The Construction Industry's Most Repeated Phrase
May 31, 2007

The construction industry most repeated phrase He/she has a pulse, so I hired them...

It sounds like the opening line of a novel, but this is the new reality of hiring practices in world wide construction/engineering industries. At any given time there are several openings for each available person, the employees control the market, not the human resources manager with good candidates having several offers to decide from.

The candidates are now in the position to feel comfortable to ask any and all questions in other words its the employer being interviewed. Employees are not only having the luxury of demanding more in compensation but also ask for more creative packages such as signing bonus, profit sharing, more reasonable vacation time as apposed to archaic 2 weeks vacation, vehicle e allowances, upgraded medical plan, etc. Employee also do there homework by chatting with current and past employees, sub trades, bonding companies, clients. The reputation of the employer must be impeccable. The days of the big old construction owner intimidating his employees are long gone.

The compensation package is only one issue; the environment, the culture and management style are all open to question. Employee are asking to view the organization chart and top heavy management teams are no longer in vogue with employees who characterize this style selfish and unproductive.

Companies have been forced into hiring personnel on the spot with the employer being the one subjected to the probationary period. Western Canada specifically Calgary is experiencing the greatest pressure having approximately 15,000 people a month arriving ready to work with many companies not being able to attract them as per the competitive nature of the industry.

Several trends have development in the industry including the base cost or running a business has increased dramatically, companies are having a difficult time adjusting, specifically in Calgary having an oil-rush mentality., quality of workmanship has suffered as lack of skilled talent available, increase in stress level and medical situations as employees worked to the bone.

Keeping up company standards with lack of personnel is hard on customers, and even harder on the existing staff.

The quality of the candidate available has dropped. Unfortunately, enthusiasm does not make up for lack of skills. When a company is in a desperate state, they are forced to put inferior people at the helm of important projects which in turn can jeopardize the entire business model.