Equipment World

B ack when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I had a full-time job in construction, a pay- check was about all you could expect from a construction company – maybe a six pack of beer if you won a bet with the boss or beat a hot deadline. Back then there were lots of people like me working in construction. There was no labor short- age and hence no sense among employers that they had to do anything to keep you on. If you didn't like it, shove off; there was always some- body in line to replace you – until there wasn't. Now we're in a 20-year, generational labor drought, and I can't help but wonder if this wasn't caused, at least in part, by the cavalier attitudes of bosses and companies back in the 70s and 80s. Unlike construction, my next two jobs, in the military and then publishing, offered plenty of training opportunities from the get-go. You were expected to grow your skills, become more valu- able to your employer and move up the ranks. The military and the corporate world paid for the training and made sure you were given sufficient time. And it was a nice break to be able to step away from the day-to-day routines once or twice a year and sharpen the saw. That's the kind of thing that builds loyal employees – and people who can contribute more to the bottom line. This year you have the big mac-daddy of them all when it comes to training and perks for your employees. I'm talking about ConExpo/ConAgg in Las Vegas, March 7 to 11, conexpoconagg.com. In addition to seeing all the latest equipment and technology, there are a boatload of educa- tional sessions on asphalt, aggregates, concrete, cranes and lift equipment, earthmoving, equip- ment maintenance and management, safety, technology and workforce development. The contractors I know who bring their people to this show usually roll one of two ways. Some companies hand out assignments and ask their people to track down information on specific machines or trucks the company is interested in. Others just bring people along as a perk, with no assignments, knowing their sharpest people are going to use the education and floor time to acquire skills and knowledge to get better at their jobs. In addition to skill building and knowledge, shows like ConExpo are also a good way for bosses to show junior employees how you con- duct business. A lot of your guys may be great craftsman, but they may not have yet learned the social aspects of business, how to develop relationships with vendors, how to sidestep BS and get information without being rude, and if you'll pardon the cliché, how to win friends and influence people. If you're grooming younger workers to be vice presidents someday, the floor of a big trade show is a great place to start. You don't have much time though. You can register at the door, but with attendance expect- ed to top 130,000, hotel rooms and flights are going to be hard to find. And if equipment maintenance and manage- ment is your thing, the Association of Equipment Management Professionals will have their annual meeting March 5 and 6, the weekend prior to ConExpo's opening. AEMP also has a big slate of education sessions geared to everybody from the up-and-coming technician to senior fleet manag- ers from many the largest construction compa- nies in the world. Look for more information at AEMP.org. See you there, I hope, with your people. February 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com 98 final word | by Tom Jackson ConExpo as a recruiting and retention tool TJackson@randallreilly.com

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