It’s not about hiring workers faster than the other guy, it’s about retaining your workers for the long term.
You might think that’s easier said than done, since the Construction Industry (and almost every other industry) is facing a skilled labour shortage. Based on a 2016 study, (93 percent of construction businesses), believe that their business could grow faster in the next 12 months if it weren’t for talent shortages.
Sure, that part of recruitment might be out of your control, but there is a lot that is in your control. For one, the labour shortage isn’t the only problem in Construction management. For most businesses, there’s also a big employee retention problem.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry suffered from a 60.1 percent separation rate in 2017. 
That means 6 out of 10 construction employees quit, were fired or were laid off that year. That’s 17 percent above average, and it’s been rising since 2015.
Why the gap?
A lot of Construction companies are stuck in dated processes, technology and management practises. Now, in 2019, it isn’t enough to offer a generous salary to your best workers to try and get them to stay onboard. You need to give them the tools they need to grow, with reasons to stay invested in your business.
Here are a few ways you can recruit the best candidates, then keep them on staff for longer than just a few months.
Give your employees and candidates the tools to be effective
Whether they’re in the field or the office, the people you want on your crew are those who always aim to get the job done right. No exceptions. Pride in their work is something they value.
If you as an employer want to hire these kind of people, you need to show them right away that you’re a boss who gives their workers the tools they need to succeed.
What this shows is a level of trust. That once you provide the right tools, you can let them get the job done right without breathing down their necks. When you trust your people and give some autonomy, you’ll be surprised by the positive effect it has on engagement, motivation and productivity.
When it comes to showing this to your employees or candidates, it can be as easy as quickly running them through the SiteMax app. A look into its functionality and how you’ve grown your processes to become more effective will go a long way. Especially since it’ll make getting the job done right much easier to accomplish for your candidates.
Lead and communicate the right way
Here’s a fairly common saying: people don’t quit companies; people quit bosses.
The quality of your leadership has a significant impact on employee engagement and retention, and a lot of that comes down to communication.
Great leadership, as we’ve already mentioned, is about giving your people the tools they need to succeed. It’s also about showing rather than telling—show them a solid work ethic, don’t just tell them to work harder.
Great communication can be pretty straightforward. The main thing you need to do is open up your communication channels to make it easier to keep everyone updated and in-the-know at all times. With SiteMax’s features, you get all of this. And it’s dedicated to communication at work and only work, so there’s little distraction when it comes to using your mobile device on the jobsite.
Great candidates are looking for forward-looking businesses
There are a few different examples of Construction companies repositioning their business for the future. One is Suffolk Construction, a New York-based construction firm. What they’ve done is hire more like a tech company rather than a traditional construction company. What this resulted in for the firm is an energetic and forward-looking management team with a bunch of new, robust ideas.
You might not need to take it that far, but you can probably see the benefit in learning from a fast-growing industry like the tech sector. When a great candidate sees that you’re not just built for short-term success, but long-term, they’ll become a lot more keen to stick around and buy-in to your company’s success. Whether you’re a specialty trade or Sub Contractor, this is a simple, powerful method to ensure your construction businesses long-term success.
So, where do you go from here? If you don’t have SiteMax Software already, we have Product Experts that can help you understand where exactly your needs are and whether SiteMax would be a good fit for you.
When is the best time for you?
