Author: Laura Black
We have all heard the stats: women make up roughly 11% of construction workers and only 4% of skilled trades. We have been citing these numbers here at Constructech for far longer than any of us would like to admit, but the truth is the numbers have stayed stagnant for years. Of course, the 2020 pandemic caused a shakeup for women in the workforce, and it seems we might be headed in the wrong direction. The general labor force numbers from the U.S. BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) tell perhaps the most revealing tale of the tape. And what they…
Generative AI (artificial intelligence) is supposed to heighten productivity, right? Not according to one recent survey. Before we start this blog, let’s preface it with the fact that there is real and true value that generative AI can offer to multiple industries—but we are in the very early stages of it, which means we are still sorting out what it means for businesses. Let’s wade through some of the research to determine how AI is really being used today. Or if gen AI is actually being used? There are many reports out there citing the wide swaths of people who…
What does a career in construction look like? What are the benefits? What are the challenges? Can construction professionals find job satisfaction, growth, and good compensation in this career? Naturally, the answers to these questions vary, depending on which segment of construction and which position, but there are some interesting general takeaways worth considering. First, let’s look at the data from a recent survey. TollFreeForwarding.com researched online review data for 200 companies across industries and ranked them based on the following criteria: culture and values, diversity and inclusion, work-life balance, compensation, career opportunities, and senior management satisfaction. Using these rankings,…
Today, we wrap up our blog series on people, process, and technology. Last week, we spent a lot of time looking at the importance of technology in today’s construction market. Now, let’s look to the future and examine what is truly coming in the coming years, as it relates to technology in the construction industry. When it comes to new, emerging technologies, there is perhaps no bigger elephant in the room than generative AI (artificial intelligence). But truth be told, there is both optimism and trepidation when it comes to generative AI in business. AI in Small Businesses Generally speaking,…
If you have been following along here this summer, then you know we are in the middle of a blog series, focusing on people, process, and technology. Today, we are going to begin our exploration of technology in construction, but first let’s review the other pillars briefly. People: We have already explored the people leg of the stool: the value of people, the worker of tomorrow, and why and how to put people to work. Process: Last week, we unpacked the process leg of the stool, identifying why we need good processes and how to implement good processes. Naturally, while…
This summer, we are embarking on a blog series, where we are looking at the importance of people, process, and technology. We can’t have one without the other. If one of the legs of the three-legged stool crashes, the whole thing will come tumbling down. We have already explored the people leg of the stool: the value of people, the worker of tomorrow, and why and how to put people to work. For today’s blog, let’s turn our attention to the process. Why Do We Need Good Processes? Process is the glue that holds everything together. As we are implementing…
People are the key to any successful construction project. We must ensure we train and retain them, in order to maximize efficiency on projects. But we also must continually reevaluate their roles on the projects as well. Sometimes work changes and the job demands different skillsets. For today’s blog, let’s wrap up the “people” portion of our people, process, and technology series by looking at the importance of reskilling, upskilling, and new skilling. All about Reskilling Reskilling is simply learning a new skill or set of skills so that a worker can do a new or different job. Or it…
Earlier this month, we began a journey to understand the importance and value of people in construction and the topic of putting people to work in the construction industry. We know people are central to successful construction projects. Last week, we looked at three steps to success with our workforce: train, retain, and evaluate, as needed. We very briefly touched on the fact that one of the key components to worker retention is mentorship. Let’s explore that in greater depth today. Why Mentorship? At its core, mentorship is the guidance provided by a mentor—someone who has experience in a particular…
In June, we started a new blog series looking at the importance and value of people in construction and looking to better understand who this worker of tomorrow is. Today, let’s explore the topic of putting people to work in the construction industry—and how technology ultimately fits into this equation as well. For the sake of this blog, we are going to assume we have the workers to get the job done. We have a team of people in front of us—some with construction experience and some with none—and we have a project that needs to get built. How do…
Last week we started a new blog series looking at the importance and value of people in construction. Hopefully, this set the stage and made the case that people are still one of the most important assets on the construction jobsite. Today, let’s better understand who the worker of tomorrow is. This is a topic we explored in our recent report Who Is the Worker of Tomorrow. Also, this is a topic Peggy Smedley is exploring over on her new Substack account. For this blog, let’s start with the basics. Baby Boomers are known for their work ethic and loyalty…