Ian Barrow is a senior employee experience consultant at survey provider WorkBuzz
Salary is the easiest tool to leverage to attract talent, but a high pay package simply won’t retain the workforce over the long term. Construction companies should not compete only on wages, but should listen to what their people really want.
We know that the outlook for the sector is challenging. The workforce is aging and there is a shortage of skilled trades and labour. Organizations face the ongoing challenge of how to recruit and retain their workforce, especially with competition so fierce.
The construction industry is not blind to its problems and recognizes that workers are looking elsewhere for work, including migrating to other industries that offer greater stability.
Faced with an aging workforce and urgent skills shortages, construction leaders are keen to attract as many new faces to the industry as possible and, crucially, retain them. But how?
Listen, then act
Well, not competing on salary, for starters. The construction industry remains one of the highest paying sectors in the UK, with an average salary of £45,000, an incredible 33 per cent higher than the UK average. And while some entry-level wages could benefit from a raise, if companies start competing on salary alone to attract new workers, this will likely increase rather than reduce staff attrition: workers will simply move from from one company to another in search of the highest salary. . Therefore, they must refrain from entering into a wage war.
“The only way construction companies will attract and retain new and diverse workers is by making their organization attractive to everyone”
The reasons why workers are attracted to a particular company – and then the reasons for them to stay – are far more complex than what’s in each month’s pay packet; they range from the quality of leadership above them to their sense of belonging. But to determine what’s important to your people, you have to ask them, and most importantly, you have to act on what they say.
This may sound simple, but it’s obviously not as easy as calling a meeting and asking everyone what they want. To get you started, there are 10 key factors that affect employee engagement, and it’s important to find out what your employees think and how they feel about each of them.
These include the quality of senior management; growth opportunities; teamwork; direct relationships with managers; flexible working (is it an option?); empowerment; reward and recognition; welfare; diversity and inclusion; and organizational purpose.
Finding out what your employees think about all of these fundamentals requires collecting and interpreting data, which can then be turned into concrete actions to make your organization a magnetic place to work.
The result will be a holistic view of what’s important to your workers and what’s working and what’s not. For example, if a large part of the workforce feels underappreciated and taken for granted, an action plan can be put in place on how to improve this, such as introducing a reward and recognition initiative. Similarly, if people feel they have few opportunities for career growth, a training and development program can help turn things around.
Ultimately, the only way construction companies will attract and retain new and diverse workers is by making their organization attractive to everyone. The culture should be welcoming and inclusive, with plenty of opportunities for people to develop and shine, and everyone should feel part of an organization that cares about them as individuals.
Making it happen means penetrating the existing culture and recognizing what works and what doesn’t. By having this real understanding of your people rather than basing decisions on assumptions and theories, you can drive real cultural change that makes your company an attractive destination for everyone.
