Preventing Burnout Builds Better HVAC Businesses

I live in the Midwest — Michigan to be exact (Go Lions!). This summer has been one of the hottest, muggiest I can remember in recent times. And I know I’m not alone. According to the Associated Press, summer 2025 has had dew points that average 6 degrees higher than normal (compared to 1951-2020) in Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Columbus, and St. Louis. Combine that with the wildfire smoke from Canada causing air quality issues, and I feel like we’ve barely left the comforts of indoor climate control to enjoy the great outdoors.

While frustrating for the average person, the hot weather is usually a good sign for HVAC contracting businesses. Last month, Rogers Heating, Cooling & Electrical VP Alyssa Rogers wrote a great column on how she stopped letting the chaos of summer break her business. In it, she shares five best practices for businesses to adopt to prepare for the busy season. One of them is “support your team when it’s hardest.”

It may seem like a no-brainer, but I guarantee some companies don’t think about this concept. According to a Gallup poll, 76% of employees experience burnout on the job at least sometimes, and 28% say they are burned out “very often” or “always” at work.

While studies have shown that burnout risks increase significantly as the number of hours worked each week increases, Gallup’s study indicated other factors contribute to burnout, including unfair treatment at work, unmanageable workload, unclear communication from managers, lack of manager support, and unreasonable time pressure.

For HVAC contractors, long hours, emergency calls, extreme heat, and high customer expectations can quickly wear down technicians, leading to mistakes, reduced productivity, and increased turnover. This not only drives up costs in recruiting and training but also risks damaging customer satisfaction and the company’s reputation.

With the shoulder season getting started in the Northern states, now is a great time to examine your processes and procedures. Are you or your management team regularly meeting with employees to listen to any concerns or suggestions for improvement? Do you send out an employee satisfaction survey? Are you rewarding high earners? Even a simple “thank you” to employees after a long, hard day will go a long way.

Fostering open communication and recognizing employee achievements creates a supportive culture where team members feel valued, reducing stress and keeping morale high.

In the end, preventing burnout isn’t just about protecting employees — it’s about protecting the business. High morale and a positive company culture lead to stronger retention, better performance, and happier customers. By prioritizing the well-being of your team, you can build a more resilient business that can successfully weather busy seasons, deliver consistently excellent service, and stand out as the HVAC contractor (and employer) of choice in a competitive industry.