Update on the shortage of construction workers!
In recent years, the Construction industry in Canada (and even more so in Quebec) has been facing a major problem: the rarity of The workforce. Vacancies are piling up and the progress of construction sites is sometimes compromised. In 2024, it is still our harsh reality on the subject!
Currently, the situation is quite tense in the Construction sector in Canada. In 2023, more than 80,000 workers in industry. A huge number! However, things don't seem to be about to improve... Experts predict that things are even likely to get worse in the coming years.
So what can you do to successfully recruit and keep qualified staff?
This shortage affects all trades, from builders to machine technicians, but specialized trades are particularly affected: plumbers, electricians, carpenters, roofers, etc. As you can imagine, this has an impact on the industry. Construction costs are soaring and productivity is taking a hit. Coupled with the slowdowns in demand and the end of the compulsive catching up of construction sites stopped during COVID, this is really not ideal for the sector. This is all the more unfortunate because at the same time, the country is facing a housing crisis which is not getting better and with the need for roads, bridges and public structures that are constantly increasing.
But how did we get there? Several reasons have accumulated.
Aging of the working population
First, our skilled workers are getting older. It is estimated that one in five workers will retire in the next 10 years. It's huge! And unfortunately, qualified personnel are not available and available quickly enough to replace them.
Young people's lack of interest in construction jobs
It must be said that most young people are less and less interested in construction jobs. Long studies have been democratized and many prefer to obtain degrees to obtain jobs that are more profitable and considered less tiring. This is a sad fact, which does not seem to be improving. It's up to us to make them want to join us! Their degrees are useful in construction!
Working conditions perceived as difficult
Construction work often gets bad press. People think that it's physically hard, that you work outside all the time, that it's hard to get time off, etc. And while it's true that it's not always easy, there are also lots of positive aspects that we often forget to mention!
Faced with this observation, it is possible to predict how the situation will evolve in the short, medium and long term.
Currently, there is a slowdown in housing starts. In practice, this means fewer new projects starting up. This has the impact of relieving some of the pressure on the workforce. But this situation is temporary and only provides temporary relief.
Indeed, even with this downturn, the shortage of skilled workers is expected to continue. Unfortunately, there are so few people who train and engage in this career path that the situation will therefore not improve in the short term.
In a 5- to 10-year projection, experts are not very optimistic. They expect the shortage to continue or even worsen, especially due to the numerous retirements. We can see the storm coming, but we don't yet know exactly when it will break out.
Fortunately, to alleviate this growing problem, there are solutions. Be creative to find new talent (and retain them!) is gradually becoming an obligation.
Gone are the days when we thought that construction was just for big hands! Companies are working hard to show that it is a modern sector, with powerful and efficient software. Being able to offer transparency on the tasks completed and the evolution of the site, the digitization of the sector is becoming essential.
Companies are going all out on training. They offer apprenticeship programs that make young people want to start. Especially since specialized trades are evolving so quickly that it is becoming imperative to train regularly to allow for better growth and profitability.
More and more, we see actors in this sector who are collaborating with schools and universities. They organize site visits, internships, presentations... By adopting this approach, they can identify talent even before they finish their studies and thus recruit them right out of school.
Finally, businesses are beginning to understand that they have every interest in expanding their recruitment pool. They are making efforts to attract more women, immigrants, and people from diverse communities.
With recruitment, which is becoming more and more complicated as we have seen, we must focus more on talent retention. And that involves a lot of aspects.
The time when just paying a salary was enough is definitely over! Today, businesses need to offer advantages that allow them to stand out from their competitors. We're talking about top-notch health insurance, attractive pension plans, team activities, etc. The idea is to stand out and show that you take care of your team. However, offering a competitive salary, especially for certain jobs, is still the best way to recruit talent.
The atmosphere and communication within a company have a direct impact on collaboration and therefore on the performance of your company. But to guarantee good communication and transparency on the various aspects of projects - in addition to dedicated software that facilitates exchanges - there is corporate culture. The latter makes it possible to cultivate good living together and promotes a healthy and fulfilling work environment for everyone.
Nobody likes to feel like they are on the spot. That is why it is strongly recommended to offer opportunities for growth and development so that your employees can climb the ladder. Training, chances to take on more responsibilities, maybe even job rotations to discover other aspects of the job.
A real modern and current challenge, work/personal life balance is today an essential pillar for each employee. Being able to see your children grow up and spend a few days with the family is a prerequisite for more and more employees, and we understand them! In practice, this involves flexible hours, teleworking when possible (well, on a construction site, it's not easy), and really respecting the free time of their employees (no calls or emails during the holidays, for example).
In summary, the key to overcoming the labour shortage problem is to combine everything. Successful businesses will be those that can both attract new talent and keep the talent they already have. The world is changing, and so are the expectations of workers, so you need to stay tuned and be ready to innovate. Construction industries in Canada are facing an increasing number of vacancies, so employers need to mobilize more resources to hire.
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