By Julia Blaeser, Resource Coordinator
Are you still thinking about it? Building a diverse workforce is not, just a cool thing to do. Most industries recognize the benefits of workplace diversity for their bottom line, and the construction industry cannot be an exception. Apart from solid construction skills, your company needs to embrace diversity and capitalize on the various advantages it brings to the table. More talent, increased employee retention, different and more creative solutions, better understanding of client needs, and a positive reputation are just a few of the reasons why diversity in construction is not a choice, but a necessity.
Response to Labor Shortage
How big is your pool of candidates? How fast are you able to fill a construction job? Do you have an open electrician job, but no electricians to do it? Does the construction labor shortage have an impact on your operations? What is your plan to add more tradespeople to your pipeline? As a contractor, you need to increase your options of locating more talent and address your needs. Turning to diverse groups of workers allows you to grow your pool of candidates and get a competitive edge over your competition. It is a great way to address the industry labor shortage and show your clients why they need to work with you.
Increased Employee Retention
How would it feel to work in an environment that doesn’t feel very welcoming? How long do you think you would stay before moving on to the next construction job? Reports show that the majority of today’s tradespeople –Baby Boomers– are slowly, but steadily exiting the industry. Their construction skills are being replaced by those of younger workers who, according to research studies, prefer to join diverse workplaces. In order to attract and retain talent, you need to recognize the importance of diversity in construction and adopt initiatives that help your employees feel connected with your organization.
Creative Ideas
One of the definitions of creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, etc. In other words, creative results are generated when people think beyond what is expected and are able to come up with new ideas. This is why embracing diversity in construction is very important. By bringing together people with different backgrounds, points of view, experiences and construction skills, you enable your organization to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes. Building a diverse team of professionals opens the door for fresh and unique approaches of solving problems.
More Business
Another way to adopt diversity in construction is by doing business with diverse subcontractors. The reason is that many federal and state agencies award contracts to minority and women-owned companies as a means to promote business growth. Partnering with such companies enables you to multiply your chances of winning more business. In addition, the number of women-owned construction companies is growing at a high pace, a trend being driven mostly by Latino contractors. That being said, when your organization adopts diverse initiatives it has more chances of expanding its business opportunities.
Great Reputation
Every company in every industry is trying to find ways to differentiate itself from its competition. Customers and candidates want to work with companies that stand out for good practices and innovative strategies. When your company embraces diversity, it is being seen as an industry leader that promotes differentiation by bringing together people with different cultures and backgrounds. This allows you to build a positive reputation and attract both more clients and more candidates. Remember that the more diverse your company becomes, the more you get to understand and address your audience’s needs and the more market share you win.
Key Takeaways to Why Your Construction Company Needs to Focus on Diversity:
- Turning to diverse groups of workers allows you to address the labor shortage
- Today’s candidates prefer to join diverse workplaces
- Building a diverse workforce enables you to provide creative ideas
- Partnering with minority and women-owned companies helps you expand your business
- Embracing diversity helps you build a positive industry reputation
About TradeSource
Founded in 1993, TradeSource is a construction labor solutions firm focused on delivering labor solutions to contractors throughout the United States. By supplying skilled tradespeople – where and when they’re needed – we help contractors grow their companies, without the associated costs and hassles of full-time hires. Likewise, we match qualified employees with rewarding and well-paying job opportunities in the construction industry. www.tradesource.com
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