Where do you stand when other company's try to steel your help We have a 3 year apprentice…
Discussion · Sep 7, 2026
Where do you stand when other company's try to steel your help We have a 3 year apprentice plumber we pay him $35. and he is leaving for $45.00 We are complying with our original apprentice agreement to pay an agreed pay rate percentage of our licensed journeyman plumber. We can't match that pay unless we pay all of our apprentices the same and would have to raise our Journeymen plumbers to at least to $50. which in turn our hourly rate.
Replies
Reply · Sep 7, 2026
This response may hurt, but I think it's best to take the mindset that nobody can steal your employees. If your employees choose to leave, they choose to leave, and people can offer them whatever they want. The unfortunate reality is that a lot of companies do that when they're desperate, and later on, it doesn't work out.
We've had this happen probably 50 times: people have left for extra money, only to come back later when that company failed or when they realized there was a reason they were so desperate. I would just tend to your culture, and if people want to leave for unrealistic amounts of money, then you have to let them do it.
Our goal should be to be one of the best places to work and be able to pay people as much as we possibly can. Obviously, we can't pay more than that is going to allow us to be profitable. It is a tough situation, though, and I feel for you.
Reply · Sep 8, 2026
I agree it’s the way of the world it stings sometimes
Reply · Sep 8, 2026
I agree with Bryan. Some people don't think through as to why they are willing to pay more. The grass is definitely not always greener on the other side....and if it is....its fake grass. I used to be a $$$$ chaser and it never worked out well for me. The company that was willing to pay more usually had a culture in disarray, no organization, wanted me to work my life away and was not pleasant to be around.
Reply · Sep 8, 2026
I had another local company try to poach my apprentice a few months ago, so I can sympathize with the sting. I had to prepare myself for the chance that he would leave for this higher dollar amount, which he is well within his rights to do. We had a conversation about chasing a dollar vs chasing longevity in relationships. I highlighted our company culture, the type of work we pursue and how we pursue it, the plans that I have for him in the future of the company, etc. I acknowledged that this other offer would be beneficial to him short term, but tried to reason with him about the long term benefits of staying. I hope that this is a conversation you are still about to have with this employee of yours.
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