At FlexTrades, we offer very specialized services to our clients. Our workforce is made up of some of the most skilled tradespeople in the United States. They can walk into a new client facility and, with very little spool-up time, produce an output that meets and exceeds expectations. But our clients aren’t just looking for those incredible skills, they are also looking for a highly motivated workforce who will show up on time every shift.
To accommodate our client’s need for a reliable workforce and accommodate technicians who need time off during a project, we offer RTO (Requested Time Off). But how is that different from PTO (Paid Time Off)?
PTO – Paid Time Off
Most of us are familiar with PTO. Many companies offer their employees PTO as a part of a benefits package. According to this LinkedIn article, the average US employee earns 10 days of PTO per year. Within manufacturing, after 20 years, a veteran employee receives an average of 21 days. Most companies expect employees to give ample notice before using PTO so they can make scheduling adjustments. PTO is intended to allow employees time off for vacations days, sick days, and personal days.
RTO – Requested Time Off
An important part of the service we offer to clients is reliability and high attendance for the duration of a project. But we understand that life isn’t on hold while you’re on a project!
If an employee has a planned event where they know time off will be needed, they can use RTO. For example, if a family member is getting married, or if an important religious holiday happens during a project. We ask our technicians to coordinate with their Technical Recruiter and Project Success Manager to schedule RTO during a project.
RTO is unpaid time off during a project. However, with great pay, guaranteed overtime, and daily per diem for all our positions, FlexTrades employees can comfortably take time off between projects, too.
Flexible Time Off Between Projects
We have some true road warriors who go directly from one project to the next or choose to extend a project multiple times. However, many of our technicians take a well-deserved break between projects. Check out this blog to see some of our tech’s favorite summer activities when they aren’t working.
Technicians who get their insurance benefits through a parent or a spouse often take more than 30 days off between projects.
Those who get their insurance through FlexTrades keep those benefits for 30 days between deployments. To maintain active coverage, they usually begin the next project within 20 to 25 days.
If a technician works with FlexTrades all year, they might accept three or four projects with a break in between each. On average, their number of days off in a year will be significantly more than with a traditional employer over that same period.
Emergencies
Even with the best planning, life can throw a curveball. Unfortunately, a family emergency or a funeral are a reality that can happen at any time. In those difficult times our dedicated Project Success Managers work closely with technicians and clients to arrange special accommodations as needed while mitigating any potential impacts on deployments.
Conclusion
Our ideal candidate is willing to travel and is ready to commit to being available for the duration of a project. But work-life balance is something employees need, and good employers do their best to offer. Whether that is achieved through RTO, PTO, or flexible time off, understanding what benefits are available is a key part of any career decision.
