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Episode Description:
When budgets tighten, training is often the first to go. But for those leading in building automation, that is a costly mistake.
Episode 514 of the Smart Buildings Academy Podcast explores how to make a compelling business case for training. From direct costs to hidden efficiency losses, you’ll hear how to frame training as an investment with measurable ROI, not an overhead line item.
In this episode, we’ll explore:
- Why undertrained technicians lead to slippage, burnout, and rework
- How to calculate the payback period on training investments
- The true cost of travel and practical alternatives
- Aligning training with your project backlog for maximum impact
- How training directly influences efficiency and retention
Make your workforce your competitive edge. This episode gives you the framework to start.
Click here to download or listen to this episode now.
Podcast Video
In the building automation industry, training is often viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity. Yet, the reality is clear: the true cost of not training your team often far exceeds the upfront investment.
In Episode 514 of the Smart Buildings Academy Podcast, Phil Zito breaks down the business case for training. This episode outlines how to evaluate training not as a cost center, but as a strategic investment that drives efficiency, reduces rework, and improves retention.
Why Training Gets Cut First
Labor is the most expensive resource in building automation. When budgets shrink, training is typically one of the first things to go. But organizations are still expected to deliver the same quality of work, often with a workforce that is stretched thin and underprepared. This contradiction is at the heart of the training dilemma.
The Real Cost of Skipping Training
Phil walks through examples of rework, callbacks, and underperforming technicians that end up costing companies tens of thousands of dollars annually. A single week of training may cost $8,000 per technician, but if it eliminates just 20 hours of rework on 10 projects, the savings quickly reach $20,000.
And that’s just in hard costs. Training also impacts scheduling, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Technicians who are properly trained complete work faster, reduce slippage, and can handle more complex tasks without constant oversight.
Alternatives to Expensive Travel
Training doesn't have to mean sending people out of state or putting them in a week-long seminar. Phil shares cost-effective strategies like warehouse-based micro-trainings, targeted online learning, and half-day working sessions that address specific project needs.
Aligning Training with Project Needs
Random training assignments don’t help the bottom line. Instead, training should align with the work technicians will be doing in the next 90 days. If you're working on hospitals, prioritize advanced HVAC theory and IO configuration. If you're doing retrofit work, focus on integration and installation practices.
Tracking Efficiency to Justify ROI
By tracking labor by task code and measuring project outcomes, companies can clearly see where inefficiencies lie. This creates a feedback loop where training is deployed to close gaps and progress is measured over time. Phil recommends running training experiments, tracking the results, and using those numbers to build a repeatable ROI model.
Training as a Retention Strategy
Beyond financial impact, training shows employees that they are valued. In a tight labor market, workers are looking for more than a paycheck. Development plans, internal training, and access to skill-building resources can set your company apart and help you retain top talent.
Conclusion
Training is not just about knowledge transfer. It’s a business tool that improves performance, protects margin, and builds a more capable and loyal workforce. Whether it’s a structured course or a half-day internal session, investing in your team will always pay dividends.
For a deeper discussion and insights from the field, listen to this episode on the Smart Buildings Academy podcast.
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