A Methodical and Strategic Approach Defines Our Success
UG2 has had the tremendous good fortune of maintaining a deep and wide bench of talent amid fierce competition in the operations and maintenance industry. That record of success is much more than a happy accident. Our talent retention is grounded in the people-first approach touted by our founders that has guided steps taken and strategies pursued in the years since the beginning.
A Complex Challenge With Attainable Solutions
The skilled trades are by and large comprised of an aging population, and those retiring from the trades are not being replaced in adequate numbers. The longstanding problem grew worse on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic as labor shortages approached crisis levels across industries.
UG2 has not been immune to these talent shortages, especially in light of our rapid growth over the past several years. We have had to be innovative in our efforts to attract and retain the best of the best, and—as with all of our successes—we hit our stride when we invite input from the people who know us best, our employees, and by truly listening to their perspectives and acting on their ideas.
The resulting and evolving approach is multifold, and includes:
Centering Our Core Values. When we launched UG2, we set out to develop the next generation of leaders in facility services and that goal has informed our every effort along the way. The qualities and core values we strive for—like demonstrating agility, embracing innovation, and becoming citizens of our industry and that of our customers—have helped keep us at the front of the pack when it comes to attracting and holding on to talent.
Building Key Partnerships. UG2 has always worked at being a strong and reliable partner to our employees and customers, and we have extended that effort to include partnerships with organizations and institutions that can help connect us to the up-and-coming generation of skilled employees. We work with schools to raise awareness about careers in facility services, extend apprenticeship opportunities, and lay out a clear career path with a solid future.
Prioritizing Training and Professional Development. Before an employee even starts on site with one of our customers, they complete comprehensive training that covers everything from customer service to safety and technical training. We leverage the offerings at our Training & Innovation Lab to transfer knowledge from experienced experts to newcomers, help entry-level employees build new skills to advance in their careers, and keep pace with the emerging technology that enables top-notch service. The lab’s virtual platform allows us to connect employees and trainers across the country. Rounding out our offerings is our UG2 Development Toolkit and workshops geared at helping team members reach their professional goals.
Promoting From Within. We succeed by seeking out the diverse voices and skills of employees at every level who, all too often, have traditionally been excluded from policy making, business development, and leadership positions. We excel by recognizing their talent, providing opportunities for advancement, and supporting their professional development. We prioritize promoting from within and supporting advancement among our incredibly diverse workforce.
Putting People First. Treating employees as family means recognizing the whole employee. UG2’s approach is rooted in an understanding of work/life balance. We support employees’ needs with part-time/flexible/overnight schedules and best-in-class benefits packages that ensure our employees can care for their families and themselves while also succeeding professionally.
Developing Relationships. Relationships are at the center of our success at UG2. We center a team approach, and we work to recognize and reward our employees efforts to do the same, from the industry veteran who takes the time to mentor a young person to the employee who steps up to help when they notice a coworker is overwhelmed. Team building at UG2 crosses over every level of the company in every office across our growing footprint.