Author: Laura Black
Move over job hoppers: there is a quiet trend happening in today’s workforce that is shaking up the traditional narrative. Job hugging just might be the new workforce trend to watch, as a new report suggests employees are clinging tighter to their current roles. This is according to the Eagle Hill Consulting Employee Retention Index, which suggests workers are more reluctant than ever to make a move. The data shows us Millennials and female employees are more likely to stay put and gen X and male workers are more inclined to leave in the coming months. All four sub-indices of…
Research suggests contractors lose nearly 6% of profit margins due to inefficiencies caused by poor reporting between the office and the jobsite. However, that doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story. In recent years, nearly two-thirds of contractors have improved their field data capabilities and more than 80% rely on cloud-based solutions to manage processes. It seems we are moving in the right direction. Earlier in October the ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) released its fifth annual construction technology report. The ABC Field Tech Report looks at the technologies shaping jobsites, and it includes research from Dodge Construction Network that considers…
As many industries continue to grapple with tightening labor markets, a recent report offers valuable insights, helping leaders reimagine their talent strategies in a time of increasing scarcity and transformation. The new report by the Pacesetter Research team examines how law firms are grappling with these growing talent challenges—but I think some of the takeaways could apply to the construction industry. Perhaps the biggest parallel is that both industries are facing talent scarcity—and often talent strategy becomes key. Interestingly, this report found some innovative law firms are shifting from approaches focused solely on short-term ROI (return on investment) to strategies…
A report crossed my desk recently that unpacks what drives and what derails change success. It goes without saying that we are currently living and working in a time when change is happening at a faster pace than ever before due to a number of factors such as technology innovation, geopolitical factors, climate change, and much more. Understanding what leads to the greatest change success—and what sets it off course—could be critical in the years ahead. The study by The Grossman Group, which is an internal change communications consultancy, was conducted online by The Harris Poll. Two surveys were conducted…
It is that time of year—the time of year where the leaves start turning colors and analysts begin to make their predictions for what is to come in 2026. Perhaps an obvious prediction is that the talk of the next 12-18 months will continue to be centered around AI (artificial intelligence)—or more specifically agentic AI. Automation and intelligence are coming together to create a new autonomous era of business for all industries including construction. To help illustrate this, Gartner Hype Cycles provide a graphic representation of the maturity and adoption of technologies and applications, and how they are potentially relevant…
We are facing a number of challenges in the workforce in 2025. Construction is currently dealing with a skilled labor gap, as it struggles to find workers with the right skillset. This is driven by the fact there is an aging workforce, high turnover, disengagement, and the rise of trends like quiet quitting. We are also seeing other new trends in the workplace in general that stem from the evolution of work five years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic threw things into a tailspin to be honest. Remote work surged in some industries. At the same time, many workers began to…
Safety has changed dramatically in the construction industry in the past century. If we journey back 100 years, when the Empire State Building was constructed, we would have seen a very different construction jobsite. Men would have been hanging off the top of the structure with little to no harness and would have been more likely to wear newsboy caps than hard hats. Today, we can’t enter a jobsite without the right PPE (personal protective equipment). And yet there is still a perception that construction is an unsafe industry to work in. If you have been listening to The Peggy…
We have a tall task in front of us in the United States, as the country journeys down the path to rebuild American infrastructure—from modernizing energy systems to expanding transportation networks and beyond. Still, the question remains: Do we have the workforce to get it all done? Here in my home state of Illinois, we have some new compelling data. New research out of La Grange, Ill., makes a case for the role of pre-apprenticeship programs in not only filling critical labor shortages in construction, but in reshaping the industry to be more inclusive, more skilled, and more sustainable for…
If you have been following along here the last few weeks, then you know we are exploring productivity in the construction industry. We have explored the foundational element of the schedule and productivity in small and mid-sized businesses. But the question still remains: What can boost productivity? Naturally, the answer is technology, more specifically automation and AI (artificial intelligence). But is it always that cut and dry? Let’s look at a recent survey for some answers. Eagle Hill Consulting published its 2025 Technology Enablement Survey earlier in August. It surveyed more than 1,400 workers in the United States about workplace…
Last week, we kicked off a new blog series that looks at business productivity and what it ultimately means for those working in the construction industry. We kicked it off last week by looking at the importance of scheduling. While the ideal workday looks different for everyone, the Clockwise Workplace Scheduling Report reveals some core principles that underpin a well-managed schedule including: Today, let’s turn our attention specifically to productivity in small businesses. There are so many small businesses in the construction industry, and it is essential to consider how these businesses might work together to boost productivity. Another new…