Worker Retention

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The average person spends 90,000 hours at work, or approximately ⅓ of their lifetime, and most leaders want that time to be pleasant for our employees. 

While competitive wages and benefits are the first step in employee retention, with today’s labor shortages and changing society, it’s more important than ever to keep staff satisfied. Happier workers tend to take fewer sick days, make better teammates, and are more productive. Plus, finding, hiring, and training new employees takes valuable time and money, especially during busy seasons. 

While no employer can guarantee perfect weather, zero setbacks, and completely united crews all the time, there are several things leaders can do to make workers happier and, ultimately, keep them longer. 

1. Safety First

Safety of your employees should always be your top priority. It may be tempting to relax safety procedures and cut corners, but doing this subtly tells workers that you don’t care about their health and wellbeing. Make sure they have all of the protective equipment they need and they know how to use it. 

2. Maintain Equipment

Nothing decreases morale like having poorly-maintained equipment. Investing in quality, up-to-date tools, materials, and equipment will keep your staff safer and more comfortable, improve work speed, and give your employees the literal tools they need to take pride in their work. This also includes using new technology (drones, AI, and productivity management software, for example) that can help your team become more efficient and learn new things.

3. Cultivate the Culture

Whether you call it culture, feeling, or atmosphere, the general vibe around the workplace needs to remain positive. This doesn’t mean you have to be hyper upbeat or micro-manage; it just means making sure your values and mission are reflected in their work and attitude. Everyone, from general laborers up to the CEO, should feel respected and heard. Make sure your management is supportive, professional, and invested in creating a team atmosphere.. 

4. Be Flexible

For most employees, work isn’t their whole life. Ask staff what they want, truly listen to their responses, and promote a healthy work/life balance. This might look like working 4/10s instead of 5/8s (which has been shown to boost productivity, and gives staff an extra day to recharge), or providing more time off during the holidays for staff to spend with their families and friends. If you do have staff working nights, weekends, and/or holidays, compensate them well! 

5. Appreciate Your Crew

This one might be obvious, but a little bit of appreciation goes a long way to keeping staff. Get to know your staff, and find out what they like. Simple shout-outs, the occasional worksite meal, and holiday bonuses are fairly inexpensive ways to let your people know you appreciate them. Your workers should never feel like they’re just a number or disposable. Once they do, they’ll start thinking of their employer as replaceable, too. 

6. Provide a Path for Growth  

Careers keep people, dead-end jobs do not. Make sure your staff have a clear path for advancement. Develop in-house training programs and offer opportunities to learn new equipment and technologies. Whenever possible, promote internally and show existing staff that they can move into leadership positions if they stay with your company.

Steadfast Enterprises, LLC, prides itself on providing quality staffing and equipment to developers, project managers and general contractors across the country. We’re proud to employ expert operating engineers who are safe, productive, and efficient, and to offer modern, up-to-date equipment that uses industry leading technology. Let us help you complete your project today! Click here for staffing support or check out our equipment rentals here.

Top 10 Best States for Construction Jobs

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Does the New Year have you itching for a change? 

As the pandemic slows and people return to work, construction jobs are now more available than ever across the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of construction industry jobs is expected to grow by 7% into 2030, and that the increase in federal funding from the Infrastructure Bill will provide stability for many types of construction companies throughout the coming years. 

Maybe you’re looking for better opportunities, to make some money in the booming housing market, or to start fresh somewhere different. If you’re in the construction field or just starting in the industry, and looking for a change in locale, here are the top 10 best states for construction.

Top 10 states with the most construction job openings: 

  • California: 672,280
  • Texas: 608,110
  • Florida: 413,800
  • New York: 311,430
  • Pennsylvania: 213,630
  • Illinois: 181,550
  • Ohio: 178,900
  • North Carolina: 178,710
  • Virginia: 165,410
  • Washington: 161,780

While having plenty of opportunity is important, so are wages. Many of the states with the most jobs available (Texas, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia in particular) all have an average wage below the national average of $25.93. 

Top 10 states with the best wages per hour:

  • Hawaii: $35.08
  • Illinois: $33.86
  • Massachusetts: $32.65
  • New York: $32.49
  • Alaska: $32.33
  • Washington: $32.23
  • New Jersey: $31.51
  • California: $30.78
  • Connecticut: $30.15
  • Minnesota: $30.09

Enjoying the warm, sandy beaches of Hawaii after a long day of work might sound relaxing, but  once again it’s important to consider other factors, like the high costs of living. Taking this into consideration, let’s look at what states have the most growth potential, measured by population growth from 2020-2021. 

Top 10 states with the most growth potential:

  • Texas: +310,288
  • Florida: +211,196
  • Arizona: +98,330
  • North Carolina: +93,985
  • Georgia: +73,766
  • South Carolina: +59,976
  • Utah: +56,291
  • Tennessee: +55,099
  • Idaho: +53,151
  • Nevada: +29,920

Top 10 states with the largest populations (in billions): 

  • California: 39.512
  • Texas: 28.996
  • Florida: 21.478
  • New York: 19.454
  • Pennsylvania: 12.802
  • Illinois: 12.672
  • Ohio: 11.689
  • Georgia: 10.617
  • North Carolina: 10.488
  • Michigan: 9.987

When combining all of these factors, professionals found the following 10 states to be the absolute best for those looking to work in the construction industry, with great potential, growth, and wage numbers. 

