There’s no question about it: there’s no shortage of jobs in the construction industry. According to Associated Builders and Contractors, “the construction industry will need to attract nearly 650,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2022 to meet the demand for labor.”
Commercial contractors sometimes struggle to fill the open positions that they need. This doesn’t just affect subcontractors in a build, but also the construction project management team; the entire industry relies on skilled tradespeople just as much as it does any other role in order to operate.
Learn the sources of this issue and how commercial construction management teams are striving to bring results to their clients below, courtesy of Miller Architects & Builders.
Why Is There a Worker Shortage?
Macroeconomics is a complex study, and there’s no one easy answer to this question. In short, though, a variety of things led up to the worker shortage this industry is facing today.
For example, more older workers are exiting the workforce than new ones filing in; this could be due to cultural differences and an increased perceived value put on four-year degrees instead of trades.
The pandemic and its economic strain, of course, contributed as well. Employers needed to tighten their belts, and “pandemic-related challenges have increased competition for workers across every industry,” claims the National Center for Construction Education and Research.
Working Around the Worker Shortage
Given the variety of things that have led to this economic situation, commercial construction companies are attacking this problem from multiple angles. Rethinking organization and dispelling common misconceptions about the industry are two common approaches.
Getting the Word Out About What Construction Is Really Like
There is a widely held perception that jobs in the construction industry are dead-end, require no brainpower, and are only suitable for one type of person—that person being both buff and male. In reality, though, these are all misconceptions, according to Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust; commercial construction has a huge amount of room for growth, requires mental skills few other industries demand, and has a variety of job types suited for a variety of people.
Commercial contractors would be wise to dispel these myths by speaking out about their industry if they hope to attract new workers.
Rethinking Construction Project Management
Top-notch, innovative commercial construction management is more important now than ever.
With fewer workers available, construction pros cannot afford to waste time or plan poorly, so new organizational technologies have arisen to compensate.
Miller Architects & Builders: Seeing Your Build From Start to Finish
Since the 1800s, we’ve prided ourselves on providing only top-notch commercial construction services—and we’re not about to let market trends stop us now. Reach our Saint Paul office now at 320-251-4109.