The culture isn’t the only reason for construction’s labour shortage.

Diverse group on construction site from above

As Baby Boomers retire and the Gen Z workers who were expected to replace them choose other fields, the construction industry faces a chronic labour shortage that many blame on the industry’s culture. While culture certainly can be a contributing factor, a recent article in International Industrial Vehicle Technology magazine paints a more positive picture of the industry.

In 2019 an industry wide survey found that 83 percent of people in the industry would reapply for their current position and 73 percent said they were happy at work. There were, however, significant differences between office and field employees which point to cultural issues that can be addressed to improve both recruiting and retention.

Suggestions include consistently enforcing standards and values, creating pathways for change, recognising employee achievements, encouraging employee referrals and team building exercises to bring office and field employees closer together.