Mentorship remains one of the most effective ways to develop skilled, confident floorlayers while preserving valuable industry knowledge writes Adam Bernstein
IT’s well known that flooring has problems in recruiting and retaining workers. In an Instagram world, jobs that feature a combination of an office, air-conditioning and sociable hours seem so much more desirable.
But those who know what flooring is really like, recognise that no two days are the same, that there’s much satisfaction to be had in creating something that is aesthetically pleasing, and that through hard work come rewards.
Industry stalwarts also recognise that flooring is a trade that needs and relies on several essential skills, good technical knowledge, physical ability, the ability to problem solve and, importantly, offer good customer service.
Of course, training courses, product demonstrations and apprenticeships also provide someone with the foundations for a long and storied career. However, there’s no substitute for learning directly from those with real-world experience.
New tricks
It’s said ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. But that’s not to say the ‘old dog’ can’t teach an apprentice those same tricks.
And for many new flooring apprentices, having a mentor can be one of the most effective ways they can develop the skills, confidence and professionalism they need to succeed in the trade.
It’s easy for a long-established floorlayer to take the trade for granted. But for a new joiner, commercial flooring is far more complex than they’ll ever realise until they’re embedded with an employer.
They’ll have much to learn.
Subfloor preparation, moisture control, adhesives, fitting techniques, safety requirements, measuring, estimating and material selection are just some of the key knowledge points. And every project will present different challenges, from uneven surfaces and tight deadlines to difficult clients and changing site conditions.
A mentor will help an apprentice not only bridge the gap between theory and practice, but they’ll also pass on practical knowledge that will make the job much easier and faster to complete.
Avoiding mistakes
It follows that a key advantage of a mentor/apprentice relationship is the chance to learn by watching someone skilled and in the real world, not a classroom. Everything from how an experienced fitter approaches a job, plans the work, handles materials and solves problems under pressure are lessons that can’t be taught in a classroom. Seeing is believing and it’ll soon become apparent to an apprentice why a certain method or process has been used.
Similarly, given that time and materials come with cost, a mentor will help an apprentice avoid expensive mistakes; inexperience leads to poor material choices, poor preparation or errors that may result in expensive remedial work.
Consider errors with moisture testing, adhesive selection or floor preparation – any of these can cause an installation to fail completely. It’s much better to learn from another’s mistakes. At the same time, mentoring will help a young person, lacking in confidence (but full of bravado), by knowing there’s someone to ask questions of or seek guidance from.
Standards
Flooring is a very visual trade where the finished work is, by definition, on show. Attention to detail and pride in workmanship is essential and mentoring can help instil a desire for high standards by teaching the importance of preparation, accuracy and finishing.
A mentor can teach an apprentice that flooring installation is more than fitting materials as quickly as possible. Rather, it’s about producing something that lasts, which pleases clients and protects the reputation of the business.
Mentors, over time, pass down the work ethic and standards that have helped them in their many years in the trade.
But mentorship goes further, it’s also about learning how to deal with clients and other trades on-site; contractors need to communicate effectively, manage expectations and maintain good working relationships with clients, suppliers and site managers. Experience will have taught a mentor how to handle difficult conversations, respond to complaints and manage commercial projects. Such interpersonal skills aren’t taught formally but learnt on the tools.
Likewise, there’s health and safety. Commercial flooring is an arduous trade that involves manual handling, kneeling, cutting tools, adhesives and hazardous materials. A mentor can drum into an apprentice the importance of working safely and protecting themselves by demonstrating the right lifting techniques, how to use tools correctly, and how to work on site without injury.
Mentors help apprentices grow into the job so they develop their skills faster than they would otherwise. In time, such hands-on learning will help the apprentice take on more responsibilities and with confidence too.
But let’s not overlook the advantages for employers. Mentoring preserves key skills in the sector; highly skilled fitters will have spent decades developing techniques and expertise that are difficult to replace.
Even better, and a direct benefit to the employer, mentoring helps bind the young or new starter through a common team bond so they’re drawn in from an outer orbit into the core of the business making them less likely to leave part way through their apprenticeship or shortly after as they feel supported and motivated. And that’s got to be a bonus for all.
Summary
For any flooring contractor looking to build a successful business, finding good workers and apprentices is essential. But while employing is ‘easy’, keeping them and growing them is much harder. Mentorship is likely to be a move that no one regrets.
