It’s no secret that the ongoing skilled labor shortage in construction continues to present challenges to contractors across the country. According to a 2022 survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, up to 91% of companies in the construction industry are struggling to find skilled candidates to fill critical positions.
Read on to learn more about this ongoing skilled labor shortage, including helpful tips for contractors seeking to manage the issue.
The Current State of the Skilled Labor Shortage in Construction
From COVID-19 and supply chain shortages to the Great Resignation, a confluence of events in recent years has been largely responsible for the continued labor shortfall in the construction industry. Unfortunately, this scarcity of skilled labor comes at a time when demand for construction professionals is rising amid the announcement of the new Infrastructure Bill, which aims to revamp roads, bridges, railroads, utilities, and broadband internet across the country.
In 2022, the Associated Builders and Contractors forecast that construction firms would need to hire 650,000 new workers to meet rising demand heading into 2023.
Best Tips on Managing the Skilled Labor Shortage
While the current labor shortfall in construction may seem like a massive obstacle, there are several ways contractors can get ahead of the issue and acquire the skilled workers they need to grow in today’s uncertain times. If you’re looking for solutions but aren’t sure where to start, don’t get discouraged.
Here are some simple and effective tips that can help you manage the current skilled labor shortage in construction.
1. Work With a Top Staffing Partner
One of the best ways to alleviate issues with construction staffing shortages is to find an experienced staffing company that can streamline recruiting and hiring efforts. With over three decades of experience in the skilled labor market, Tradesmen International® is among the most trusted staffing agencies in the country.
We’ll take care of finding quality candidates to fill open positions at your construction firm, including highly skilled trade professionals like plumbers, millwrights, HVAC technicians, welders, licensed electricians, and more.
2. Bring on Pre-Vetted Labor
Traditional hiring practices can be time-consuming, and it’s not always easy or practical to thoroughly vet every candidate for all job openings during labor shortages. However, neglecting to ensure each worker is experienced and qualified for a position can lead to costly turnover, project delays, or even accidents. Further, advanced training costs can be exorbitant.
At Tradesmen International®, our team does all the legwork for you, including conducting interviews and verifying the professional credentials of every candidate.
3. Prioritize Safety
Putting safety first at every job site helps ensure fewer disruptions to operations caused by injuries, near-misses, or workplace hazard oversights. Unfortunately, unsafe practices of a single employee can carry serious ramifications for the entire company.
Tradesmen International® addresses this concern by providing all workers with information on modern construction safety regulations, including offering training on OSHA safety standards such as PPE requirements, fall protection, and inspection protocols.
4. Be Mindful of Insurance/Fees
Hiring inexperienced or underqualified workers can result in major financial consequences for construction firms in the form of workers’ compensation or personal injury claims. Given time, the cost of maintaining workers’ comp insurance and associated fees can significantly impede profitability and growth.
To alleviate this burden, Tradesmen International® covers workers’ compensation for all its employees to help you minimize liabilities and ultimately save your company more funds over the long term.
5. Focus on Productivity
Maintaining a productive workforce is the cornerstone of any construction firm’s stability and success. When opportunities arise, your company must be prepared to accommodate client needs and meet stringent project deadlines. With the help of Tradesmen International®, you’ll have access to flexible staffing solutions and advanced talent pipelines to keep up with consumer demand.
We help companies achieve high productivity levels by balancing workload with workers and sustaining this balance throughout the normal ups and downs of a construction firm’s projects. This workforce productivity is key to delivering on time, every time.
6. Manage Overtime
Understaffed construction firms often incur high overtime labor costs that can rapidly bring operational expenses to an unsustainable level. The cost of employee burnout is also a serious factor to consider. By ensuring key positions are always filled, overtime costs will begin to decline, providing your business with more money to put toward new equipment, improved benefits, or taking on additional projects. Further, bringing in contract workers on an only-as-needed basis helps reduce the need for excessive overtime and therefore decrease burnout rates.
Tradesmen International® helps with reducing overtime by keeping your company adequately staffed with skilled talent, so there’s less of a need for employees to work longer hours each week.
7. Value Transparency
Managing correspondence between HR, clients, and the workers you employ isn’t always easy. Miscommunication, delayed responses, or overlooked emails can undermine coordination between various parties, potentially leading to concerned clients or disorganized workflows.
At Tradesmen International®, you can rely on us to maintain an open line of communication to address any questions you may have or quickly adjust solutions to meet your company’s evolving needs.
Tradesmen International® for All Your Skilled Labor Needs
When you need expert support with managing your construction firm’s skilled labor shortage, Tradesmen International® is here to help. Our professional team will ensure you have access to a ready-made, pre-vetted, certified pool of qualified workers to accommodate any labor shortfall, big or small.
When you’re ready to learn more about our construction labor solutions, visit us online to get started.