The Benefits of Occasionally Going Back Into the Field with Your Team

Photo courtesy Adrienne Barclay, Rival Services

Time in the field with your team can pay off big. It shows what’s working and what’s not, and reminds employees that you’re not afraid of hard work or bad weather. You gain insights and have unique opportunities to strengthen trust, enhance safety and professionalism, and spot inefficiencies. Explore five benefits of going back into the field with your team.

1. Boost Team Morale and Trust

Returning to the field for a day builds company morale and trust. Technicians and drivers take the lead, with you pulling your own weight. The ride-along might spark interesting conversations, resulting in valuable feedback. Or, you could end up troubleshooting a clogged suction hose together. By listening, helping, and monitoring their work, not micro-managing, you show employees you respect and trust them.

2. Increase Driver and Technician Engagement

Working an occasional route or yard shift alongside your team can increase engagement and workplace satisfaction. Both are key to improving employee retention. The big driver of engagement is timely, relevant feedback. Recognizing teams doing their jobs well in the moment and assisting during tough spots could be one factor that keeps your team coming into work every day.

3. Improve Operational Efficiency

Even though many portable restroom operators spent years running toilets and doing services, there’s always something new to learn. You’ll feel every extra step out in the field and notice how long it takes to handle route sheets or strap down units. Those insights can help you fix processes and shave minutes off every stop.

Take notes when you see something that slows down your team, like tools scattered across toolboxes or multiple trips to the truck at a customer’s site. Use your observations to improve operational efficiency and get the most out of your team.

4. Enhance Workplace and Job Site Safety

Employees pay attention when bosses return to the field and model safe behaviors. It shows that safety procedures are important for everyone. They notice when you demonstrate the correct lifting technique or handle an aggressive customer politely. This has a ripple effect on safety.

If you chock wheels, even when the ground looks flat enough, and always change gloves between units, that becomes the new informal standard. Crew talk and stories travel fast. If you take a photo or record a 30-second video explaining why you wheel chock every time or PPE is non-negotiable, everyone has a training asset to learn from.

5. Strengthen Customer Loyalty  

A hands-on approach helps achieve customer satisfaction and loyalty. After all, when the boss is on the job, it suggests that your portable restroom business takes service standards seriously. As a result of seeing you in the field, customers might refer you to friends or renew their contract.

Going Back Into the Field Pays Off

Heading into the field provides a morale boost to motivate your team through the peak season and beyond. It helps PROs build trust and encourage feedback. With insights from the field, you can adjust and reinforce your approach to safety and training to ensure teams are working efficiently and productively.

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