Human Resources

Book Jun 01 2020

Creating the High Performing Contractor

Becoming and remaining a high-performing contractor requires constant focused effort. For leaders aspiring to this level of excellence, the journey is well worth the work.

High-Performing Contractors (HPCs) deliver exceptional performance. They empower their work teams by creating rewarding work environments. They nurture strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with their suppliers, trade partners and subcontractors. They embrace focused technologies that help them deliver greater value to their customers. Above all, they never lose focus on their people as their most strategic asset.

The second edition of Creating the High-Performing Contractor: Proven Practices for the Sheet Metal and HVAC Industry seeks to capture new applications while maintaining the basic, sound principles and proven tools of High-Performing Contracting.

Topics covered in the 2020 manual include:

  • High-Performing Leadership
  • Planning Your Future
  • Employee Focus
  • Customer Focus
  • Work Processes Management
  • Keeping Score
  • The High-Performance Assessment Model

Free to members in the SMACNA store.


  • Dollar SignPDF $50.00

COVID-19 Sep 20 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources for Contractors

 Collectively and quickly responding to this pandemic is the most important immediate issue we face as an industry. The COVID-19 vaccine is a safe and easily implemented tool now at our disposal to battle the pandemic and return to a normal life at home and on the job. The following resources will help contractors to educate employees and encourage a healthy and vaccinated workforce.

New Horizons Foundation Jun 28 2021

locked icon
Organizational Adoption of New Technologies: Best Practices for SMACNA Contractors

SMACNA members are eager to adopt new technologies, operational processes, and business strategies. Yet the implementation of organizational change – defined as an intentional, company-level adoption of new practices, technologies, or management approaches – can be extremely difficult. This white paper identifies the top eight most effective technology implementation management practices.

Contractor Operations Manual Jun 22 2021

Monetary and Nonmonetary Compensation Plans

The primary purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the monetary and nonmonetary practices used by industry-leading companies. The study has the following specific objectives:

  • Illustrate the power of well-defined monetary compensation plans. 
  • Identify the types of incentives most useful for kinds of employee groups.
  • Connect the incentive programs to performance management.
  • Describe the various most popular nonmonetary compensation programs that can impact employee loyalty, retention, and satisfaction.

This document is free to members in the SMACNA Store.


  • Dollar SignPDF $75.00

SMACNews Apr 30 2021

The Harder Work: Reputation Management and Trust Building

We continue the series on the “harder work” of leadership — important but not urgent responsibilities that are easy to put off, in some cases for decades. In this installment, we’ll examine the responsibility of owners and senior leaders to incessantly enhance their organization’s reputation, refusing to believe it will stand untarnished without constant attention.

SMACNews

The Hard Work: Developing People

Building a great culture is, in part, the result of making hard decisions about finding, keeping, and developing great people. But too often we let the urgency of our need lower our standards.

Contractor Operations Manual Nov 19 2020

Recruit to Retire Best Practices

Employees are one of a company’s biggest expenses — and also one of its most important assets. Unlike major capital costs (like buildings, machinery, technology, etc.), human capital is volatile. Employees need to understand that a company invests in them with a hiring decision, and that the company wants them to stay until they retire.

In this publication, we explore the influence and impact of the pandemic; generational expectations; the advantages of remote work ; how to lead, communicate and incentivize behavior; the impact of this shift on organizational strategy and culture.

This document is free to members in the SMACNA Store.


  • Dollar SignPDF $75.00

SMACNews Mar 31 2020

Showing Up as Your Best Self

The default response for many leaders in our industry is toward action. So when a crisis hits, whether internal or external, investing even more time, even more emotional intensity, even more brute force seems like the obvious move.

SMACNews Oct 25 2019

Courage in the Little Things

The grind of decision making can be exhausting. If you kept track of the number of decisions you make every day, you’d probably feel even more tired.

SMACNews Jun 20 2019

Accountability and Leadership

Understanding the dynamics of accountability helps a leader create a culture where people learn to take responsibility for their own work — mistakes and all.

Contractor Operations Manual Jan 01 2019

Personnel, Policies, and Procedures

Contractors can use this publication to create a personalized policy manual for their firm by modifying or editing the general guidelines and policies included.

This publication clarifies company procedures and expectations that foster healthy management-employee relationships and eliminates confusion and inconsistency. It addresses most of the topics necessary to provide employees a solid understanding of their obligations and opportunities.

This document is free to members in the SMACNA Store.


  • Dollar SignPDF $75.00

Contractor Operations Manual Dec 07 2018

Management Succession

This publication guides a firm in creating a formal process for leadership development. It illustrates the ways members can turn this potential crisis into an opportunity while gaining a competitive advantage. This report highlights the benefits of internal management succession, best practices, and outlines a process for effective management succession.

This document is free to members in the SMACNA Store.


  • Dollar SignPDF $75.00

Federal Contracting

locked icon
Guide to EEO Compliance

SMACNA contractors who work on federal contracts have certain equal employment opportunities (EEO) obligations imposed upon them that may not apply to contractors who do not work on federal contracts.

SMACNews

The Hard Work

When we discuss leadership with our clients, we are most often talking about leading the enterprise — deliberately taking your company toward a preferable future.