Like Flies to Honey

Amidst the wonders of the past two years, we’ve watched as the pest control industry expertly pivoted from being a "last resort" to a "first call." When the world felt like it was shutting down—and in many cases, it was—pest control professionals remained committed to their mission to protecting public health, homes and businesses. They navigated buzz words like essential workers and social distancing, and reaffirmed that they truly are essential, in every sense.

Now in this not-quite post-pandemic time where we’re most certainly still feeling the economic and social effects of a global health crisis, businesses across the globe are picking themselves up and wondering what comes next. It’s said that the only thing to survive a nuclear apocalypse would be the cockroaches, but what about a global pandemic? Chalk one up for the pest control pros.

The Explosion of the Pest Control Industry

Despite restrictions that shuttered businesses left and right, pest control remained operational throughout the duration of the past two years. Pest management was considered an essential service by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security throughout the pandemic, due primarily to its impact on our nation’s food supply and the implications it has on public health.

"We never could have predicted a time of so much uncertainty, but we know the critical role we play as a vital protector of human health and safety," said Justin McCauley, NPMA president-elect and CEO of McCauley Services. "No matter what, we are committed to protecting public health, food and property from the dangers posed by pests."

In many ways, pest control as a service was even more important as millions of people found themselves nesting at home as they adjusted to work and play all within the same footprint. And although restrictions from the pandemic did impact daily operations and pest control industry growth, it was not enough to set it off course. In fact, in 2021, growth exploded beyond what it did in pre-pandemic days.

According to the latest market report, A Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Structural Pest Control Industry from Specialty Consultants, LLC, the U.S. pest control industry generated service revenue of more than $10.4 million in 2021, an 8.2 percent increase from the previous year. Residential service revenue grew by high single digits over the past year, and total organic growth for the professional pest control industry outpaced the 2021 U.S. GDP figure of 5.7 percent by nearly 44 percent.

"All NPMA-member companies located in the U.S. and Canada receive one free 60-day job listing per year and enjoy limited access on NPMAWorkforce.org. There you’ll find sample job descriptions, customizable recruitment brochures and other resources to help prepare you to land your new team members."

These numbers are incredible. The pest control industry continues to explode in a time when many businesses—especially smaller, family-owned shops—are closing. We know the industry is resilient and nearly recession-proof, and now we can add pandemic-proof to that list. However, while these numbers sound impressive—and they are—we must keep in mind that growth potential was actually hindered by the same thing plaguing millions of businesses across the globe: hiring challenges. In fact, nearly 40 percent of survey respondents said their growth was inhibited by the inability to hire sufficient service technicians. Imagine if finding talent for your business was not a challenge—then where would you be?

"We’re experiencing a very interesting shift in today’s job market," said Dennis Jenkins, co-chair of the workforce development steering committee and president of ABC Home and Commercial Services, Dallas. "People are re-prioritizing what’s important to them in a job. They’re looking for flexibility, great benefits, a strong culture and the ability to make a difference, and they can be picky since there are so many companies hiring. This has created certain challenges for us in pest control as we look to attract new talent to our industry."

So what does this mean? The challenges in recruiting and retaining quality employees and the inability to properly staff an adequate foundation can have an exponential impact on business growth and potential, even as the pest control services market is expected to reach more than $12 billion by 2030. Service technicians are the bread and butter of your organization; a proper foundation is critical to ensure you’re reaching your potential. But all hope is not lost.

While challenges in recruiting and retaining employees are not unique to pest control, as it seems like there are help wanted signs in every storefront and business in America, there are resources available to help. In late 2020, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) developed the Workforce Development Program to help solve these challenges and provide the resources needed to stay ahead and remain competitive in your search for skilled, qualified candidates.

The program was designed to support the hiring needs of its members and ensure you have access to qualified, motivated individuals who are looking to jumpstart their careers in pest control, as well as promote pest control as a viable and desirable industry.

"It’s officially peak hiring season," said Cindy Mannes, senior vice president of public affairs for NPMA. "Now is the time to secure the foundation for your company and ensure continued growth as the professional pest control industry trends upward."

Through a jobseeker website, PestControlJobs.com, dedicated job board, social media properties and paid ad campaigns, NPMA is committed to supporting member companies in the search for qualified talent. Visitors to the website can learn about the industry, benefits and growth potential, career paths and more and search for job opportunities on the exclusive job board, careers.PestControlJobs.com.

The program specifically aims to increase pride and professionalism in the industry and targets three main sectors of the job market: women, veterans and students. Through segmented messaging and digital ads, we are committed to engaging our targeted audiences and driving them to find their new career in this exciting industry.

Since launch, the job board has recorded more than 117,000 total pageviews and 63,000 total sessions and counting. In just over one year, more than 3,500 job seekers have submitted an application through the job board. The best part? You can access all of this!

Workforce Development Benefits

All NPMA-member companies located in the U.S. and Canada receive one free 60-day job listing per year and enjoy limited access on NPMAWorkforce.org. There, you’ll find sample job descriptions, customizable recruitment brochures and other resources to help prepare you to land your new team members.

There are additional paid sponsorship opportunities, such as the Founders Club, where members receive unlimited job postings for five years, a coveted "featured employer" listing on the dedicated job board, access to all content in the Workforce Toolkit, cross-promotion on social media and more. Patrons Club members receive a package of complimentary job postings and special recognition at industry events. There are also additional advertising opportunities and affordable job posting packages.

We know the challenges of recruiting and retaining top talent for the pest control industry are not going away, but with NPMA’s dedicated program, you can rest assured knowing there are resources available to help you in your search. Visit NPMAWorkforce.org for more information and take advantage of everything the program has to offer.