Platform
Plateform
Platform Overview
ai icon
AI
Why Workstream
Why Workstream
compliance icon
Compliance
Integrations
Integrations
fully-supported
Fully Supported
Product
Hiring
time & scheduling icon
HR
Engagement
payroll-1
Featured Reads
Webinar
For our customers: Product roadmap sneak peek
hiring
Restaurant Payroll 101
Learn how to tackle the hardest aspects of paying restaurant workers from taxes and tip reporting to labor law compliance.

How to Hire Painters: Steps to Find, Interview, and Recruit Skilled Painting Professionals

Learn proven strategies to hire painters, attract top talent, and build a reliable painting team for your business with our expert hiring guide.

Two business owners review resumes and discuss strategies to hire painters for commercial and restaurant projects.

How to Hire Painters: A Practical Guide for Finding and Recruiting Skilled Painting Professionals

Let’s be honest—if you’ve ever tried to hire painters for your business, you know it’s not just about picking someone with a brush and a ladder. Whether you’re a franchise owner, a restaurant operator refreshing your space, or a property manager juggling tenant turnovers, finding the right crew can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But here’s the thing: with the right approach, you can find skilled painters who’ll not only do the job right, but also show up on time, treat your property with respect, and maybe even leave you with a few tips on color trends (hello, “greige” walls).

Why Getting the Right Painters Matters

Honestly, hiring painting professionals isn’t just about slapping a new coat on the walls. It’s about protecting your investment, maintaining compliance, and making a good impression—whether that’s on your customers, tenants, or even your own staff. Did you know that high turnover in trades like painting can cost you thousands in delays and rework? That’s money out the door, and nobody wants that.

Plus, with labor shortages and rising wage expectations, the competition for reliable commercial painters is fiercer than ever. If you ask me, it pays to approach hiring with a game plan—and maybe a little empathy, too. After all, painters are the folks who make your business look good, literally.

What Makes a Painter “Skilled”?

  • Solid experience with both interior and exterior jobs
  • Knowledge of surface prep, safety protocols, and compliance with local regulations
  • Good communication skills—because nobody likes surprises on the job
  • References or a portfolio of past work

For more on what makes a great hourly worker, see these five traits that really set candidates apart.

Where and How to Find Skilled Painters

Start with a Clear Job Description

Before you even post a job, nail down what you need. Are you looking to hire painting contractors for a one-off project, or do you need full-time staff for ongoing painting services? Spell out expectations, pay rates, and any certifications required. For tips on writing job descriptions that attract the right talent, check out these guidelines and creative job posting tips.

Tap Into the Right Channels

Screening and Interviewing: Don’t Skip the Details

When you recruit painting professionals, it’s tempting to rush, especially if you’re up against a tight deadline. But a little patience pays off. Use structured interviews—think scenario-based questions and practical tests. For a deep dive on interview techniques, check out motivational interviewing and the STAR method.

And don’t forget to check references! Ask about reliability, punctuality, and the quality of finished work. If you’re hiring through a platform, look for verified reviews or portfolios.

Compliance, Contracts, and Pitfalls to Avoid

Know the Legal Stuff

It’s not the most exciting part, but compliance matters. Make sure your contractors are licensed and insured. For wage and hour recordkeeping, the U.S. Department of Labor has a handy checklist. If you’re hiring hourly, be clear about overtime, breaks, and benefits—especially if you have a mix of part-time and full-time staff. For more on benefits and compliance, see this DoorDash report and Workstream’s guide to part-time hours.

Set Expectations Up Front

Spell out contract terms, payment schedules, and project milestones. If you’re working with commercial painters on a big job, consider a written contract with clear deliverables. For inspiration, see how to write an operations manual that covers everything from safety to workflow.

Watch Out for Common Pitfalls

  • Hiring too quickly and skipping reference checks
  • Not clarifying who provides supplies and equipment
  • Failing to document agreed-upon timelines and outcomes
  • Ignoring workplace safety or OSHA requirements

And if you’re worried about turnover, you’re not alone. Learn more about why turnover happens and what it really costs your business.

Streamlining the Process: Why Automation and Digital Tools Matter

Save Time, Reduce Hassle

If you’re juggling multiple locations or projects, traditional hiring just doesn’t cut it anymore. That’s where platforms like Workstream come in. Their all-in-one approach helps you automate screening, schedule interviews, and manage paperwork—all from your phone. You can even cut your time-to-hire in half and reduce turnover by 50%. That’s not just talk; it’s real savings, both in time and money.

Need to keep your team in the loop? Use digital communication tools to send reminders, updates, and even onboarding documents. For more on onboarding, check these onboarding templates and onboarding best practices.

Staying Competitive in a Tight Labor Market

With so many businesses looking to hire painters, you’ll want to stand out. Offer fair pay, flexible schedules, and—if you can—benefits that matter. For ideas, see what hourly workers really want and what makes employees happy. And don’t forget, a strong workplace culture goes a long way—job satisfaction is tightly linked to retention.

Conclusion: Making Your Next Painter Hire a Success Story

So, what’s the secret sauce? If you ask me, it’s a blend of clear expectations, smart screening, and a dash of modern tech. Whether you’re looking to hire painting contractors for a quick turnaround or build a team of loyal commercial painters, the right approach can save you headaches—and dollars—down the road.

And if you want to make your life even easier, consider a platform like Workstream to streamline the whole process. From hiring automation to compliance and onboarding, it’s all about giving you back the time to focus on what you do best: running your business and serving your customers.

Further Reading and Resources

Get the latest with Workstream

Always stay current with hiring news by subscribing to our email updates

platform

All your important HR tasks under one roof

Today’s business owners and HR teams are overwhelmed with administrative tasks: manual processes and exports, duplicative data entry, and siloed information. Workstream centralizes and simplifies people tasks so you can move fast, reduce labor costs, and simplify operations—all in one place.

Shape-1
hiring-icon-1
Hiring

Hire better quality workers, faster

HR
HR

Streamline people processes and ensure employee records are always accurate

Engagement
Engagement

Reduce turnover and increase worker engagement

Time-1
Time & Scheduling

Manage schedules and hours worked to optimize your labor costs

payroll-1
Payroll

Pay your team quickly, easily, and accurately

How we’re different

Lots of companies claim to be “all-in-one” - but aren’t a great fit for your hourly business. Here’s why Workstream stands out:

Mobile-friendly 

Mobile doesn’t just mean having an app. With Workstream, your time-sensitive people processes—from responding to candidates to reviewing shift changes and overtime alerts—happen easily on your mobile phone, so you can get things done while you’re on the go.

Built for hourly 

Whether it’s labor requirements,language diversity, meal breaks, or multiple pay rates - managing an hourly workforce comes with unique requirements. With Workstream, you’re using a system purpose-built to actually support the nuances of your hourly business.

Best in class support

When you’re trying to get a payroll run out the door, you can’t afford to wait a few days to hear back from a support team. With Workstream, our customers get a response time from our  dedicated (human) team in an average of 2 minutes. And did we mention we’ll also fully migrate your payroll data for you in about two weeks? We’re there for you, whatever you need.

resources

Become a hiring and onboarding expert.

thumb-2-1
CUSTOMER STORY

How one 26 location Burger King group streamlined staffing

unsplash_NoRsyXmHGpI-1
TEMPLATES

Download our free Hiring and Onboarding checklist

jj-customer-thumb-2-1
CUSTOMER STORY

What this Jimmy John's group did to future-proof their operations

Be smart with your hourly workforce

Book a demo