Challenges Facing Construction Subcontractors
Despite having weathered the storm during the Great Recession, the construction industry is still facing challenges. The good thing is we're moving forward as an industry.
There are still a host of challenges facing the industry on many levels. The rising costs of materials and labor and increased competition are just some of the challenges that the construction landscape faces. There are also new rules and regulations that business owners must follow to stay on top of new OSHA rules along with changes to building codes and the recent tax reforms.
These are a few of the challenges facing construction subcontractors:
Labor Shortages
The construction industry saw a loss of nearly 2 million jobs during the most recent economic downturn. Many workers decided to retire or found employment in other sectors. It was clear that these workers were embracing their new careers and not returning to their construction jobs.
Many feel that there is not enough talent to meet the growing demand in our industry. The tech-savvy millennials that are coming into the workforce are not embracing careers in the construction field as people did in past generations. The lack of diversity and the uncertainty surrounding immigration reform will only make matters worse and cause more problems for the construction workforce.
In-house training and apprenticeship programs are helping train workers better. This should help manage some of the labor shortages, but it will not eliminate all of them.
Productivity Levels Are Becoming More Important
Construction projects are becoming increasingly more complex. Our industry has not fully embraced technology, and this causes issues in productivity. Inadequate planning and scheduling, weak collaboration frameworks, and communication issues sometimes lead to time wasted.
Safety Is Still A Struggle
Worker safety continues to plague the construction industry. For many years, the construction industry has led all other sectors in the total number of worker deaths. Keeping our workers safe and preventing accidents and injuries should be a top priority for everyone.
Proper training is the number one way to keep workers safe on the job! Training should never be a one-time event. Continuous training throughout a worker’s career holds the importance of safe working practices a priority. There will never be too much safety training when it comes to the construction industry.
