Day: October 15, 2021

With 2022 rapidly approaching, the construction industry is taking stock of upcoming challenges and opportunities in the market. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still at play as firms look for ways to navigate a difficult labor market, overcome supply chain obstacles, and work more efficiently. 

Each year, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and Autodesk survey a broad cross section of construction firms to find insights on today’s workforce. Findings from the 2021 Autodesk and AGC Workforce Survey shed light on many of the relevant challenges to be aware of in the coming year, such as labor shortages, project delays, and the rising costs of materials. It also highlights positive emerging trends, including an increased focus on training and development as well as a rise in technology adoption. 

Over 2,100 construction professionals participated in the 2021 Autodesk and AGC Workforce Survey from July to August of this year. Represented firms provide building, highway and transportation, federal construction, and utility infrastructure services. Revenue sizes range from under $50 million to over $500 million. This broad sampling of organizations provides a comprehensive look into the industry’s current obstacles and opportunities. 

Firms continue to face workforce shortages

Respondents from across the country revealed that labor shortages still remain a challenge—reporting difficulty in filling nearly every type of position. In fact, there are more openings for craft and salaried positions than there were a year ago.

In last year’s survey, 76% of firms that employ hourly craft workers reported having at least one craft position unfilled. Today, the statistic has increased to 90%. The need to fill salaried positions has also increased, with 62% of firms reporting having openings for these roles. Last year, 42% reported the same. 

Eighty-nine percent of survey respondents say they have a hard time filling hourly craft positions. The hardest hourly roles to hire for are pipelayers (cited by 91% of firms). Bricklayers, concrete workers, installers other than drywall, or truck drivers follow close behind at 88%. 

Eight-six percent of respondents say they struggle to fill open salaried positions. The most difficult to hire salaried roles are project manager and supervisor positions, cited by 79% of firms. On the other hand, fewer than 40% of firms reported difficulty hiring technology and software/database personnel. 

What are the drivers behind the labor shortage in the construction industry? Firms report two key reasons: a lack of qualified candidates and unemployment insurance supplements.

Finding employees requires a mix of new and old strategies 

As for recalling furloughed employees, the results are mixed. Of the 25% of firms that have attempted to do so, only 40% say all furloughed employees reported when recalled. The lack of recall varies from unemployment benefits to coronavirus concerns and family responsibilities to unknown reasons. 

Construction firms are employing different strategies to boost the labor market. Nearly one-third have increased spending on training and professional development. Seventy-three percent have increased base pay rates. A little over a third have offered hiring bonuses and incentives. 

Thirty-seven percent are reaching out to career-building programs at high schools and collegiate or technical programs. Nearly a third of firms are using online strategies such as Instagram Live to engage with young applicants. Others, roughly 25%, are connecting with government workforce development and unemployment agencies to find applicants. One out of every four firms is leaning on software to help track incoming applications. 

Project delays and material shortages continue in 2021

Project delays continue to be a problem for construction firms. Eighty-eight percent of firms experience project delays, with 75% citing longer lead times or material shortages and 57% reporting delivery delays. Supply chain challenges have led to project changes, postponements, and cancellations for over half of all firms surveyed. 

Even when firms can access materials, they face increasing costs. The rising material prices  have affected projects for 93% of construction firms. 

These challenges have left many industry professionals wondering when they can expect revenues to return to pre-pandemic levels. In our 2020 survey, 38% of firms reported that they believed it would take six months for their business to return to 2019 levels. 26% of firms in the 2021 survey expect it will take six months to match or exceed year-earlier levels, while 17% are unsure when to expect things to go back to “normal.”

Construction technology helping offset industry setbacks

In part to offset some of the current industry challenges, construction firms are relying on new technologies. The majority of firms, 57%, say that technology adoption has increased over the past year. An even greater percentage, 60%, anticipate this rate to continue to rise in the next 12 months. The most popular technology investments include:

Project management technology (45% of firms have adopted it in the last 12 months)Estimating technology ( 29%)Bidding technology (28%)Document management (28%)Workforce management (27%)Site safety tools (26%)

Construction primed for a more resilient future

Allison Scott, Director of Construction Thought Leadership and Customer Marketing at Autodesk, shared in the news release for the 2021 survey, “The continued investments in hiring, training, and technology highlighted in this year’s study show that even while dealing with ongoing challenges nearly two years into the pandemic, the industry remains committed to building better with a resilient workforce.”

