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 we go about putting people to work? The first step is always training, training, training.
Step #1: Train
Training is critical to ensure workers have the skills and knowledge to complete the task at hand. Still, a large majority of companies skirt around this necessary step. We see in our research report Who Is the Worker of Tomorrow that only 69% of construction workers are receiving job-skill training. In comparison, 74% of manufacturing workers said the same.
Without the proper training, processes become inefficient, workers become complacent (or confused), and safety becomes an afterthought.
Training can be done for many different types of skillsets: soft skills training, safety training, product training, process training, technical training, you name it. Also, training can come through many different methods: instructor-led, elearning, hands-on training, virtual training, coaching, case studies, and so many more. Training can also come through technology. Knowledge management systems can capture information in the heads of workers and help pass it on to the younger generation.
Each company and project must determine the needs of that project and identify the best training to help the workers learn how to do the job best. It will likely include some combination of all the above.
Step #2: Retain
Worker retention becomes essential throughout the project and beyond. There are many effective tools for employers to retain workers including, but not limited to, competitive pay, work flexibility, work-life balance, rewards and benefits, a good company culture and executive leadership, and greater opportunities for engagement and collaboration, just to name a few.
In our report, we see the vast majority of people chose to stay at a company because of its culture and the fact that the company is tech-savvy. Others stay because of the people, mentors, and the opportunities to address complex changes and opportunities for advancement. Only a few stayed because of the flexibility and compensation.
The bottomline is companies must consider the needs of each employee and work to meet those needs in order to retain that workforce.
Step #3: Evaluate, as Needed
While training and retaining are perhaps two of the most important factors to put construction employees to work, companies must also continually reevaluate to determine if what is currently in place is actually working.
The market is changing so rapidly. Construction is becoming more complex. Technology is advancing. Projects need to be done faster than ever before. All these constraints mean construction companies need to be more nimble than in years’ past. They must continue to provide workers with a continuing education. They must help workers acquire new skills and transition to different roles, if necessary. Time and talent investment is no longer an optional nice-to-have feature. It is a necessity if construction companies want to remain competitive. What is your next step?
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