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Overcoming the Labor Shortage

Why Your Project Partners’ Hiring Practices Matter
By Ryan Galiano, BGCI Personnel Manager

It’s clear the construction industry’s labor shortage is here to stay. In February, Associated Builders and Contractors predicted the industry will need to hire nearly 650,000 additional workers on top of normal hiring volumes just to keep pace with demand in 2022.

The workforce shortage is not the only concern for contractors. Safety, schedule, and quality are all at risk when jobs aren’t adequately staffed – creating greater exposure for owners as well. To ensure their projects stay on track, owners need to know their project partners have a plan for both recruitment and retention.

 

Retention Matters

Offering a competitive benefits package certainly helps when it comes to recruitment; however craftworkers aren’t just chasing higher pay. They also want a reason to stay.

That’s a bit harder for owners to quantify when they screen potential project partners. However, they can dig deeper than the standard prequals by considering such questions as:

  • Are potential project partners focused on retention beyond the next project?
  • How do they screen new hires for “fit”?
  • Do they have a standard onboarding process or a mentoring program?
  • Do they provide training and defined paths for advancement?
  • In what ways are craftworkers empowered to create safe jobsites?
  • How are craftworkers provided with ownership of and accountability for project outcomes?
  • What other measures do they have in place to retain qualified staff?

At Baker Gulf Coast Industrial, our hands-on approach to retention starts with our screening process. We hire for the right fit, provide a highly structured onboarding process, empower craftworkers to take an active role in creating safe jobsites, and support co-workers in reaching their career goals through training and mentoring. Perhaps most important, we strive to provide steady and reliable work. This keeps our co-workers focused on the job at hand instead of searching for the next one.

Maintaining a bench of skilled, qualified, and credentialed craftworkers who share our values and drive is key to getting the job done safer, faster, better, and smarter. It’s also foundational to reducing risk and a creating better overall experience for our clients.

Put our team to work for you. Contact us today.