The labor shortage, downtime problems & solutions!
We understand what construction companies and workers are going through when it comes to finding that perfect job or employee. It’s a question that most people ask in this industry and it’s why does the labor shortage continue and what can we do to bring more people to this industry? Sounds familiar right? Over the past few years, most workforce development leaders had to come to the realization that we have a marketing problem and that most industries and markets are in full swing in attracting the youth and people to more interesting jobs. The construction industry falls way behind in this area. Although we have many leaders in this industry tackling this now and marketing the industry in a new light especially on social media like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram because we may always have this “little” problem! It gets better though because HardHats brings that last piece to the puzzle you've been waiting for.
Let’s be very real here and talk about a few key reasons why the industry is struggling with this year after year in addition to the marketing problem and how we can bring some real solutions once and for all. As we know times have changed and most parents want to see better for their children and future career but the truth is it's a great career and you can earn a lot of money in it. There are lots of opportunities out there and it’s constantly showcased on social media about how you can earn money very fast and be famous along the way, not to mention the social media influencers selling new products by the mass following in different industries. It’s become frustrating for most companies who thrive off the real hard-working men and women and we can for sure say it's hurting these companies more than you think. Marketing is key to the success of this industry moving forward.
The majority of our workforce is out there but the truth is they are creating jobs in manufacturing companies and amazon since most small businesses today are becoming online e-commerce platforms, and there’s a lot of opportunities out there to sell online these days and behind that comes more influencers. But we feel with our brand and dedication to the industry we can start attracting these exact people over time. Patience is key!
Downtime on projects seems to be a big factor that we don’t talk about enough but we’ve created a trend and now you see most companies in this space using that same term and the word “labor shortage” a little more. What does this downtime term mean? Well, there’s weather delays, inspection hold-ups, Covid19, furloughs, and 28% of construction firms are experiencing project delays or disruptions due to a shortage of construction materials, equipment, or parts. https://www.agc.org/.
We all know that you’ve experienced your own downtime, so let’s bring up one that’s pretty common today. In Arizona, and most summers there are ongoing monsoons and this type of weather can wipe out an entire project for days if not weeks. We've personally witnessed a smaller size contractor who was paying his crew members for almost three weeks straight so he wouldn't lose his crew but we've also seen 3 crew members on a larger project leave their job due to a storm that canceled production until further notice and this would mean that anyone earning wages would not get paid. I think at some point people would consider a new trade or another industry. The laborers especially can't take this loss since they have families and then over time, the question of quality takes place and the frustration from employers. It’s round and round! Although this is not good we can likely bring some solutions to the labor shortage by focusing on these pain points for both workers and contractors when these problems arise. We like to consider ourselves labor shortage solutions in this space which no one does.
The question is how can we bridge the shortage with this "problem"? Is it possible that technology can solve it? The answer is, yes! Each month we grow, test, and validate and find more reasons to keep going. We have something really special we're working on right now in addition to our matching service. Unfortunately, gigs were not the solution but it was good to see if the industry would adopt the trend since most industry's are introducing that concept. It’s not the answer to the construction industry though.
HardHats is truly passionate about the workforce and labor shortage in Arizona but also the United States. We have a great relationship with industry leaders and supportive contractors from all states. This is not an easy problem we're trying to solve but we're in the right direction.
Lastly, these are just some problems that we've been able to assess over time and some other realistic thoughts around the construction industry although we know there are many contributing factors in all markets and segments in construction. We see ourselves a bit different in this market though.
Thanks,
The HardHats Team
