Avoid the risks of relaxing riring standards
Whether you need tradespeople quickly for a project or are having trouble attracting applicants for open roles, you might be considering loosening your hiring requirements.
More companies are taking this measure in an attempt to widen their applicant pools and possibly shorten the time-to-hire; however, this solution could have unexpected – and unpleasant – consequences for your business.
Take a look at some of the common ways in which employers loosen their hiring requirements, the possible risks associated with them and what to consider instead.
Safety takes center stage
The biggest risk when it comes to loosening or skirting hiring requirements for tradespeople is first and foremost safety.
Tradespeople on jobsites work within complex systems where mistakes can have devastating consequences. Not only could they become a risk to themselves and others on the site, but to your business as well.
Requirements and training are designed to protect tradespeople, and if bypassed, could result in accidents or improperly executed work, leading to things like fires, flooding or structural failures.
Cutting corners is not worth the risk for anyone.
Quality and reliability at risk
Beyond immediate safety concerns, reduced qualification requirements could compromise work quality. Experienced tradespeople develop crucial problem-solving abilities through years of apprenticeship and on-the-job training. They learn to anticipate issues, adapt to changing conditions and ensure their work meets the project requirements and will function reliably for decades.
Less qualified workers may lack this deep understanding—potentially leading to quality issues, premature failures and expensive repairs.
Counting the cost
While relaxing requirements might seem to offer short-term cost savings, the long-term economic implications could be substantial.
Substandard work often requires costly repairs or complete replacement, far exceeding any initial savings. And reputation damage from failed projects and increased liability exposure could threaten business viability.
All in all, the risk is great in the long term.
Bottom line
While the pressure to address labor shortages is real, compromising on trade qualifications risks undermining the very foundations of construction quality and safety.
The focus should instead be on building a larger pipeline of well-qualified professionals through education, recruitment and industry modernization.
Not sure where to start? A trusted partner can bring in qualified and compliant tradespeople to support a wide range of projects.
Partner with PeopleReady Skilled Trades
If you need tradespeople who take compliance and safety as seriously as you do, PeopleReady Skilled Trades can help. For more than 30 years, PeopleReady Skilled Trades has delivered skilled trades staffing to contractors and subcontractors across the country. Learn more about our commitment to safety at: skilled.peopleready.com/safety. Or learn more about our commitment to hiring a qualified and compliant workforce here: PeopleReady Skilled Trades: Your E-Verify and I-9 Compliance Partner – PeopleReady Skilled Trades.