If you’d like to discuss the findings of this year’s research and or other industry related topics, please join us in The Big Room, Autodesk’s community of construction professionals.

The post Key Takeaways from the AGC and Autodesk 2021 Workforce Survey appeared first on Digital Builder.

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https://www.dennis-construction.com/?p=727

Gerri Nielson

www.dennis-construction.com

The face of construction is changing. As the industry sheds its brash reputation, it attracts more professionals into long-term construction careers. To discuss this and more, we had a quick chat with Aisling Goff, Business Unity Quality Manager at Mercury Engineering.

isling, how did you get into the construction industry, and can you tell us a little bit more about your career journey to date?

If I’m honest, it was an accident! Originally, I was training to be a teacher when I realised it wasn’t for me. I took on an admin role in Mercury with the view it would be a short term role, while I figured out what I wanted to do and have been here ever since. I have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic people over the years who took the time and patience to teach me things and I am now the Business Unit Quality Manager for Mercury’s data centre business unit.

Early on in my time at Mercury, I decided I wanted to do a master’s degree in business which Mercury sponsored. It was a big investment to make in me, and I was fortunate and grateful to be given lots of opportunities to grow.  Over the years, I have spent time working in and across different departments and quality assurance teams learning more about the business and the industry. I’ve also been lucky enough to travel with Mercury and have spent time working in Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and Germany. I feel this has helped me to become more rounded in my role as I learnt so much about other cultures and observed other ways of working across jurisdictions.

You’ve travelled and worked in lots of different countries across Europe in your current role, what are the main differences you’ve experienced when it comes to approaching construction jobs?

There can be substantial differences to the way construction projects operate across Europe—if you drive for four and a half hours from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, the regulations can differ significantly and this affects how you execute the project from start to finish. This can be from how you deal with local authorities to subcontractor partners, or the contract structure. It’s been fascinating and rewarding to learn about these diverse ways of working.

How do you think we can attract more females into the industry and what changes have you seen over the years when it comes to women in construction?

Years ago, I could have walked into client and project meetings and been the only woman in the room but it’s great to see that this is changing and quickly. When I look around our data centre business unit in Mercury, I see many more women in a variety of roles demonstrating the industry is diversifying and attracting more female talent. Recently, I’ve been involved in reviewing applications for our graduate programme, and we’ve seen some really strong CVs from young women wanting to break into construction which I think is fantastic. There’s still a long way to go but I feel confident that in a few years the gender balance in construction will be much more equal.

Traditionally, the construction industry is perceived as being very male-dominated and perhaps a hard industry for women to work in as a result. I used to find the culture seemed very ‘blunt’ and confrontational; I do think women and men are built differently when it comes to the way they adapt to work cultures.  However, I think that this too is changing. The industry is becoming a lot more professional, whereas in the past we were a bit further behind other industries.

The industry is open to many different types of people and personalities now—it’s not the traditional aggressive industry full of confrontation that many people may view it as. There are opportunities for all kinds of different roles. I believe that technology and innovation are helping to scope out new roles and opportunities.  My advice to any woman thinking about pursuing a career in construction is to give it a chance. Don’t be put off by anything you may have heard previously. The classic approach to construction is gone. The industry is embracing new ideas and ways of working which will bring important benefits to all.

How has technology helped you in your role?

Technology has provided me with a greater overview on projects and a level of transparency that I didn’t previously have. From a quality perspective, being able to deal with any issues upfront when it occurs is so valuable. On our construction sites now, our field teams have tablets to take photos so we have almost instant access to relevant data. This provides us improved insight and a sense of control which means obstacles can be easily resolved.

What’s the one piece of technology that you couldn’t live without?

In my personal life, I’d say my phone – I don’t think anyone can live without their phone! From a professional point of view, BIM 360 and the data and information which all our teams input daily help me do my job more efficiently every day.

The post Behind the Build: Interview with Aisling Goff, Business Unit Quality Manager for Mercury Engineering appeared first on Digital Builder.

Gerri Nielson

www.dennis-construction.com