Despite recent macroeconomic uncertainty that has stalled some large-scale commercial projects, the U.S. construction industry generally looks to be in hiring mode. According to analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors, the construction industry will need to attract roughly 439,000 net new workers in 2025 to meet anticipated demand.
While the study didn’t break out skilled trades versus unskilled workers, the demand for both is still high and the supply low. This leaves construction firms with a resource allocation dilemma: Do they devote their admin resources to managing active projects, or have them focus on recruitment?
Fortunately, there is now a third option: outsource recruitment. At first, this might seem to add a premium onto the cost of hiring. But if the recruitment service is cost-effective enough, the premium can actually represent a savings relative to the time it would cost an in-house team to achieve the same results.
Understanding Construction Recruiting and Staffing
Construction recruitment differs considerably from staffing for virtually any other industry. The skills needed are fairly specific – electricians, welders, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, etc. – and is frequently limited to tapping a pool of licensed professionals. It is more like hiring for healthcare than for manufacturing.
Geography is another consideration, since hires (or contractors) need to perform their work onsite. The less populous the location of the job site, the harder it is to find the people you need. This may require looking farther afield, which takes more time and dedicated effort.
In addition to the licenses mentioned earlier, checking references may be a critical step. Vetting to evaluate prospects’ work habits and adherence to safety protocols is another consideration. In the case of contractors, obtaining and validating proofs of citizenship, insurance, and other compliance matters will add to the time and effort needed for recruitment.
Construction Hiring Challenges Facing the U.S. Market
In addition to the recruitment challenges mentioned above, now is a particularly difficult time for locating skilled professionals in the building trades. While union membership has increased in recent years, even the most positive estimates place participation at just 17.9% of all relevant crafts people.
That means general contractors have a limited centralized pool of certified tradespeople to draw on. That, in turn, means more vetting is required to weed out unqualified or undesirable hires on the open market. And, even in the best of times, the administrative effort involved in recruitment, hiring, and onboarding can be considerable.
Because of the sustained high demand and low supply of well-qualified professionals, the good ones are increasingly burning out. A recent study revealed that construction is the third most affected industry for burnout, with 80% of workers characterizing their conditions with terms like “stressful” and “overwhelming.” Small wonder that it’s hard to find good ones.
How Remote Recruiters Solve Skilled Trades Hiring Problems
But the real constraint on construction recruiting is time. By outsourcing that labor-intensive task to more cost-effective specialists, you can lower your time to hire and free your permanent staff for more value-added responsibilities.
A remote recruitment specialist organization is not constrained by geographic biases. They can find the people you need, taking the initiative to locate and proactively reach out to potential hires. They can work with flexible staffing models such as contract, temp-to-perm, or seasonal arrangements to secure the necessary skills.
Particularly interesting is the move to nearshore recruitment operations. These specialists are headquartered in low-overhead regions which are still aligned with U.S. culture and even time zones. Such a cost-effective partnership can generate successful hires at a fraction the cost of conducting such efforts in-house.
The Value of Industry-Specific Recruiting Expertise
In addition to the cost-savings, working with people who know construction trades means they are constantly considering OSHA regulations, union agreements, and construction certifications in their evaluations. The screening processes are designed to validate proficiency in skilled trades, not just a self-assessment or claims on a resume.
The result is better hires; professionals who get the work done right the first time without interfering with the rest of the job. Such tradespeople also minimize your exposure to safety hazards or shoddy work. Depending on your requirements, you may connect with individuals you’ll want attached to your firm going forward.
You don’t even have to bear the expense of staffing or equipping your recruiters. The right outsourcers can handle it all.
What to Expect from Remote Recruiting Success
As construction firms struggle to find the skilled workers they need, they’re looking at new ways to reduce time-to-hire and achieve faster crew ramp-up. Nearshore recruitment specialists can deliver the results you need, and do it more cost-effectively than getting the same work done in-house.
Solvo specializes in providing high-quality nearshore recruitment services for businesses in a range of industries, including construction. We can assist you with the entire recruitment and onboarding process, from identifying and sourcing qualified tradespeople to performing all the administrative chores associated with hiring or contracting them. We can even integrate with your existing HR and project management platforms. To learn more and see what Solvo can do for your business, Contact Us – Solvo Global
