How to Hire and Keep Quality Labor

As U.S. economic issues linger for businesses and entrepreneurs, hiring and retaining talent remains a widespread challenge across all industries. “The Great Resignation” is impacting industries experiencing high levels of demand from the pandemic – like residential construction. According to the Home Builders Institute, the share of residential home builders reporting worker shortages was 60% in early 2021.

When considering how labor shortages contribute to construction delays and rising costs, housing supply and affordability have been deeply affected. In fact, 42% of surveyed builders shared that homes have sat idle for one to five days in a typical month due to limited available trades. While the solution to the trade shortage won’t come overnight, builders can take steps to prevent shortages from impacting their companies by investing in relationships and accountability.

To combat these labor shortages, business owners are working to improve how they do business to find and retain top talent. One of these ways is enhancing communication and collaboration. Builders must put themselves in the shoes of traders and suppliers to create a motivational environment built on empathy adequately. Creating a no-blame culture will encourage initiative and set high-performance standards. Connecting directly with the trades will be essential to pinpoint growing pains and roadblocks to building up your work environment.

Better and more frequent communication helps every side involved. By making it a point of emphasis, you can strengthen your bond with your team and reinforce your role as one that listens and is open to feedback. Knowing that not everyone communicates the same way will go a long way in being adaptable to different kinds of personalities on your team. Some employees prefer a direct approach, while others are more comfortable with indirect communication. As the leader of your business, it’s your job to ensure your team understands your directives and reinforcement. Remember, no matter how you communicate, it’s up to you to be understood.

When trying to improve your communication as a leader, it's easy to fall into the role of critic. To combat this, go out of your way to give positive feedback when earned. Providing your team with negative feedback is part of your job but remember to be empathetic and instructive when delivering tough news. An open-door policy is a great place to start if you are a manager or leader in your organization. By doing so, you will build trust with your team and show, through action, your commitment to hearing varying points of view.

Taking advantage of these simple measures will foster a more open and trusting working environment. During the age of the “Great Resignation,” businesses like yours need to do everything possible to build and keep your team in place. Your business depends on it.