While everyone yearns to get back to normal as the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic appear to be behind us, not everything in our world can revert to its pre-2020 character. The Construction Industry is a prime example.

It is critical to our economic recovery for the Construction Industry to find the skills required quickly. Like every Industry, Construction was massively disrupted during the successive lockdowns and obligatory social distancing of the past two years. Major projects were inevitably postponed or cancelled. Existing Construction workers left the industry and the supply of new posts and apprenticeships dried up. Now that we are seeing renewed demand in areas including Building, Renovation, Infrastructure, and Civil Engineering, the companies who are being called upon to deliver advanced solutions are struggling to find the talent they need to answer that call. Here are some of the strategies we recommend:

The Ideal Candidate:

It's possible that this figure doesn't exist, but that shouldn't discourage you from thinking at some length about the ideal qualities you're looking for in terms of training, experience, background, motivation, commitment, and personality. At the very least, this gives you a benchmark against measuring applicants and prevents the recruitment process from being unfocused.

Job Description:

Take the time to consider in detail the nature and scope of the roles you're seeking to fill. The best candidates will respond to an advertisement that provides an exhaustive and clear account of exactly what you expect of them. Avoid vague terms and generalizations which will make your ad sound like dozens of others. Talk specifically about your company and their potential role within it. The job description should leave applicants in very little doubt about what a typical day or week in your employ will look like and make clear what kind of prospects are on offer.

Recruiting Dashboard:

Harness the capabilities of digital technology. A recruitment dashboard is the most efficient way of managing the application and recruitment process. It enables you to quickly receive, process, filter, and store applications. Even when you are not actively recruiting, it allows you to build up a reserve of talent to which you can turn quickly as the need arises.

Employee Referrals:

Your existing workers are Industry Insiders. Please take advantage of their professional networks by incentivizing them to spread the word and play a part in attracting skilled workers from every discipline involved in Construction. If your employees are happy, they won't hesitate to recommend you as an employer. If you make it worth their while, you'll be saving some of the money and resources typically invested in recruitment.

Internships and Apprenticeships:

Taking on apprentices you can train up to the required level is not an instant solution and increases payroll costs. However, the concept of internships is widely accepted across the industry and can be a more cost-effective way of achieving the same result. You won't get highly skilled talent immediately, but it could be immensely beneficial over the long term.

Salaries and Benefits:

While remuneration isn't always the prime motivation for candidates - work environment and culture are very important too - it can nevertheless be decisive. It's a simple equation that tells us that paying top dollar will attract the best people, but this doesn't have to be limited to an annual salary. An imaginative and thoughtful benefits package can be just as appealing and may cost you less than an immediate increase in your wage bill.

Specialist Recruitment Firms:

Your business is Construction, not recruitment. Even in normal times, the job of hiring is an expensive and time-consuming distraction from your core activities. When skills are scarce and demand is growing, it is more advisable than ever to engage a Specialist Construction Recruitment Firm who will have the expertise, experience, resources, and contacts to solve your recruitment problems quickly and cost-effectively.

If you are starting to review your resource plans for the rest of 2022 and beyond, why not get in touch and book a free review and consult with the Build Space team? Our bespoke talent solutions are setting new standards in terms of team building, we have some great case studies we can share with you.

Book a free discovery call by calling one of our offices below, to determine whether or not we can provide the right solutions for your business.

UK: +44 0208 332 2727 / info@buildspaceuk.com

USA: +1 512-717-4167 / info@buildspaceusa.com