Recruitment & Onboarding for Tradies – Pillar 6 of the 12 Big Pillars
If you’ve read our guides on boosting cashflow or achieving financial excellence the ResVita way, you’ll know we’re all about practical advice for tradies who want to grow a better business. Today, we dive into Pillar 6: Recruitment and Onboarding for Tradies—a critical step that shapes the success of your team and your future.
Resvita is here to make that a reality. By leveraging structured frameworks like the Core 9 and 180 Power Frame, Resvita helps tradies master financial excellence, streamline operations, and unlock long-term business success. you can find out more about those by clicking Here.
Why Recruitment and Onboarding Matter
Getting recruitment and onboarding right isn’t just about filling positions—it’s about building a team that delivers consistently. When new hires feel supported from day one, they settle in faster, stay longer, and contribute more. That’s why this pillar is a game-changer.
Surprisingly, many trade businesses still skip structured onboarding. They hire fast, chuck the new bloke on the tools, and hope for the best. Unfortunately, that approach often leads to confusion, rework, and early exits.
In contrast, Pillar 6 gives you a framework that’s clear, practical, and tradie-friendly. It helps you attract solid people, onboard them right, and keep them performing strong.
What Pillar 6 Covers
Start with smart hiring.
Look beyond qualifications. Seek out people who fit your culture—reliable, team-focused, and ready to learn. Advertise clearly, use simple language, and be upfront about what the job involves.
Keep the momentum going before Day 1.
Once someone says yes, send them a quick welcome text or email with site details, what to bring, who to contact, and what to expect. It sets a positive tone.
Make the first day count.
Give them a quick but clear rundown of your business: where to park, who they report to, job expectations, PPE requirements, and your safety rules. Use a one-page guide if needed. Don’t overload—just the basics to get started confidently.
Pair them up with a buddy.
A hands-on mentor speeds up learning, cuts mistakes, and shows how your team operates. It also gives your new hire a go-to mate for questions in those first few weeks.
Check in and follow up.
Don’t assume silence means all is well. Check in after Day 1, the end of Week 1, and again around the six-week mark. Ask about challenges, safety, and support needs. These small chats help fix issues before they snowball.
The Benefits of a Strong Onboarding System
The payoff is massive:
- Quicker productivity: Clear onboarding means your new team members get up to speed faster. That’s fewer delays and more jobs finished on time.
- Better retention: When people feel part of the team, they stick around. Less churn means fewer hours lost to recruiting and training.
- Stronger jobsite culture: Everyone knows the standard, which leads to safer sites, better communication, and smoother jobs.
- Improved reputation: Word spreads. When you run a good team, others want to join. This helps you attract quality people without always advertising.
A Real-World Example
Let’s say you run a painting crew. You’ve just hired Jake, a qualified but green tradie.
- Before Jake starts, you send him a text: “Hi mate, looking forward to having you on board. We kick off 7:30 AM Monday at 21 Station St. Wear your boots, bring your lunch. Safety brief first thing.”
- On Day 1, you hand Jake a quick-start sheet: team contact list, break times, PPE expectations, and your three core values.
- You pair him with Sarah, a senior painter who shows him the ropes—how to prep a surface, manage his gear, and use the right finish for each job.
- You check in after the first week, ask how he’s settling in, and see if he needs anything—training, tools, or just a chat.
That’s the ResVita way—simple, clear, and built for the real world.
Ready to Use Pillar 6?
Here’s how you can get started today:
- Write up a one-pager with the info every new hire needs.
- Create a simple checklist for Day 1.
- Choose a team mentor who’ll guide new people in their first few weeks.
- Schedule your follow-up check-ins on your calendar now.
Final Thought
Recruitment and onboarding for tradies doesn’t need to be complicated. But it does need to be done right. Pillar 6 helps you build a team that works safely, stays longer, and delivers results you can rely on. It’s about setting the tone early so your business doesn’t just survive—it thrives.
So, ready to swap stress for strategy? Dive into Resvita’s Core Blueprint today and build a business that thrives, no matter the weather.
Go and complete our Blueprint to Brilliance Scorecard to start to really uncover
– What’s Currently Working and How to Get More
– What’s Not Working and How to Fix It
– What is needed to get to the next level!
It takes less than 5 minutes to complete!
Click Here to go to the scorecard
