Working in any industry presents a number of challenges, such as maintaining employee productivity, overcoming financial hardships, and dealing with industry-specific struggles. The construction industry comes with a unique set of obstacles to overcome. Issues with safety on construction sites, a huge labor shortage, problems with employee productivity levels, and technological setbacks are just some of the major challenges the construction industry is facing today. We’ve broken these issues down to provide a better picture of just what is going on in the industry.
Labor Shortage
Construction is one of those industries that is constantly in motion. There are always time-sensitive projects progressing at a rapid pace, new buildings going up, and new roads to be paved. If there aren’t enough employees to handle these projects, construction companies can find themselves stretched too thin. A major problem like labor shortages challenges these companies with several additional hurdles, such as added costs and a lengthened project timeline. In short, lack of quality talent makes it hard for companies to provide quality work.
After the recession, millions of construction workers left the industry and only about half came back. This makes it difficult for companies to find experienced workers in the industry. On top of that, fewer and fewer students are choosing to go into construction professions. Trying to recruit more young people and encourage them to build a career in the industry is crucial to closing this gap.
Worker Productivity
Within the construction industry, a high level of employee productivity is critical for completing high-quality projects in a timely manner. The labor shortage the construction industry faces is a direct cause of falling productivity levels. As the older generation begins to retire, leaving the workforce, the younger, less experienced generation takes their place. With construction projects becoming more complex and demand for projects remaining high, finding and retaining skilled workers is essential, not only for the safety of your employees and others but for your company, too.
Safety
Maintaining safety and ensuring proper precautions are in place are ongoing challenges within the construction industry. Putting up homes or buildings requires a variety of complex tools and heavy machinery, making construction sites hazardous. Lack of safety training can be a major problem for construction companies. If your employees aren’t trained to operate certain machinery or tools in the proper way, those oversights can lead to injury–or even death in some cases.
If there is one thing that your construction company should never skimp on, it’s safety. When you are dealing with safety issues, it can be a major financial deficit. You lose time and money with lost wages, potential legal fees, and costs to implement a better safety plan. Making sure you already have proper safeguards, essential training, and skilled employees can help a construction company run more safely and more efficiently.
Technology
Advancing technology has a major impact on all industries, but the construction industry has been slow to adopt technological changes. Whether your company uses certain programs or software will not necessarily mean your subcontractors will utilize them. This can make it difficult to navigate around those differences in technological capability at times.
Introducing new technology can provide a number of benefits when it comes to running your business and managing projects. Adopting certain technologies and practices, such as the use of drones for monitoring workers, can help keep employees safe and the project running smoothly. Those companies that are evolving and adopting smart changes will have a major competitive edge over those that aren’t progressing at the same speed.
Rising Materials Cost
One of the last major challenges facing modern construction companies is the rising cost of materials. The pricing of land and raw materials is always changing, and those fluctuating costs can be a major issue for smaller construction companies. Contractors and companies who depend on individual projects don’t have as much leverage and are greatly affected by the costs of a project, while larger companies are able to look beyond the current costs to other or future projects. On top of that, natural disasters can affect supply lines and cause a higher demand for materials, naturally making the prices go up.
Alleviate the Stress of Construction Challenges by Renting from On Site
With rising costs of materials, labor shortages, productivity downfall, and more creating tough challenges in the construction industry, something you shouldn’t feel stressed about is how you’re going to keep your employees safe and comfortable. With a construction porta potty, portable showers, or heating and cooling you can make sure that your employees are always feeling clean and comfortable while on the job. On Site can help you find exactly what you need for various projects. Contact us today for a quote!