Top 10 best states for construction work:

  • California
  • Illinois
  • New York
  • Washington
  • Texas
  • Florida
  • Pennsylvania
  • Ohio
  • Georgia
  • North Carolina

No matter where you live, now is a great time to be in construction. We’re happy to be a part of this ever-growing industry and to be recognized for our dedication to quality workmanship and customer service. 

If you’re one of the many project managers looking for staff in the new year, reach out today to see what we can do for you. Let’s ease those staffing woes and provide you with the people you need, when you need them.

 

Read more employment data and the full article at CONEXPO-CON/AGG.

Diversity in Construction

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The construction industry often struggles with diversity. 

It’s most clear when it comes to gender: as of 2021, women comprise only about 8% of the total construction workforce, despite making up 47% of all employed people worldwide. Of that 8%, only about 1% work on jobsites, with the majority of women being placed in office and sales positions. 

Similarly, there is a huge disparity when it comes to race: 58.7% of those working in construction are white, followed by 24.5% Hispanic or Latino and 10.7% Black or African American. 

Why does it matter?

Research has shown that having a wider mix of people on your staff improves morale and productivity, and keeps workers on your team longer. The good news is that diversity is always improving and there are things you or your job leaders can do to help. With the ever-increasing housing market, it’s expected that the industry will need another 430,000 workers in the coming year. Widening your search to include underrepresented individuals can help fill those labor gaps. This also tends to improve performance, as a larger hiring pool means opening yourself up to finding more talent and a wider range of skills (studies have shown inclusive firms have 1.32 times higher productivity than less diverse firms). 

An increase in talent can also lead to improved problem-solving, as a wide range of experiences and perspectives mean more innovation when facing challenges on the jobsite. More innovation leads to quicker solutions, which means your company can outperform your less diverse competition. It’s also going to get you noticed, as high performance and a positive work environment are two of the best ways (along with decent pay and benefits) to attract and retain quality craftspeople to your team – critically important with today’s labor shortages. 

How do I diversify my workforce? 

First, check in with yourself. Make sure that you are offering the same opportunities for leadership and promotion to everyone. For example, are the women on your team offered the same leadership opportunities as the men, or are they limited to only administrative positions? These changes often start with company management reevaluating their current policies, and making sure they are free from unconscious biases and discrimination. This could mean changing promotion criteria and providing diversity training to both management and employees. 

When hiring new employees, aim for a blind review that omits the applicant’s name so you can be more impartial. Have multiple people on your hiring team, and whenever possible include people from diverse backgrounds. 

Building new partnerships is also key to bringing in new and varied talent. Starting a partnership with a local high school, community college, or nonprofit to teach youth and young adults construction skills can not only get your name out into the community, but can also jump start the training of your next batch of employees with little effort on your part. This also ensures the diversity of your workforce is representative of your community. 

Diversity and inclusion is the way of the future. Put your organization in a position to succeed by hiring and promoting a diverse range of staff. With this mindset, you can resolve labor shortages while ensuring your staff feel safe, satisfied, and empowered in the new year. 

Data Source: Zippia

Construction Unions

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Unions truly make the world go round. Their legacy of advocacy has built our construction industry to what it is now and had long-lasting impacts on the way we view labor in America. 

The History of the IUOE

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) has a similarly rich history. 

“Working conditions for construction and stationary workers in the late 1800s were, at best, appalling,” the IUOE website says. Wages were very low, hours were long, and benefits nonexistent. On December 7th, 1896, eleven innovative individuals formed what is now known as the IUOE. They all shared the unique ability to operate dangerous steam boilers, putting them in a position of greater leverage with companies. 

Through the Great Depression and two World Wars, this organization continuously advocated for and advanced the rights and needs of workers. Their hard work helped develop iconic buildings and places. 

“San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Panama Canal, Chicago’s Sears Tower, Toronto’s CN Tower and Sky Dome, New York’s Empire State Building and Holland Tunnel, the Statue of Liberty, Vancouver’s Lions Gate Bridge, the Alaskan Pipeline and Hoover Dam—all are monuments to the skills of the members of IUOE.”

What the Union Does

Unions are fundamental to supporting workers through collective bargaining, legislative action, and extensive training programs. Over the years, unions have directly or indirectly brought about:

  • The Department of Labor
  • Labor Day
  • The end of child labor
  • Railway Labor Act 
  • Guaranteed union wages
  • 8 hour work day
  • 40 hour work week
  • The National Labor Relations Act
  • Minimum wage
  • Fair Labor Standards Act
  • Fair Employment Practice Commission (FEPC)
  • Equal Pay Act
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act
  • And much more!

Explore more about the history, legacy, and current activities of the operating engineers’ union by visiting the IUOE website here. 

Do you need operating engineers?

Steadfast is signatory with IUOE Local 542, which is a blend of heavy equipment operators in building and construction, along with C&D Branch division members who are employed at quarries, landfills, equipment dealers, shipyards, breweries, manufacturing, airports, bridges, and public works. Local 542 employs a rigorous training program for all journey and apprentice operators and our partnership ensures a satisfied customer. Contact us today: 1-855-449-0777.