Finding and hiring a construction workforce in a tight labor market

Matt Radke

“Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.” said prolific author and speaker Robert Spector.

In Utah’s construction industry, business leaders have been called on time and time again to prove their entrepreneurial chops in the face of tight labor market conditions that have prevailed for several years, with numerous thriving industries competing intensely for workers’ attention and interest.

Persistent labor market strain is a strategic obstacle that produces complex risks of overextension and understaffing for Utah contractors of all sizes. But it also presents a ripe opportunity for influential leaders in Utah’s building industry to re-examine how they can do more to nurture the resilience and capabilities of the construction workforce by 1. Vigorously selling the vision of a career path in construction; 2. Finding and retaining dependable, high-performing talent; 3. Emphasizing ongoing jobsite skills training for craftworkers that diversify their career opportunities; and 4. Motivating the workforce with meaningful one-on-one coaching, a rewarding workplace culture and a sense of personal connection to the community-shaping impacts of their hard work.

Effectively promoting a career path in construction. As Utah’s construction professionals, we have it all: an industry ripe with innovation, the chance to collaborate with clients driving positive change in our communities, an endless variety of work, financially rewarding employment and plentiful opportunities for career advancement and skills development.

But we can do more to communicate these facts to the rising generation of potential hires. If we don’t take deliberate steps to tout the benefits of a career path in construction — through a visible presence in the community, strategic recruiting efforts and investments in workforce development — other industries will drown out our voice.

It’s critical for construction firms to establish an active presence at key hiring and networking events, engage with employees about how to leverage their individual professional networks and actively sponsor and attend other organizations’ initiatives and celebrations that align with our values and our goals for exposure.

Much of this effort must also happen online, where young prospective employees habitually devote their time. One example of an online push to promote construction careers in Utah is the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah’s #WeBuildUtah campaign that has encouraged craftworkers from every corner of their state to showcase what they love about their day-to-day work.

Finding and retaining capable people. Aggressive recruitment and retainment initiatives have become increasingly essential to prevent craftworker turnover rates from reaching levels that could interfere with a firm’s continuity, competence or organizational cohesion.

Ambitious compensation for new employees and a time-efficient hiring process are fundamental building blocks for any effort to stay competitive and adequately staffed amid today’s labor market environment. And to get the craftworkers it is targeting, a firm must also present a clear case about the skills training and career development opportunities that will be made available to them long-term.

Additionally, the first few months of employment are the rockiest time period for retaining new craftworkers, so it’s key to rapidly equip them with reasons to be enthusiastic about staying for the long haul. These can include financial incentives, training opportunities, being engaged and welcomed by senior company leaders, jobsite appreciation events, time spent with an attentive supervisor and anything else that helps them feel welcomed into the culture of the company.

Emphasizing ongoing jobsite skills training. Investing in employees’ skillset development is a growing emphasis among Utah contractors, who increasingly recognize it as essential to the upkeep of the workforce’s quality.

The benefits of frequent craftworker trainings are many:

• Employees who can steadily improve their abilities on the jobsite will increase their pay and over time, this will give them added incentive to stay with the company long-term.
• Employees who are committed to their craft and take full advantage of training opportunities will eventually become leaders at the company, fostering a virtuous cycle of leadership development, improved workplace culture and greater hiring and retention prowess.
• Skills training for current employees is a cost-effective workforce development approach because it is highly targeted and eases hiring needs due to improved retention.
• Companies who invest in upleveling their employees’ construction skills will grow their capability to handle more and more complex and rewarding projects.

Key industry organizations in Utah are also doing more than ever to provide cost-effective, much-needed skills training on behalf of construction firms. For example, AGC of Utah cut the ribbon on its new training center in November 2021. This modern, 16,000- square-foot facility includes hands-on training spaces, flexible seminar areas, an auditorium and more.

Company culture and a sense of connection to each project. Construction is highly rewarding work. It is also very demanding work. Many firms have found that communicating with craftworkers about the community and client impact of a given project — the “why” behind all their hard work — is effective at mitigating burnout. Beyond that, it instills in them that they are valued, and part of something bigger than themselves. This fosters a sincere passion for quality construction work, the firm’s core values, self-improvement and career development.

A person who is individually coached at work — by someone who believes in them, wants them to succeed and is eager to share knowledge and skills — is significantly more likely to succeed in their role and stay with the company long-term. Because of this, jobsite superintendents, project managers and others in positions of authority have a tremendous amount of influence over the career path trajectory of craftworkers new to the industry.

By fostering strong working relationships with those under their direction through both formal and informal channels, these construction leaders have the power to help less experienced builders gain confidence, learn new skills and increase their personal commitment to each project’s success.

When craftworkers and their jobsite leaders have trust in one another, and project teams are invested in the impact of their work, something remarkable eventually starts to materialize: a self-sustaining workplace culture of caring, accountability, unity, collaboration and innovation. Contractors may start noticing a rising generation of leaders taking shape. They may also see problem-solving and communication flourish, and self-motivated employees refining and elevating their craft over time.

Identifying our opportunity and believing in our message. Utah’s construction professionals are proud of their craft. Those who have been in the industry a long time take great satisfaction in producing work that has shaped the growth of our communities in a lasting way and has strengthened Utahns’ quality of life. As an industry, we’re also collectively fortunate to enjoy strong access to an abundance of career paths that lead to outstanding financial opportunities for ourselves and our families.

But do potential hires know all this? Do these facts on the ground filter through to Utah’s labor pool of young, prospective craftworkers?

If Utah’s construction leaders want to get serious about improving hiring and retention in the chronically hypercompetitive labor market, we must fully embrace and believe in our own sales pitch to prospective employees. Meaningful work, a rewarding career and financial opportunity truly await those who have what it takes to succeed in construction, so let us be loud and clear about that reality. As we confront the ever-persistent challenge of finding the right people to move our work forward, let us understand it as an opportunity to showcase our line of work as the beating heart of Utah opportunity and prosperity that it is.

Matt Radke is chief operating officer of Jacobsen Construction, a position he’s held since 2021. Since joining Jacobsen as a project engineer in 1995, Radke has served in a number of construction leadership roles.