Creating a supportive and rewarding work environment for your team is one of the best ways to improve employee retention. In this profile, Jill Davie shares leadership and communication tips to help your employees develop into confident leaders. 

What are some trends you see developing in the building service contracting industry?

Building service contractors (BSCs) continue to face the challenge of the shrinking, very competitive labor force, which can be combated by integrating automation into current processes and focusing on employee retention programs. Many companies are exploring ways to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in order to streamline work and remove the burden of tedious tasks from employees, particularly those in the back office. As AI becomes more readily available in the applications we use every day, there will be many opportunities to leverage technology to free people up to focus on more strategic, growth-oriented initiatives.

In regard to employee retention, data shows that the highest rate of turnover occurs in the first 60 days of employment, but retention efforts shouldn’t end there. Because we know long-term retention can be tied to employee engagement, it’s important to build a culture where managers have regular touchpoints with employees to discuss career development and goals, as well as day-to-day work assignments and questions.

More frequent communication can help teams work more closely together, and it creates an environment that encourages retention. Other tactics we’ve seen professionals in the industry experiment with are incentive programs — not just for field-based employees, but also implementing incentive programs to reward managers for retaining employees. Improving employee retention can have a very positive impact on your bottom line, which makes these types of incentive programs self-funded. It may also help with manager retention, as great performers are rewarded and share in the success of the business.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I am a big fan of servant leadership, and I practice it every day. My experiences have taught me that there is a wealth of very talented, intelligent and capable people in the workforce. I’ve also come to appreciate diversity of thought and approach — differing perspectives are a wonderful thing and generate the best outcomes. I’ve learned that if you construct teams of talented people who channel their energy in positive ways and give them a vision, all you really need to do is provide a framework to constantly support them and get out of their way. At this point in my career, it’s very fulfilling for me to watch people grow in their careers and develop into confident leaders in their own right.

Any advice for new BSCs coming into the industry?

It is crucial for new BSCs to become a BSCAI member and take advantage of all events, networking opportunities and resources at your disposal. Make those connections with members and with vendors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your providers — yes, that includes your software provider! This industry is really like none other in that everyone is incredibly willing to help a growing contractor and impart their knowledge on successes, missteps and plans for the future.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

When I was first starting my career almost 30 years ago, many new things were intimidating to me, especially working for a software company when I had no real technical training. I didn’t always understand the technical jargon, and I had a lot to learn about how BSCs managed their businesses. Early on, I lacked confidence, and I was afraid to ask questions, in fear of being seen as incompetent. One of the TEAM Software founders, Frank Labedz, spent a lot of time with me and pushed me to do things I felt I wasn’t ready to do on my own. He also created a safe space for me to ask a lot of questions and allowed me to observe his approach to customer conversations and meetings. While I can’t recall a specific moment in time where he said these words to me, what he was telling me through his actions was, “You can do this. I have faith in you, if you have faith in yourself. And you won’t know what you need to work on until you try it on your own.” He was absolutely right. After I started opening up more rapidly to new experiences and didn’t shy away from vulnerability, I learned at a much faster pace. To this day, when I encounter a new experience, I remind myself to get out of my own way and embrace the opportunity to learn, even if I trip every now and then.

Jill Davie is the senior vice president and general manager of cleaning and security at WorkWave, where she is responsible for the strategic direction and operational excellence to these critical markets. She started her career at TEAM Software as a summer marketing intern in 1996. After earning a bachelor of science degree in business administration and marketing from Iowa State University, Davie joined TEAM full time in 1998 as a sales associate. Over the next 20 years, she assumed various leadership roles in sales, marketing, communications, customer success and professional services as the company grew significantly. Davie also served on TEAM’s board of directors from 2014 through 2021 when it was acquired by WorkWave. During her board tenure, TEAM transformed from founder-owned, to employee-owned to private equity owned.