The construction industry, which is one that heavily relies on skilled laborers, is facing significant challenges from the current labor shortages.
According to the Fall 2023 Home Builders Institute (HBI) Construction Labor Market Report, there will be a need for an additional 2.17 million new skilled workers in the construction industry between 2024 and 2026. This breaks down to over 60,000 new hires a month.
Given that the labor shortage doesn’t appear to be letting up any time soon, it is time for companies to get creative and plan around it. Below are four key considerations construction leaders should keep in mind as they plan to help offset the impacts of the labor shortage.
Invest in Internal Training Programs
Company sponsored internal training programs can both attract and retain qualified personnel. Individuals will 1. be able to advance their professional skills and 2. feel a sense of appreciation for the additional opportunities provided to them. If your company has enough resources, it is extremely wise to invest in an internal training program as a recruiting and retention tool.
Improve and Maintain Company Culture
It can be easy to lose sight of company culture when dealing with something like a labor shortage. However, in times like these, it is more important than ever to maintain your company’s culture.
Companies without strong employee engagement and a positive, meaningful environment, are seeing their employees disengage and look elsewhere for work. When a strong company culture is created and maintained, employees will ultimately want to stay and will even actively recruit their friends within the industry to come work for the company, becoming your most important recruiters.
Utilize Technology and Automation
One emerging strategy is the use of technology and automation to help offset the lack of qualified labor. While individuals can never be replaced by automation and artificial intelligence, the use of technology on job sites will continue to expand so it’s better to be ahead of the game here. Wherever feasible, companies should look to invest in technologies that allow their company to create efficiencies at job sites to help offset some of the labor issues within the industry.
Reduce Workload
Lastly, a trend that is gaining some momentum is reducing the amount of work for laborers, particularly top performers, to avoid burnout. Companies should focus on simplifying work when possible, implementing design thinking, and improving the work environment to help laborers focus and relieve stress at the job. The focus is learning to do less better, rather than doing more with less.
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