Peer Groups: A Catalyst for Growth and Collaboration

In today’s fast-paced HVAC industry, professional development often takes a back seat to more immediate priorities. This can be particularly true for smaller companies that may lack the time, resources or infrastructure to fully support helping their employees grow professionally. 

For businesses that join the Service Logic family through acquisition, the benefits are substantial, including access to the company’s comprehensive in-house talent development program called The EDGE. 

Designed to add value for both new acquisitions and existing business units within the Service Logic network, The EDGE provides learning and engagement opportunities from the leadership level to first-year apprenticeships. The program fosters collaboration, mentorship and shared growth through its peer group program, helping employees and owners alike reach their full potential and become industry-leading professionals.

By offering professional development opportunities for business unit staff and sharing technical knowledge through the collective experience of peers, The EDGE program creates a win-win scenario, strengthening both employee advancement and the company’s overall competitive edge.

The Collaborative Power of Peer Groups

Peer groups within The EDGE are formed based on specific needs or roles, bringing together individuals who share similar responsibilities, interests or goals. Examples of current Service Logic peer groups include Financial Leaders, HR leaders, Controls Business Leaders and Sales Leaders. Each group is designed to inspire collaboration across the Service Logic family, helping participants share best practices, address challenges and succeed together. 

Peer groups may also come together for companywide professional development events. An example of this collaborative approach is Service Logic’s annual Talent Builders Summit. This year’s conference tackled one of the HVAC industry’s most pressing challenges: recruiting, developing and retaining top field talent. With labor shortages impacting the industry, the Summit provided Service Logic teams with actionable strategies and tools to strengthen their field workforce and stay ahead in a competitive market.

“While participation in these peer groups isn’t mandatory, the majority of our staff finds them to be an invaluable resource,” said Eric Bolin, head of talent development. “For acquired business units, owners and their employees gain access to a supportive community and learn skills to take their company to the next level.”

3 Factors That Support Professional Growth 

Service Logic’s peer groups serve multiple purposes, all aimed at promoting professional development and equipping participants with tools for success.  

1. Sharing Best Practices: Peer groups are an invaluable platform for professionals to exchange ideas, share lessons learned and provide support to one another. By learning from the experience of their peers, participants can navigate challenges more effectively and gain insights that might otherwise take years to acquire. 

“When you sit down at a table with peers, you have the incredible opportunity to connect with someone who has just overcome the very challenge you’re starting to tackle,” Bolin said. “By sharing their experience, they can save you months of trial and error, sparing you unnecessary frustration and helping you find a solution more quickly.”

This spirit of collaboration doesn’t address just the big-picture issues, but also the day-to-day challenges of running an HVAC business — it builds a culture of continuous improvement, where employees grow through shared knowledge and mutual encouragement. 

2. Improving Communication Skills: The HVAC industry is about more than just technical expertise; it’s a people-driven business. Successful professionals must cultivate strong communication skills and emotional intelligence to build trust and rapport with customers while addressing their HVAC service needs. 

“We are in the people business. We just happen to do HVAC work,” Bolin said. 

To help employees excel in these areas, The EDGE offers seminars focused on developing communication skills. A key component of these seminars is the use of the DiSC model, which helps employees understand their unique communication style and how they interact with others. By adapting their communication style, employees are better equipped to navigate customer sales and interactions with confidence and expertise. 

3. Networking and Building Relationships: Peer groups also nurture a sense of unity and collaboration across the Service Logic family. By connecting with peers from different business units, regions, roles and service types, participants build relationships that extend beyond their immediate teams. 

These connections create a broader network of support and camaraderie within the company, making employees feel part of something bigger. This sense of belonging strengthens the company culture, boosts morale and engagement, and unites professionals around Service Logic’s shared goals and values. 

“This is where the secret sauce lies: Our peer groups make a big company like Service Logic feel small, creating connections where it matters most,” Bolin said.

The EDGE Advantage

The benefits of these collaborative peer groups are far-reaching: Participants gain invaluable skills and connections while the Service Logic family of companies as a whole becomes stronger, more unified and better equipped to provide exceptional HVAC and mechanical services. 

Joining Service Logic through an acquisition doesn’t just mean becoming part of a leading HVAC organization — it means gaining access to a comprehensive network of talent development resources that are designed to support employee success. Programs such as The EDGE eliminate the need for acquired companies to manage the complexities of workforce development independently. 

Learn more about how your company could thrive as part of the Service Logic family. Service Logic’s Acquisition Program is customized to meet each company’s unique needs, offering expertise, guidance, process and financial support as needed to grow your business.