Construction Law

Reverse Mentoring in Construction: A Win-Win for Everyone Part 1

The construction industry has been experiencing a plethora of challenges as baby boomers continue to transition out of the sector, and it is no secret that the industry is having a tough time attracting millennials. Many construction companies have become proactive in their millennial recruiting efforts, but what happens when you pair older workers with younger ones on the construction site? You can allow the differences to create a wider knowledge gap or you can take advantage of everyone’s strengths and create a more cohesive workforce.

In this section and part two, our Tallahassee construction lawyers will discuss reverse mentoring, a promising solution for construction companies that helps unify the workforce and eliminate skills gaps.

Construction’s Aging Workforce

As a result of the Great Recession, the construction industry bore the brunt of losses. Millions of tradespeople left the industry when the housing market crashed. Today, the industry is still struggling to find skilled labor to replace those losses, and many of the workers remaining are aging and gearing up for retirement. The hope is that the industry will attract younger workers to fill the gap. However, once these new workers enter the industry, companies have to solve another issue: baby boomers’ technology deficiency and millennials’ construction skills deficiency.

What is Reverse Mentoring?

Reverse mentoring is the opposite of traditional mentoring. Instead of the older, more seasoned worker taking a less experienced worker under their wing, the younger worker acts as the mentor. Both the senior and junior worker can act as mentor in their areas of strength.

Construction companies are increasingly embracing technology of which many of their senior level workers are unfamiliar with. When it comes to making strategic decisions about your company’s adoption of technology such as cloud technology, smart devices, and even social media, reverse mentoring can ensure that older, seasoned workers can learn new skills. In return, the older workers can pass on years of knowledge to the younger worker.

Our Tallahassee construction lawyers will discuss the benefits of reverse mentoring and how to make your mentoring program successful in part two.

If you would like to speak with a Tallahassee construction lawyer, 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.