Can’t Keep Employees? You’re Not Alone

​Good help is hard to find, especially in the construction industry where long hours can equal
short tempers. But, there are things you can do to find and keep capable and committed
employees.
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The turnover ratio in the construction industry exceeds 20%. This despite relatively high
salaries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the lowest paid construction laborers earn
respectable $16.26 per hour with construction managers topping out at nearly $100,000 per
year. As an industry that is expected to grow substantially over the next decade, there is plenty
of opportunity for growth but you have to be creative in your hiring practices in order to attract
top talent.

Early exposure
If you want the best employees, you must first broaden your candidate pool by implementing an
organic hiring strategy, which starts by targeting young people. High school and college
students are excellent candidates for internship through their academic institute’s vocational
program. In addition to working with school administrators to offer paid opportunities for
students, you may also bring exposure to your company by sponsoring student-centric activities,
such as football and baseball.
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More than words
Now that you have potential employees’ attention, you have to make them listen to all the
reasons that a job in the construction industry is a smart choice. Many young adults nowadays
envision a future in technology, so it is up to you to show that there is opportunity to use these
types of skills in construction. Electricians, plumbers, architects, and engineers are some of the
highest-paying jobs in the industry. Entry-level positions, which are ideally suited to the 18- to
25-year-old crowd, are excellent stepping stones toward these jobs and offer the added benefit
of providing hands-on experience.

A bounty of benefits
In 2016, the Society for Human Resources Management released its Strategic Benefits Survey
findings. While healthcare and retirement savings continue to top the list of what employees
want, there are a number of non-traditional benefits that are slowly climbing the ladder of
importance. It’s estimated that the perceived value of flexible work schedules, preventative
health, and family-friendly benefits will grow substantially in the coming years. Fortunately,
these new benefits aren’t necessarily cost prohibitive. For example, providing a flexible work
schedule costs nothing and is proven to increase productivity and job satisfaction, according to
Lonnie Golden, a well-known labor economist at Penn State.
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No train and no gain
High school and college students wishing to fast-track their careers are wonderful candidates for
a job in construction. However, young minds are eager for an opportunity to learn and will
benefit the most from on-the-job training in addition to seminars and classroom drills. Another
often overlooked area that benefits workers of all ages is reciprocal mentoring . Today’s
workplace is comprised of four separate generations, each of which have things to bring to the
table, so to speak. Monster contributing writer Dan Wong explains that older workers can teach
loyalty, interpersonal skills, and independence while the millennial group can expose more
mature employees to new technology, provide diversity, and illustrate the importance of work/life
balance.
In addition to unique benefits and access to career training, today’s employees want autonomy
and ownership. There is no better way to scare off an excellent employee and potential future
crew leader than to scrutinize his or her every move. Micromanagement simply doesn’t work
and your workers want to be treated like adults (even if their IDs say otherwise). Keep in mind
that, beyond an employee’s initial compensation package, it is your responsibility to ensure they
are rewarded with intangible, yet equally important, benefits such as motivation, recognition,
and the opportunity to contribute.