5 Tips for Retaining Workers at Your Construction Company

Expert tips for retaining construction workers

As a contractor or subcontractor, you know it too well: The number of construction jobs that need to be filled is far outpacing the number of available tradespeople. In fact, according to Associated Builders and Contractors, the construction industry will need to attract an estimated 501,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2024 to meet the demand for labor.  

By partnering with PeopleReady Skilled Trades, you’ve taken a crucial step in making sure you have qualified, reliable tradespeople and laborers for your projects. But are you doing all you can to retain the talented workers you already have at your company? Consider these five tips for retaining workers during these challenging times — and beyond! 

5 strategies for employee retention in construction 

#1: Give regular feedback and support

Setting clear goals and expectations and offering regular feedback to your workers is a great way to increase retention. These conversations can help them understand their strengths as well as areas for improvement. As a result, your company can improve performance while helping workers succeed in their roles. 

#2: Offer perks and incentives

Rewarding workers for their contributions to your company can boost morale and job satisfaction, leading to improved retention and recruitment rates. You can choose the type of perks and incentives that work for your company and your employees. The most important thing is to show your appreciation for their hard work. 

#3: Provide rewards and recognition

By recognizing and rewarding your best workers, you create a bond with them. Beyond financial incentives, a heartfelt “thank you” counts — as does acknowledging their good work in a companywide newsletter, on your website, or in some other public setting. You might even create an official, year-round recognition program, like our Respect the Craft program. 

#4: Engage with your team

Too often, companies do a great job welcoming new hires and onboarding them, but then forget about them the longer they’re on the job — unless there’s a problem. Be sure to engage with your team, whether that’s asking their opinions — and acting on their feedback — or hosting lunch breaks or other special events. 

#5: Prioritize safety

By ensuring safety on your jobsites, you demonstrate that you care about your workers. One way to show your commitment to safety is to provide ongoing safety training. For example, our tradespeople know safety is our No. 1 priority because it’s baked into all we do, from matching them with jobs that fit their skill level and experience to our BeSafe program, where we ensure our tradespeople (and customers) work safely across the entire lifecycle of a project. Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), from hard hats to eye protection, is another way we show our tradespeople we value their safety. 

What strategies for retaining employees do you currently follow? Email us and we might include your tips in a future article. 

Construction staffing services with PeopleReady Skilled Trades 

A construction staffing agency can help you find workers with the right skills and experience for your company. As a result, you can reduce turnover rates and increase employee satisfaction. 

Our team at PeopleReady Skilled Trades can help deliver tradespeople for your current or upcoming projects, whether you need electricians, plumbers, welders or other tradespeople. If you’re looking for construction staffing solutions, we are ready to get the job done!