(And How to Make the Next One Stay)
You finally found a decent tradie to be on the tools. They started well. Twelve weeks later, they handed in their notice.
Now you’re back to square one: re-advertising, re-interviewing and covering the gap with overtime while your team gets more tired.
If this keeps happening, it isn’t bad luck. It’s a pattern and the good news is it can be fixed.
What a bad hire really costs
Most owners only count the obvious costs, like the job ad or recruitment fee. The real cost of staff turnover is much bigger.
Australian estimates put the cost of replacing an employee at 50% to 150% of their annual salary. That covers recruitment, training, lost productivity, and overtime to cover the gap.
Take a mechanical fitter on $95,000. Even at the low end, that’s roughly $47,000 gone each time someone walks out the door. The Australian average staff turnover rate is around 16%, according to AHRI figures quoted by Compono’s turnover calculator. That calculator is worth five minutes of your time.
There’s also the cost you can’t put a number on. Your best people burn out covering the gaps, and some of them start looking too.
Why new tradespeople leave early
From years of recruiting in engineering and trades, these are the reasons that come up again and again.
The job wasn’t what they were sold. The ad said “maintenance fitter”, but it’s really 60% production work. Or “some overtime” turned out to mean every Saturday.
Day one was a mess. No ute ready, no tools, no induction, no one to show them around. First impressions stick.
They didn’t gel with the team. Skills got them the job, but they never fitted in with the crew or the supervisor.
Pay and hours didn’t stack up. Someone down the road offered more money and fewer hours and guess what? They took it.
Nobody made them feel valued. Good tradespeople want good pay, reasonable hours and a boss who notices good work. Take away the last one and the first two only go so far.
How to retain tradespeople from day one
1. Be honest in the job brief.
Spell out the real work, the real hours and the real overtime. The right person will still apply. The wrong one won’t waste your time.
2. Hire for fit, not just tickets.
Qualifications get someone in the door. Values, attitude and how they’ll work with your team decide whether they stay. Ask questions in the interview that show how they handle pressure, mistakes and teamwork.
3. Plan the first 90 days.
Have their tools, PPE and induction ready before day one. Pair them with a buddy, not just “the busiest bloke on the floor”. Set clear expectations for the first month.
4. Check in at week one, month one and month three.
Ask: “Is this what you expected? What’s getting in your way?” A ten-minute chat now can save a resignation later.
5. Keep pay competitive.
Check your rates against the market every year, not just the Fair Work pay guides. If a good person is underpaid, someone else will notice.
6. Watch the overtime.
Some overtime is part of the job. Constant overtime burns people out. If your team relies on it, you probably need another hire.
The bottom line
Retaining tradespeople starts before they’re hired. Be honest about the role, choose someone who fits your team and set them up properly for the first 90 days.
At Freedom Recruitment Agency, we take time to learn your business, your culture and your crew before we look for anyone. That’s why every permanent placement comes with a 3-month replacement guarantee.
Book a free 15-minute Hiring Clarity Call and let’s find someone who stays.