Construction Law

4 Reasons Your Workers are Walking Away from the Construction Industry featured image

4 Reasons Your Workers are Walking Away from the Construction Industry

No matter what industry you work in, getting your employees to sustain a feeling of excitement about their occupation is one of the greatest challenges faced by employers. Small conversations with employees can reveal a lot about how an employee feels about their job. One way to quickly gauge an employee’s level of engagement is to ask them about their goals for the day.

An engaged employee will be eager to discuss the projects they’re working on, the challenges they face, and their plans to solve any unique problems that may pop up along the way. An unengaged worker will be less talkative, more reclusive, and focused purely on getting through the days to claim their paycheck. Generally, you can tell whether or not a worker wants to be on the project site by simply looking them in the eye and assessing for yourself. Trust us, it’s not hard to spot an unengaged worker. 

Fortunately, by gaining a better understanding of why workers walk away from the construction industry, we can begin to prepare countermeasures to get workers excited about work again. In this article, a Chattanooga contractor attorney will discuss four reasons why your workers are ready to hang up their hard hats for good.

1. For Millennials, Money Isn’t the Issue

Of all the various generations of workers that typically inhabit a project site, millennials are arguably the hardest to retain. Many millennials join the construction industry after hearing stories about high school graduates jumping out ahead of their contemporaries who spend the next four years in college. Unfortunately, many millennials soon find out that the thing they were seeking all along wasn’t money, it’s stimulation, growth potential, and sense of community. Focus on honing these three qualities and watch as your workers take increased pride in their daily tasks.

2. Construction Culture Is Ill-Defined

Randstad, a major recruiting agency, published some startling findings related to culture in the workplace. They found that 58 percent of employees would leave a job with a negative work culture. If the idea of hard work for the sake of hard work is the defining principle of your culture, it’s time to reassess the way you approach business. Otherwise, workers will continue to seek new opportunities in other industries. 

3. Lack of Appreciation Drives Away Newer Hires

Everyone wants to feel like their efforts are appreciated, which is too bad for the construction industry, since the frenetic pace of the project site means that good work is often overlooked in favor of problems that need fixing. This doesn’t mean employers have to commit to daily positive reinforcement, but it does mean that contractors need to reassess the way they show appreciation to their hardworking employees. Something as simple as a “thumbs up” could mean the difference between a worker staying or leaving.

4. Information Regarding Career Growth is Scarce

One of the best ways to retain good workers is to put them on the path to career advancement. But if there are plenty of opportunities to advance in the construction industry, why is this a pain point? Lack of information is the main culprit here. Contractors juggling multiple projects at once are often spread thin. You might notice that a worker is exhibiting all the signs necessary to increase their workload, but if you’re too busy to do anything about it, they’ll be more likely to give up on waiting and walk away.

If you would like to speak with one of our Chattanooga contractor attorneys, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.