An extra 140,000 construction workers will be needed annually for the next five years to support the government’s Warm Homes Plan. But with skills shortages plaguing the sector and the need to resource other large-scale infrastructure projects, the industry urgently needs to focus on inclusive recruitment that attracts people from all walks of life.
Attracting a diverse talent pool has many benefits. Having a broader range of perspectives and skills bolsters capabilities and expertise, which in turn makes for increased innovation and better decision-making. This, over time, will improve the quality of work and increase profits. Businesses with diverse leadership teams are thought to be 39 per cent more likely to financially outperform those that don’t have diversity as a focus.
Inclusivity and diversity are also vital for employer brand and reputation, particularly in the construction sector where competition for skilled talent will only increase as the country powers forward with its infrastructure and housebuilding programmes.
Being able to demonstrate a business’s ESG (environmental, social and governance) and EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) values during the recruitment process is key for attracting talent; around two thirds of UK workers think acceptance and inclusion are an important factor when job-searching.
The construction sector is heavily male-dominated. Failing to recognise that the potential workforce is much broader than traditionally imagined is shortsighted. Being open, transparent and proactive with EDI-focused hiring practices is key in unlocking pockets of employees who might otherwise fly under the radar.
While many organisations have connections with schools, colleges and universities as part of their recruitment outreach, this doesn’t include candidates who are already in the workplace and want to switch careers. While this group can be more difficult to reach, they form a large talent pool that needs to be tapped into to tackle the construction skills shortage.
This is also essential for offsite or modular building, as the public typically has less awareness of the skills needed. Offsite building demands a slightly different skillset to traditional construction, with a focus on data management and quality control, so it may suit people who had not considered it as a career path.
Hosting a careers session, where candidates can ask questions, meet the team and tour the workplace, helps form a relationship between the employer and candidates, making them more likely to apply and consider a construction career which might not have occurred to them before. It also gives the team an idea of the candidate prior to them formally applying.
Jobseekers also look for progression and there is a common misconception that apprenticeships don’t offer lifelong career options. Communicating retention rates and apprenticeship success stories is crucial. If a business has a cohort of employees who started as apprentices and have stayed with the business, moving up to more senior roles, this should be celebrated.
One way of finding new ways to be inclusive is to collaborate with peers and other industry bodies, such as your local skills improvement board (LSIB). LSIBs are made up of local businesses, training providers, government-linked bodies and other industry experts with the aim of working together, build relationships and share knowledge with a common goal of attracting and upskilling local talent.
It’s crucial that businesses take a holistic approach to diversity. For example, offering apprentices a higher wage than the minimum required will attract older candidates looking for a career change who may have higher financial outgoings than a school leaver.
Other policies to consider are flexible working, which particularly helps single parents manage their professional and parental responsibilities. While this may not always be possible for onsite roles, it may be possible for office, design or management roles. This in turn will help attract more talent through word of mouth.
Employers in sectors with skills shortages, such as construction, urgently need to embrace EDI to take on the huge number of projects coming down the line. Not only will employers benefit from a diverse talent pool, but being forward-thinking with hiring and recruitment has tangible benefits for businesses as well.
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