Across industries, the talent pool for skilled tradespeople appears to be dwindling. In 2023, the workforce shortage in the construction industry reached 500,000. If you’re managing projects in this industry, you are likely experiencing staffing delays, which often cause projects to exceed the allotted time and budget.
You’re likely experiencing delays in staffing and need to find workers in a pinch. Using the right methods and strategies to avoid delays and staff appropriately can make a significant difference in your bottom line.
Common Labor Staffing Delays
Although the skilled labor workforce is rebounding, hiring in this field remains highly competitive. If you’re not optimizing recruiting efforts, you could be losing your top workers to the competition. All skilled workers are in demand, and you may be left with a team of people whose skills and experience don’t meet your needs.
Other common causes of labor staffing delays include a lack of engagement and employee retention, as well as issues with compliance.
Modern Consequences of Labor Staffing Delays
Not having the right workers in place often causes project delays. If you have to push back a project deadline multiple times, you risk damaging your reputation in the field.
Labor staffing delays also impact other workers, who have to do more to pick up the slack. This lowers morale and productivity, which could even impact your ability to recruit new workers. When your current team members are unhappy, that damages your reputation as an employer, so top talent may shy away from working with you.
Top Workarounds for Labor Staffing Delays
Thankfully, you have options for managing these delays. Use these workarounds to keep your team of top construction workers up and running:
Establish Clear Communication Lines
Good communication fosters teamwork and makes your projects more successful. At the start of each project, clearly outline roles and responsibilities and establish who makes decisions. That way, even if there is a delay, everyone who needs to know will be in the loop, and your project manager can communicate with all necessary parties.
Having clear communication lines also enables members of your team to ask questions so they can enhance their skills for each new project. When your team members feel like they can ask questions, you can be sure they are all on the same page, collaborating more effectively. Otherwise, poor communication leads to misunderstandings that contribute to delays.
Stop these issues before they start by encouraging team members to talk to each other and ask questions.
Leverage Technology
Technology can help you do more with less. Using tools like GPS to track equipment and other assets helps your construction employees find what they need more quickly so they can get back to work. Use project management programs for centralized communication and scheduling tools that can keep your team on time and within budget.
The right technology also gives your staff a better way to report hazards. If something happens on the job site, you can inform other members of the crew. You can even use a project management platform to upload standard procedures so everyone on your safety-minded crew knows what to do when they encounter a safety issue.
Work With a Staffing Construction Staffing Agency
If you’re in need of new team members to round out a project, working with a staffing agency can help you fill positions fast. You don’t have to spend time recruiting and onboarding new workers: Simply find a skilled labor staffing agency that attracts and recruits top talent to reduce the time it takes to get new team members up to speed.
Find the construction staffing experts with a broad talent pool of people with the skills you need to round out your team at any given time. This approach can help you efficiently upscale your construction business because you won’t have to waste time on the traditional hiring and layoff process that is riddled with inefficiencies.
Instead, you can keep a core team of full-time workers and supplement the team with skilled construction staffing as needed. The right construction staffing partner can offer quality candidates for your job sites in a pinch.
Tradesmen International: Excellent Construction Labor Staffing
If you’re in need of top construction labor, Tradesmen International has you covered with a vast network of skilled workers for your team. Our team is dedicated to recruiting the most skilled craftspeople, and we know how to match you with the right team members for your specific project. We also offer skilled staffing strategies. We can evaluate your business needs to help boost your productivity and keep your reputation intact. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.