regulations.
So now, as a tech, you have a great company that's willing to pay for your relocation, and add 5 dollars per hour to your usual wage, but what about job benefits!?! I cannot stress how many relocation jobs I've seen turned down because of HEALTH INSURANCE! Yes, it really matters that much! Lead techs with any kind of long standing experience in the field are typically no longer in their mid 20's, and thus come with families. Sure this isn't the case all the time and you may get lucky with an experienced single tech coming your way, but the fact remains that most of us enter and stay in this field to support our families and put food on the table. That "food" includes health insurance. Companies that offer good family insurance packages are 30% more likely to gain qualified employees and 12% more likely to keep them in the US. Make sure if you're the one relocating, the company offers health benefits, and if you're the hiring company you offer it!
Our lifestyles don't always allow for packing up and moving to another state for a better job, but in 2022 there has never been a better time to take that leap if you've been thinking about it! Make sure everything you need to successfully do that is provided and remember that risks are just opportunities accompanied by fear.
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