Hiring new staff is hard enough.
Keeping them past the first week is where many trade businesses come unstuck.
Too often, new hires are thrown straight into the job with little structure, vague expectations, and no real support. Then when things do not work out, the assumption is that they were the wrong fit.
But as Vicky Irwin explains in this episode of The Site Shed Podcast, a lot of new team members are being set up to fail before they even get started.
In Episode 493, Matt Jones sits down with Vicky Irwin from Network Plumbing to unpack what effective staff onboarding actually looks like in a growing trade business.
This is not about ticking boxes on day one. It is about creating a process that helps new team members understand the business, know what is expected of them, and feel confident in their role from the start.
Why onboarding matters more than most trade businesses realise
When onboarding is rushed, new hires are left guessing.
They do not know who they report to. They are unclear on the standards they are meant to follow. They have not been shown how the systems work. They are unsure how to communicate with customers, how to work with the team, or even what success looks like in the role.
That confusion creates stress for the employee and frustration for the business owner.
Vicky explains that proper onboarding has played a major role in improving staff retention, clarifying expectations, and reinforcing standards across the business. In fact, she shares that when people miss the onboarding process, the problems tend to show up quickly.
For trade business owners, managers, and HR teams, the message is simple. Better onboarding creates better outcomes.
What great onboarding actually looks like
At Network Plumbing, onboarding is far more than a brief introduction and a uniform handover.
Vicky walks new team members through a structured process that covers the company story, leadership team, departments, reporting lines, safety expectations, training rhythms, systems, software, customer communication, professional standards, and what a normal day in the job should look like.
The process includes:
- A full business overview and welcome
- An explanation of the organisational chart and reporting lines
- A site and factory tour
- Introductions to the wider team
- Training around safety, PPE, and safe work method statements
- Software and systems setup, including ServiceTitan and payroll tools
- Clear expectations around uniforms, presentation, communication, and behaviour
- Role play for customer interactions
- Ride-alongs and practical support in the field
- Ongoing check-ins and performance reviews
This kind of onboarding helps people see the bigger picture. It provides them structure. It offers them context. Most importantly, it helps them understand how they fit into the business.
Day one should build clarity, not confusion
Onboarding should reduce uncertainty.
Instead of expecting new staff to work things out as they go, Vicky focuses on making the important things clear from the beginning.
That includes who they go to for help, what their role involves, how the company operates, and what standards they are expected to meet.
This is especially important in trade businesses, where many new hires are apprentices or younger workers entering the workforce for the first time.
Without proper guidance, they can easily fall behind or lose confidence.
Clear communication early on creates momentum. It also helps the business identify issues faster if someone is not the right fit.
Culture is taught through onboarding
Culture does not appear by accident.
It is built through what you explain, what you reinforce, and what you tolerate.
Throughout the episode, Vicky makes it clear that onboarding is one of the best opportunities to shape culture early. From how staff wear their uniform to how they speak to customers, maintain vehicles, use equipment, and treat teammates, every part of the process communicates what matters in the business.
This is particularly relevant for businesses that are growing. Once teams get bigger, assumptions break down. The more people you have, the more deliberate you need to be about standards and communication.
A strong onboarding process helps create consistency across the team.
Why ride-alongs and buddy systems work
Another practical lesson from this episode is the value of ride-alongs and real-world observation.
Before staff are fully turned loose, they spend time alongside experienced team members, learning how things are done in the field. This gives managers a chance to assess both technical ability and cultural fit. It also gives the new hire a safer, more supported start.
It is a smart reminder that onboarding should not stay in the boardroom. It needs to connect directly to the real job.
Whether someone is an apprentice, technician, or office team member, they need a practical pathway into the role.
Training soft skills matters too
For a lot of trade business owners, onboarding tends to focus on tools, systems, and compliance.
But Vicky highlights another area that often gets overlooked: people skills.
That includes how to greet customers, how to speak with confidence, how to ask for payment, how to request a review, and how to communicate respectfully with the team. These moments directly impact the customer experience and the business’s reputation, yet many staff have never received proper training in them.
This part of the conversation is especially valuable because it shows that great tradies are not just technically capable. They also know how to represent the business well.
Onboarding should continue beyond the first day
A good start matters, but support after day one matters just as much.
Vicky explains that onboarding continues through daily ride-alongs, manager feedback, performance reviews, accountability conversations, and regular training sessions. Their team also runs weekly meetings and toolbox talks to keep reinforcing expectations, safety, and development.
This ongoing rhythm is what turns onboarding from a one-off event into a system.
That system gives staff a better chance to improve, ask questions, and settle into the team.
What trade business owners can take from this
You do not need a massive company to improve your onboarding.
You do need intention.
If you want to reduce staff churn, improve culture, and help new hires perform faster, start with these basics:
- Clarify reporting lines
- Define the role and expected outcomes
- Explain how your business works
- Show people what good looks like
- Give them support in the first week
- Reinforce standards consistently
- Treat onboarding as a process, not an event
As Vicky puts it, new team members are joining your business family. If you want them to succeed, you need to bring them in properly, support them early, and help them grow.
Final thoughts
If your business is losing staff early, the problem may not be hiring alone. This may be what happens after the hire.
This episode is a strong reminder that onboarding is not admin. It is leadership.
Done well, it creates clarity, trust, confidence, and consistency. Done poorly, it leaves people confused and disconnected before they have even had a fair shot.
For any trade business owner wanting a stronger team and better retention, this is a conversation worth paying attention to.
📚 Resources from this Episode
Get in touch with Vicky Irwin:
Website: https://networkplumbing.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/networkplumbing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networktradies_/
LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/network-plumbing/
Vicky’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-irwin-56a61712/
Related Episodes:
Episode 439 with Scott Irwin (Network Plumbing journey)
Episode 440 with Scott Irwin (Designing your ideal life)
Episode 490 with Scott Irwin (Forget Cost Per Acquisition. It’s All About Lifetime Value)
Episode 491 with Scott Irwin (Plumbing Memberships Are Complete BS, Do This Instead)
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