The Situation
A growing trades business had a painful pattern. Every new hire took 4-6 months to become fully productive. During that ramp-up, senior employees spent hours every week answering the same questions, fixing the same mistakes, and watching over shoulders. Worse, nearly 40% of new hires quit before hitting the 6-month mark—taking all that training investment with them.
“I felt like I was training the same person over and over. Every time someone left, we started from zero.”
The Problem
There was no system. No structured onboarding. No documented processes. Just institutional knowledge trapped in senior employees' heads. When the owner tried to step back, everything slowed down. When a key person was sick, work ground to a halt. The business had grown, but the infrastructure hadn't kept pace.
What we built
Documentation
- Step-by-step SOPs for every critical process
- Visual guides and checklists
- Video modules for repeatable tasks
Structure
- 90-day onboarding pathway with clear milestones
- Skill verification checkpoints
- Mentorship program that didn't overwhelm senior staff
Transfer
- Supervisor training on coaching and delivery
- Maintenance schedule for ongoing updates
- Troubleshooting guide for common issues
The Results
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Time to productivity | 5 months | 8 weeks |
| 6-month retention | 60% | 84% |
| Senior staff training hours/week | 15+ | 3-4 |
| Estimated annual savings | — | $45,000+ |
The Aftermath
The owner took his first vacation in seven years. When he came back, everything was still running.
“This is what I thought owning a business would feel like.”
Could your business see results like this?
One conversation. No pitch, no pressure. If we can help, we'll tell you how. If we can't, we'll tell you that too.
Schedule a conversationOr email directly: dominic@cssolutions.services